Texans and Bills renew AFC rivalry in Houston home opener
Houston will host Buffalo for the third consecutive season, with both teams targeting AFC division and playoff positions.
The Houston Texans will open their 2026 home schedule against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, in a matchup carrying implications for both teams’ AFC ambitions.
The game will be DeMeco Ryans’ first home opener as Houston’s head coach. It is also the third consecutive season the Texans and Bills have met at Reliant Stadium, with Houston winning the previous two encounters.
Houston prevailed 23–20 in 2024 after Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 59-yard winning field goal. The Texans followed with a 23–19 victory in 2025, when Davis Mills deputised for the concussed C.J. Stroud and Houston’s defence recorded eight sacks.
Buffalo retains quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook, who rushed for 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, according to the supplied report from Yahoo Sports. The Bills have also added wide receiver DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears.
The game will mark Joe Brady’s first as Buffalo’s head coach after he replaced Sean McDermott. Both teams made the playoffs in each of Ryans’ first three seasons, but have not met in the AFC playoffs during that period.
Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr described the fixture as an “AFC Championship matchup”, while Ryans stressed the need for Houston to contain Buffalo’s explosive plays.
