Allen takes blame after comeback attempt falls short in Buffalo's 23-20 loss to Houston

HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Allen took the blame Sunday after Buffalo’s comeback attempt came up short in a loss to the Houston Texans.

The quarterback was blunt about his need to improve after going 9 of 30 for a season-low 131 yards in the 23-20 defeat.

“Starts with making better decisions on my part,” he said. “I know I didn’t complete the ball at a high rate. I put the ball in harm’s way, especially in that first half.”

The Bills (3-2) lost for a second straight week after opening the season with three straight wins.

“This isn’t a defining moment in our season,” Allen said. “It’s a chance to learn and grow from this. That’s what we’re going to do.”

Buffalo coach Sean McDermott was complimentary of Allen despite his tough day.

“Josh is a great player,” he said. “I will take the ball in Josh’s hand any time.”

Allen struggled before halftime again Sunday, managing just 56 yards passing a week after throwing for 42 yards in the first half of a rout by the Ravens.

“We missed by a little bit,” he said “We were off slightly. That’s something I have to clean up. I’m proud of how we responded in the second half ... we gave ourselves a chance to win the football game.”

The Bills trailed 20-3 after a field goal early in third quarter before scoring 17 straight points, capped by a field goal, to tie it with about 3½ minutes to go.

The Bills cut the lead to 10 when James Cook scored on a 5-yard run with about nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Rookie Keon Coleman’s 49-yard reception on fourth-and-5 got the Bills within 20-17 on their next drive. Coleman slipped a tackle and then darted down the sideline before flipping into the end zone for his second TD this season.

The touchdown pass was the 231st in Allen’s career, tying him with Patrick Mahomes for the most by a player in his first seven seasons.

C.J. Stroud was called for intentional grounding to bring up fourth-and-15 and take the Texans out of field-goal range with less than a minute left.

A punt backed the Bills up to their 3 and they punted after three straight incomplete passes to give Houston one last chance.

“Overall, that’s on me,” McDermott said. “We’ve just got to do a better job. I have to do a better job in that situation.”

Dare Ogunbowale had a 5-yard run to set up Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 59-yard game-winning field goal as time expired.

“The end of game situation on offense … we were in a tough situation,” McDermott said. “They had three timeouts. They have a good field goal kicker. We needed to run the clock and move the chains, and that’s on me. We didn’t do that there and that’s my fault.”

Defensive end A.J. Epenesa said the team must remind itself not to “ride the roller coaster” of emotions during this difficult stretch.

“Right now, we’re at a low,” he said. “We’ve lost two games, but we’ve got to try to stay as consistent as possible. We’ve had a lot of success on this team. We do a lot of great things. It’s just us shooting ourselves in the foot. It’s us making mistakes, which is allowing these teams to beat us. We’ve got to clean those things up.”

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Houston. The Texans won 23-20. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) is hit by Houston Texans safety Jalen Pitre as he passes during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) scrambles up field ahead of Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Looking for any kind of jolt for a slumping offense, the Philadelphia Phillies benched All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm for Game 2 of the NL Division Series.

Bohm is healthy but in a funk after a 0 for 4 outing in a 6-2 Game 1 loss to the New York Mets in which he slammed his helmet in frustration after another empty at-bat.

Edmundo Sosa got the start at third base Sunday against Mets starter Luis Severino.

“I wanted to get some energy in the lineup with Sosa, he’s kind of our energy guy,” manager Rob Thomson said ahead of Game 2. “Bohm’s not swinging the bat particularly well, but he’s not the only one. He’s frustrated. But I just wanted to get Sosa in there.”

With the Phillies trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Bohm pinch-hit for Sosa with one out and a runner on first base. Bohm popped up to third base against right-hander José Buttó.

Bohm hit .280 this season with 15 homers, 97 RBIs and 44 doubles but faded down the stretch. He ended the regular season in a 2-for-27 slump and — in a very small sample size — is 0 for 3 against Severino.

Bohm is a .222 career postseason hitter (24 for 108), with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 31 games.

Sosa hit .257 with seven homers and 31 RBIs in 90 games this season.

“He goes out there and he runs around,” Thomson said. “And I think he energizes other people, as well, and that’s what we need.”

The Phillies need more than an energy boost.

They need the high-priced lineup to start hitting. All-Star shortstop Trea Turner has been Philadelphia's worst postseason offender. He's 0 for 16 in the playoffs dating to Game 5 of last season's NL Championship Series against Arizona.

Right fielder Nick Castellanos went 1 for 4 with a single in his last at-bat in Game 1, ending a postseason hitless streak that started in Game 2 of last season's NLCS.

The Phillies' meek effort in the plate in Game 1 against the Mets saw them waste a splendid start from ace Zack Wheeler. Wheeler tossed one-hit ball over seven shutout innings that went for naught after the bullpen imploded in the eighth inning.

Second baseman Bryson Stott was bumped to fifth in the order while Sosa bats eighth.

Thomson said there wasn't more to the move beyond replacing one scuffling hitter.

“As far as a wake-up call, no, not really,” Thomson said. “I think these guys are well aware of what needs to be done. I don’t think they need a wake-up call, for sure.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Edmundo Sosa hits the ball during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

New York Mets' Jose Iglesias reacts past Philadelphia Phillies third base Alec Bohm after making it safely to third on a run scoring single by New York Mets' J.D. Martinez during the eighth inning of Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Zack Wheeler, center, and Alec Bohm, react after Wheeler caught a fly out hit by New York Mets' Francisco Lindor during the third inning of Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm reacts after striking out against Chicago Cubs pitcher Hayden Wesneski during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)