How to Watch Bills vs. Texans: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time

The Buffalo Bills visit the Houston Texans on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET from Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX.

Buffalo enters as the slim favorite, and the number reflects a close one. The Bills are -1.5 (-118) at home, with Houston at +1.5 (-101) and the total set at 44.5.

Buffalo's identity shows up late and on the ground. The Bills scored 30 rushing touchdowns in 2025, the most in the NFL, and piled up 1,793 yards in the fourth quarter, also the league's best mark, evidence of an offense built to close games out.

The Texans have gone 10-1 over their last 11 games, a stretch that puts Buffalo's fourth-quarter strength against a team that has been finding ways to win close games of its own.

Below, we'll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Bills vs. Texans

• When: Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 1 p.m. ET
• Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
• TV: CBS
• Streaming: Paramount+

Players to Watch

Josh Allen

Bills

This opener runs through Buffalo's quarterback, because the Bills enter Week 1 with one clear offensive centerpiece and a passing game that already showed signs of rhythm in preseason. In his lone preseason appearance on Aug. 15 against Carolina, Allen completed 6 of 8 passes for 111 yards and 1 touchdown while leading 2 scoring drives.

He matters here because Buffalo is also sitting first in the league rankings for third down percentage entering the opener, even though the season has not started and those team totals are still at 0. Allen is the player most likely to turn that early expectation into real production. With DJ Moore added to the offense and Keon Coleman listed among the starting receivers on the unofficial depth chart, Allen's ability to handle pressure and create explosive plays will shape how aggressively the Bills can attack Houston.

C.J. Stroud

Texans

For Houston, the spotlight falls on the quarterback who has to set the tone against a Buffalo team expected to lean on Allen and force opponents to answer. Stroud is central to that response because the Texans are still sorting out pieces around him at receiver, with Kayshon Boutte recently working to build chemistry after arriving in a late August trade, and Tank Dell unavailable after landing on injured reserve.

The matchup makes Stroud worth watching because Houston may need him to steady an offense that enters Week 1 without any established 2026 production on the board. If he gets the Texans into manageable situations early, that could ease pressure on a team whose current league ranking shows 32nd in third down percentage before any regular season snaps have been played. A sharp start from Stroud would give Houston a real chance to control the flow instead of chasing it.

Keon Coleman

Bills

At receiver, Buffalo's most interesting Week 1 watch may be the player fighting to lock down a bigger role right away. Coleman, who is dealing with a foot issue, is still listed as one of the Bills' three starting receivers on the unofficial depth chart, which puts him squarely in the middle of this matchup if he is active as expected.

His recent track is worth following closely. After averaging 9.8 yards per target as a rookie in 2024, that number dipped to 6.8 in 2025, and he also spent time as a healthy inactive late last season. The tone around him is different now. He earned positive reviews in minicamp and training camp, then caught a 9 yard touchdown from Allen in preseason action against Carolina. If Coleman turns that momentum into early catches against Houston, Buffalo's passing game gets another size target who can change coverage looks.

Kayshon Boutte

Texans

Houston's receiving picture gives Boutte a real chance to matter immediately, because the Texans are working through changes in the depth chart and need reliable options behind Nico Collins. Since arriving from New England on Aug. 24, Boutte said he has been building chemistry with Stroud, and that connection could become important fast in this matchup.

There is useful recent background here. Over the 2024 and 2025 regular seasons with the Patriots, Boutte combined for 76 catches, 1,140 yards and 9 touchdowns on 114 targets across 29 games. That does not guarantee a featured role right away, but it does show he has handled meaningful passing game work recently. With Tank Dell on injured reserve and Jayden Higgins out after a torn ACL, Boutte is one of the Texans skill players who could swing the shape of Houston's offense if he earns trust early.

Bills vs. Texans Odds

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