For the second time in as many weeks, the Texans (5-5) sweated out a close win in a dire circumstance with Davis Mills leading the way at quarterback. While this win didn't require a historic comeback in the fourth quarter, Houston still found themselves having to win a dogfight against the Tennessee Titans (1-9) due to a number of miscues on both sides of the football. 

In the first quarter, it was a 16-play drive that ended via turnover on downs at the Titans 1-yard line due to an 11-yard sack of Davis Mills. Then, Houston punted the ball five times on the afternoon (including three 3-and-outs).

Finally, the defense let up a 15-play touchdown drive that tied the game 13-13 with 1:40 left in the ballgame (to be fair, there was a phantom defensive pass interference call on cornerback Derek Stingley on a 3rd-and-10 that extended that drive). 

But, thanks to a clutch 17-yard pass from Mills to receiver Nico Collins on 3rd and 16 at the Titans 41 yard line, Houston was able to eventually set up a game winning 34-yard field goal for newly added kicker Matthew Wright. Houston won 16-13, but it was not pretty at all. 

Simply put, the Texans benefitted from playing the worst team in football at the perfect time. 

They will not be that fortunate come this Thursday night, as they have a four day turnaround before playing the Buffalo Bills (7-3) at home in NRG Stadium. 

Though they are the home team, questions would still about the viability of a Texans win given the various issues the team is still working through. Such as, the availability of starters like quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive back Jalen Pitre and kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn after missing multiple games due to two concussions and a quad injury respectively. 

Then, there's the prospect of stopping quarterback Josh Allen and a Bills offense that has scored 28+ points in three of their last four games (including 40+ in two of them), leading to as many wins in the same amount of games. 

To refocus on the offensive side of the ball, Mills still being the quarterback for potentially his third game would represent the biggest swing of the pendulum for fanbase confidence toward a third Texans win in a row. It's one thing for Mills to engineer comeback wins against two thirds of the AFC South in the Jaguars and Titans, but it's a different level in facing an MVP in Allen and a perennial AFC Championship contender in Buffalo. 

The oddsmakers seem to agree as well, with initial projections placing the Texans as 3.5-point underdogs at +166 (courtesy of FanDuel). In regular terms, it means that head coach Demeco Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley have their work cut out for them if they want to knock off the Bills on Thursday. 

Maybe some major developments happen tomorrow and their multiple injured starters return in time for primetime. If not, Houston will yet again have to overcome the odds and defeat a conference opponent at less than full strength. The margin for error will be the thinnest its been since Stroud went down two weeks ago. 

If they do find a way to gut out a victory, Houston will be above .500 for the first time all year and will tie Jacksonville in the win column for the seventh seed in the AFC. 

Do you think that Houston can pull out one of their biggest wins of the year if Davis Mills is still the quarterback? What must Houston do to defeat Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills?

Let us know in the comment section below or on the official Texans Roundtable X account (@Texans_RTB)!