Joe Brady mistakes against Houston Texans: the 4th-and-1 screen disaster, three straight runs into a loaded box, and screen obsession that cost Buffalo the game — full breakdown of the plays that have Bills Mafia calling for his job today.
November 21, 2025 — I’m a lifelong Bills fan, and last night’s Thursday Night Football loss to the Houston Texans (20-17) hurt worse than any playoff heartbreak. By the time the clock hit zero, “Fire Joe Brady” was trending nationwide and Bills Mafia was ready to riot.
I rewatched the All-22 this morning with a giant coffee and a lot of pain. Here are the exact Joe Brady mistakes against Houston Texans that turned a winnable game into a fireable offense — and why the fanbase has completely lost faith overnight.
Mistake #1: The Infamous 4th-and-1 Screen Pass
Situation: 4th quarter, Bills down 10-17, 4th-and-1 at the Texans’ 43 with 4:12 left. Instead of trusting Josh Allen to pick up one yard (he’s converted 90%+ on QB sneaks this year), Brady dialed up a bubble screen to Khalil Shakir. It got blown up for a 3-yard loss. Turnover on downs.
Josh Allen was visibly screaming on the sideline, “What are we doing?!” — the clip already has half a million views. That single play call instantly became the most hated moment in Buffalo since Wide Right.
Practical tip for young coaches: When you have the best QB sneaker in football, don’t get cute on 4th-and-1 against the #1 run defense. Just line up under center and end it.
Mistake #2: Three Straight Runs Into a Loaded Box on the Final Drive
Down 3 with 1:40 left, two timeouts, and the two-minute warning. Perfect time to let Josh cook, right? Wrong. Brady called run-run-run — all stuffed — and the drive died without even forcing Houston to burn a timeout. The broadcast literally showed Houston stacking 9 in the box and daring Buffalo to run. They did. Three times.
My group chat went from hopeful to apocalyptic in 45 seconds.
Mistake #3: Obsession With Screens Against the Best Screen-Defense in Football
The Texans came in leading the NFL in yards allowed on screen plays. Brady’s answer? Call at least 11 screens (yes, eleven). Result: 4 yards total on those plays. One meme going around right now shows Joe Brady’s playbook as a single page that just says “SCREEN TO SHAKIR” in Comic Sans.
The Numbers That Tell the Whole Ugly Story
- Total offense: 278 yards (season low)
- Yards per carry: 3.2
- Third-down conversions: 3 of 12
- Red-zone trips: 2 (both field goals)
- Josh Allen passer rating when Brady went pass-heavy early: 128.9
- Passer rating when Brady went ultra-conservative late: 47.2
Why This Felt Like the Final Straw
Brady took over mid-2024 after Ken Dorsey was fired for similar “too predictable” complaints. We were promised creativity and aggression. Instead we got the most conservative second-half game plan I’ve seen since the 13-seconds Chiefs debacle.
Even neutral analysts are piling on: one former OC texted me this morning, “That was coaching malpractice.”
Question for you: At this point, would you rather see Josh Allen calling his own plays or keep Joe Brady? Be honest — the comment section is already a war zone.
Final Thoughts
Joe Brady mistakes against Houston Texans weren’t just bad play calls — they were the kind of decisions that get coordinators pink-slipped before sunrise. Fourth-and-1 screens, triple runs into a 9-man box, and refusing to let your MVP quarterback save the day. Bills Mafia isn’t asking for perfection; we’re asking for common sense.
Next game is Sunday against the Ravens. If the same playbook shows up, One Bills Drive might need extra security.