David Montgomery’s Houston debut produced a franchise first, but the veteran running back was focused less on his three touchdowns than the Texans’ 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Three touchdowns set Texans debut mark
Montgomery scored three times in his first appearance for Houston, the most touchdowns ever recorded by a player in his Texans debut. Each of his scores put the Texans back in front during a high-scoring game against Buffalo.
- He opened his Houston scoring with a 1-yard rushing touchdown.
- His second touchdown came on an 18-yard run through a sizable opening.
- Montgomery added a 7-yard touchdown reception, his first receiving score since the 2022 season with the Chicago Bears.
The touchdowns helped Houston stay within reach of the Bills, but the Texans could not close out the game and left with the five-point defeat.
Montgomery sees room to improve
Despite the historic scoring performance, Montgomery said the loss kept the day from feeling like a major personal achievement. He also believed he did not play to his own standard and said he left opportunities available for both his offensive line and teammates.
“The touchdowns were nice, but it is hard to enjoy them when you do not win,” Montgomery said. “I know I can play better. There were plays I should have made for the offensive line and for everybody else. It was the first game, and I will get better, but we did not get the result we wanted.”
Montgomery finished with 60 rushing yards on 20 carries, an average of 3.0 yards per attempt. That efficiency was below his recent production: the 29-year-old has averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry in each of the past four seasons.
Bengals game offers chance for first win
Houston will try to move past the Buffalo loss on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, another matchup that could carry playoff implications. The game also has personal meaning for Montgomery, who will face his hometown team.
Montgomery said he will not alter his routine for Cincinnati, instead treating the Bengals as another difficult opponent following offseason improvements on defense.
“For me, it is another game and the preparation stays the same,” Montgomery said. “They are a strong defense that improved during the offseason. It will be a good test to see where we stand and whether we can get our first win.”
