The Buffalo Bills’ 23-19 defeat to the Houston Texans in Week 12 felt like a punch to the gut — it was a wake-up call to a 7-4 contender for their playoff aspirations. Quarterback Josh Allen endured a brutal eight-sack onslaught from Houston’s vaunted No. 1-ranked defense, which racked up 28 pressures and three turnovers, including two interceptions off Allen. The final drive died on a 4th & 6 incompletion, leaving Buffalo’s faithful stunned.

Yet amid the failures, a few glimpses of hope emerged, while glaring issues deserve scrutiny. Here’s my deep dive into the top three Heroes trending up, the top three Head Scratchers trending down, and honorable mentions on both sides — as usual, backed by stats and advanced metrics that justify the individual impacts.

Heroes: The Standouts Who Kept

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