Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - We've seen this happen before. The Buffalo Bills hit a bump in the road and we wonder what is going wrong.
The Bills hit the bye week dragging back-to-back losses to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons with them. The offense was in a mini funk, scoring just 34 points combined in the two defeats. This after averaging more than 30 points a game in a 4-0 start.
Think back to the last two seasons before this year.
Last year, there were back-to-back losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans in Weeks 4 and 5 and the offense managed only 30 points. In 2023, it was actually a six-game stretch where Josh Allen and company looked off their collective game. The Bills went 2-4, averaged 20 points a game, and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was fired.
But this time, it feels different to me. It comes down to a passing game that isn't great.
The six-game review of the offense looks like this: Josh Allen is still one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but after throwing just six interceptions last season, Allen has been picked off four times in the first six games. Allen has also been sacked 12 times, which is just two off his total from last season.
I think those numbers are more about players not getting open, as opposed to major issues along the offensive line.
James Cook has been very good, and his usage numbers are up. Cook averaged 12 carries and 14 touches a game last season, but he's getting 17 carries and 20 touches on the average this year.
However, they need to increase those numbers, because Cook is the spark that gets the offense going. His role is even more important while the Bills attempt to figure out a way to get explosiveness back in their passing game.
Cook is averaging 5.0 yards per-carry and 5.2 per-touch in 2025.
Third-year tight end Dalton Kincaid has looked like he did in his rookie season, and his absence in the Falcons game was a big blow. In five games this year, Kincaid has 20 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns. He is second on the team in yards after the catch (125) to Khalil Shakir.
Speaking of Shakir, he has been his usual solid self, but that's where it ends. The rest of the weapons have not contributed enough, especially at wide receiver.
Keon Coleman has not taken a step up in Year 2. Curtis Samuel has been a bust of a free agent signing. Same story for Elijah Moore. Joshua Palmer has made occasional big plays, but now is injured and considered week-to-week, according to head coach Sean McDermott.
Coleman had a terrific game in the Week 1 comeback against Baltimore, but has been mostly quiet since then. He is second on the team in receptions (24) and yards (237), but averages just 9.9 yards per-catch.
The Bills have put an emphasis on yards after the catch in recent seasons, and Coleman just doesn't provide that. He has just 32 total yards after the catch on those 24 receptions.
The explosive pass plays (25-plus yards) have almost disappeared from the Bills offense. They rang up five of those in the season opener against the Ravens, but there have been a total of six over the last five games.
In the last two games, New England and Atlanta made it a priority to keep Cook from going wild. The game plan was to load the box, limit the ground game and challenge the Bills to beat them with the passing game. The Bills were unable to do that, which should be stunning.
But it isn't because the talent in the passing game just isn't there. Since the trade of Stefon Diggs, the Bills have lacked a target that could scare the (you know what) out of opposing defenses.
I don't want to hear about everyone eating ever again. It makes it seem like its a bad idea to have a stud receiver who hogs all the food.
Look at the back-to-back losses and think about what Diggs and Falcons wideout Drake London did to the Bills defense. Diggs is a big reason why Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has taken a big jump up in his second season. As for London, he was the Falcons' passing attack.
I still think the Bills will be fine. They will make the playoffs, they will still win the division. When you have Allen under center, you are instantly better than almost every other team in the league.
But the problem is the Bills might be going back to the days of Allen having to put on the red cape and be Superman. He needs a dangerous weapon in the passing game.
That is hard to add during the season, but the Bills aren't in the business just to make the playoffs. They are supposed to be chasing that elusive Super Bowl title.
General manager Brandon Beane has to be aggressive and do everything in his power to find that game-changing receiver by the Nov. 4 trade deadline.
Yes, there are multiple issues on defense. The Bills need help at every level on that side of the ball. But the offense is what has carried, and will carry this team, and gives them their best shot at a championship.
It is screaming out for help at one spot.
Bills notes:
- In terms of strength of schedule, the Bills' first six opponents are a combined 9-25 (.264) going into Week 8. The remaining opponents on the schedule are 31-36 (.462).
- Six of the next nine games will be on the road.
- The Bills are 8-0 in their first game out of the bye under McDermott.
- Since 2019, the Bills have gone 39-17 (.696) before the bye. Their record after the bye is 36-13 (.734)
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