Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - Sunday afternoon's game began well enough for the Buffalo Bills.
The New York Jets kicker slipped on the opening kick, which gave the Bills a drive start at their own 45-yard line. On the very first play from scrimmage, Stefon Diggs beat Jets standout rookie corner Sauce Gardner, and Josh Allen hit his No. 1 target on a 42-yard bomb.
Just like that, the Bills were at the Jets' 13-yard line, and I immediately thought this was going to be easy.
Sadly, it didn't turn out that way.
The Bills lost this game because their passing offense vanished in the second half. It actually started midway through the second quarter after the Bills put together their best drive of the game, a 93-yard touchdown drive that gave Buffalo a 14-3 lead with six-and-a-half minutes left in the first half.
Buffalo's offense had five more drives in the game and produced one field goal. Those five drives covered 32 plays and netted a measly 81 yards.
In the first half, Diggs had 93 yards on five catches. In the second half, he was blanked, registering zero catches. Although he would have had one critical catch on the Bills' final drive if Dion Dawkins wasn't flagged for a holding penalty.
Once the Jets took Diggs out of the game, the Bills offense was cooked. No one else was able to step up in the passing game and produce big plays.
When the Bills decided to run the ball, the running backs did nothing. Devin Singletary and James Cook combined for 39 yards on 12 carries.
The offensive line lost its battle with the Jets defensive line all day long, and it really stymied the Bills. Their offense in the second half was reduced to Allen's running, whether it was scrambles or designed runs.
The Bills had only two red zone trips and both came in the first half. Allen's interception came on the first red zone possession, and Allen's one-yard touchdown was the end result of the second.
Did you know the Bills managed to get into Jets territory on just one of their four second half drives? On that one drive, they only got as far as the Jets' 33-yard line before settling for a 51-yard Tyler Bass field goal.
I needed offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to come up with some easier throws for Allen in the second half. Perhaps some screens or more quick slants.
The Jets took away the deep ball. That bomb to Diggs on the very first play was Allen's only completion in six attempts of 20-plus yards. Allen needed to do a better job of taking what the defense was giving to him.
I also needed more from wide receiver Gabe Davis, who has not turned into a big second threat to go along with Diggs. Davis had just two catches for 33 yards out of five targets.
The bomb at the end of the game on 4th-and-21 was a tough catch, but making tough catches and big plays downfield is how Davis made a name for himself. He didn't come up in the clutch for the Bills offense.
In addition, I need more from tight end Dawson Knox, who had just three catches for 25 yards.
Knox has taken a step back after his breakout 2021 season. His receiving yards per-game has dropped from 39 last season to 26 this season, and his nine yards per-catch average is a career-low.
Yes, the defense was shredded by the Jets' run game on, what turned out to be, a game-winning field goal drive, but the Bills offense and its ineffectiveness is why Buffalo dropped to 0-2 in divisional games this season.
There is no reason to panic right now, but the offense hasn't looked right for the last six quarters. If there is something to be worried about, it's the lack of a consistent threat outside of Diggs.
Odell Beckham Jr., anyone?
