After an awakening 29-26 loss to the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium last Sunday, it allows the team to put their first loss of the season behind them and prepare for a big Monday Night Football showdown against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
The extra day of preparation for the team comes with the injury concern of star wide receiver D.J. Moore. He's been dealing with a nagging AC joint sprain back from Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, and then he hurt his shoulder again against the Patriots.
With that being said, it's now time to bring back their tight ends into the receiving game.
How tight ends can improve offensive game plan
Dalton Kincaid can pick up from where he left off
Dalton Kincaid had a spectacular first two weeks of the season, starting to look like the tight end they drafted in 2023. In Week 1 against the Texans, Kincaid led the team with 130 yards on five receptions, showing his speed at the line of scrimmage and his quickness after the catch, though he didn't reach the end zone.
In Week 2 against the Lions, Kincaid followed it up with 95 yards on seven receptions and scored his first touchdown of the season. He was already the Bills' leading receiver with 225 yards in two games, and now he leads tight ends in receiving yards with 270, per Pro Football Focus.
But things have quieted down over the last two weeks; against the Chargers in Week 3, Kincaid had only 38 yards on two receptions. Moore led the team with 67 yards on six receptions before re-aggravating his AC joint and leaving the game.
Also, Kincaid played only 35 snaps against the Patriots because the Bills ran 11 personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end) instead of their usual 13 personnel (1 running back, 3 tight ends) to move the ball methodically.
In Week 4, Kincaid posted a season-worst seven yards on one reception and no touchdowns, while Moore managed just 11 yards on one reception. Keon Coleman came alive and led the Bills in receiving this week with 116 yards on six receptions.
Kincaid currently leads the Bills in receiving yards with 270 yards and one touchdown, followed by Coleman with 217 yards on 14 receptions and Moore with 178 yards on 12 receptions and one touchdown. Now is the time to get Kincaid back in the receiving game.
Where Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes fit into the puzzle
Kincaid has been the fantastic receiving tight end of the group, as he currently has 270 receiving yards, which is more than both Coleman (217 yards) and Moore (178 yards), whereas Dawson Knox only has 30 receiving yards, but both he and Jackson Hawes have both shined in both run and pass blocking.
In their typical 13 personnel, they could line up Knox and Kincaid at the traditional tight end spots on the left and right, and Hawes would line up as the H-back because the Bills lack a traditional fullback on the roster.
Or they could line up Knox and Hawes as the two tight ends on the left and right, with Kincaid as the H-back to catch screen passes.
Sadly, the Bills had to run more than 11 personnel because they struggled to get James Cook and the run game flowing last week against the Pats' defense.
Hopefully, they return to their traditional 13 personnel and face it in practice, since the Los Angeles Rams run 13 personnel as often as the Bills do because they have five active tight ends on their roster, while the Bills have four.
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