Find a way to be two-dimensional
"Part of being a good offense is being two-dimensional", said McDermott when asked about the lack of run plays. Only a total of 8 run plays were called during the Bengals game. James Cook would be a part of 6 of them, gaining 20 yards and Latavius Murray would have 2 for 4 yards.
In terms of being two-dimensional, Dorsey wasn't close to perfect as he tried to force a run game in these predictable situations, and then abandon it all together down the stretch. Knowing when to run and pass is something that needs to be addressed within the staff, as lots of these play calls have been predictable, to the point where some fans will call out some plays before the ball is snapped.
Going into up-tempo early often gives the offense some energy and rhythm. Not only that but it gives that sense of unpredictability, where a run play can surprise a defense and end up being more successful. Yet we've seen this type of offense used once and then abandoned until late in the 4th quarter, usually when it's too late.
Allen would have to play Superman again, as he would be the Bills leading rusher with 8 attempts with 44 yards. Of course, fans would want Allen to use his legs, but that should also come with the threat of the run game. The Bills have failed to do this for years, as the last time they were a truly dangerous rushing offense was back in 2017 when LeSean McCoy would also be the Bills' last 1,000-yard rusher.
Utilizing James Cook can be difficult at times due to his lack of pass protection, but he's an overall good runner and pass catcher, which makes him a pretty good weapon to utilize. Unfortunately, Cook barely gets opportunities with only 109 rushing attempts on the season, yet he still has an impressive 4.7 YPC. This is a passing league and the Bills have a pass-heavy offense, but having a reliable run game helps a lot when running an offense.
The top 4 NFL offenses based on total yardage all have reliable run games. The Dolphins, Lions, Eagles, and Chiefs, not to mention a dominant Ravens team as well. 4 of the teams listed also already have at least 1,000 yards rushing, which shows how important the running game can be to an offense.
From the past 5 games, we've seen flashes of brilliance from the offense, but in a very inconsistent manner. They still can, but how much of the inconsistency relies on the coaching? Same with the defense, which played well given the situation, but there was still lots of inconsistent play from that side.