At this point maybe there is nothing wrong with this offense. Maybe this is simply who they are. Maybe that offense we saw from weeks 2 - 4 was an aberration and that's not who they really are. But then we see flashes and drives where they move the ball as if there is no defense on the field. I'm just as confounded as anyone else and have no answers.
The game started with the Bills winning the coin toss and for the first time for as long as I remember, Buffalo elected to take the ball first, only to give it right back to the Broncos on the first play of the Bills drive. The Bills defense did a good job of limiting the damage to only a field goal, but the offense gifted another turnover on their very next drive. This time a pass through the hands of Gabe Davis and into the waiting arms of the Broncos.
The Bills finally put together a drive without turning over the ball and put up six of their own but another interception late in the half, led to another field goal by the Broncos and a 15 - 8 halftime deficit. In the end, it was another penalty that sealed the Bills' fate. I haven't heard a final whistle on the season yet but it's not looking good for the Buffalo Bills in 2023.
Josh Allen HAS to stop turning the ball over.
We all know about the great numbers that Josh Allen has put up over the years. The first in NFL history to do this or the first to do that. He's great and there is debating that but the one thing that is holding him back from possibly becoming one of, if not the greatest quarterback in the league. his physical skills are unmatched but his decision-making drives me crazy and no doubt fans everywhere. Maybe Ken Dorsey needs to take the ball out of Allen's hands and let James Cook and Latavius Murray move the ball. McDermott benched Cook for a fumble, so maybe not letting Josh throw it, is the answer.
Allen leads the NFL this season in turnovers, while also leading in total touchdowns. He also leads the league in both these categories since 2018. Should we be willing to accept the bad with the good or should we expect more from our franchise quarterback? It's ironic that the starting quarterback before Allen, Tyrod Taylor was scrutinized by fans for not taking shots and being ultra-conservative and now we have the exact opposite. Can we please find that happy medium?
Can we please give Coach McDermott some credit for helping to keep this injured defense competitive?
The Bills defense has been decimated with injuries this season and it only got worse with this game. Both Micah Hyde and Christian Benford were out, just adding to a long list of injured players. Yet week in and week out, they play well enough and do just enough to keep the Bills in games and in a position to win. I'm not sure firing Coach McDermott is the answer but maybe a shakeup on the staff after the season.
Buffalo couldn't sustain several drives and had four turnovers, giving the Broncos excellent field position all game long. At the end of the day, Buffalo struggled to get the Broncos off the field on that final drive but they were on the field a lot and likely wearing down. The pressure was there all game but kudos to Russel Willson, getting out and making plays. Still, the Bills defense did enough but they couldn't make up for all of the offense's miscues.
I have a hard time blaming coaches for the poor execution but.....
I get that one of the many responsibilities of coaches is to get the players prepared and ready to play. I also get that these are professional athletes, and if you need a coach to tell you to catch the football, not throw picks, or commit penalties, then you might need to take a look in the mirror. This game started with two turnovers on their first two possessions, coupled with dropped passes and penalties.
Whether you believe a player should be benched for fumbling or not, if you're going to do that, maybe Coach McDermott should consider benching Gabe Davis for the dropped passes. I can see both sides of the coaching dispute and if you want to move on from maybe Dorsey, ok that's a conversation we can have but it won't happen in the middle of the season. There simply are no options currently on the staff with any credible experience calling plays, other than Joe Brady but I already addressed this in an earlier article.
It's a long shot for the Buffalo Bills to make the playoffs.
Buffalo's offense handed the Broncos offense the ball on four separate drives and Denver wasn't able to do anything with them. While I commend the effort from Buffalo's defense, they will be hard-pressed to shut down the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs gave away four turnovers.
Buffalo still managed to put up 22 points, despite the turnovers, which just points to what could be with the Bills' offense if they could simply stop turning over the ball. I think a 10 - 7 record gets you into the playoffs but that means the Bills have to go 5 - 2 over the final seven games and with the caliber of the opponents, I have my doubts about this team making it.
Dalton Kincaid should be the starter over Dawson Know upon his return from his injury.
Dawson Knox had five receptions on six targets and 51 yards. He also added his second career touchdown and the first score of the game for the Bills. We've talked about the rise of Kincaid and I'm here for it. He will easily be the greatest tight end in Bills history, as long as he remains healthy. There is no question in my mind that the Bills need to keep him as the top tight end in this offense even when Dawson Knox returns.
Kincaid's catch rate is one of the best in the league and tops among all tight ends. He has a shot at setting the Bills record for both receptions and yards. He already owns the Bills record for most receptions by a rookie tight end.