NFL Open Thread: Can the Bills Put it Together? Edition
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The Bills were Super Bowl favorites going into the year, and on one level they’ve been about as good as expected, but something has just seemed to be misfiring slightly. One issue is that Josh Allen and Ken Dorsey have too often played hero-ball when simpler lead management was in order:
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey inherited Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, lots of secondary playmakers, a capable and (relatively) deep offensive line, and a structure built by Brian Daboll. And Dorsey did fine with it. Just fine.
The Buffalo Bills finished second in offensive DVOA under Dorsey. That’s good! But frankly, Dorsey should have been banished to a role as a Division IV quality control assistant. There’s a lot to quibble about with the Bills offense: Allen ranking 19th in short-passing DVOA, the team ranking 14th in DVOA when winning big and 19th in fourth quarters, and more.
Where was Dawson Knox for most of the year? Yes, Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie both had the Turbo Dropsies, but is it that hard to scheme up jet-sweep/quick screen opportunities for them? (McKenzie and Davis were targeted at or behind the line of scrimmage a combined 11 times, per Sports Info Solutions.) Why was Allen always playing bombs away when the Bills were ahead? Why not run just a little bit more, especially when protecting leads against inferior opponents?
Dorsey is on the shortlist of hotshot head coaching candidates, otherwise known as the Carolina Panthers interview list. He is, in Walkthrough’s opinion, the least impressive of the young offensive masterminds. Given filet mignon to work with, he served filet mignon that could have used another minute on the hearth.
And obviously, their turning what should have been an easy win into a tightrope walk against Miami’s third-string QB in part because of interceptions on low-percentage passes only intensifies such concerns.
The Bills remain as talented as anyone, and I’d rather a team err on the side of too aggressive than too timid. (While we’re praising Daboll in absentia, it is worth noting that his fourth quarter punt last night was one of the more egregious surrender turtles you’ll ever see, and didn’t even keep the final score respectable.) The injuries to Cincinnati’s offensive line and to Patrick Mahomes make their chances look better than they did a week ago. But it would help if Allen and Dorsey would dial it down to a 7 when they have a multiple score lead.
The best news for Buffalo, given Rob’s track record, is that all three of us like the Bengals +6 and the Niners -4. We’ll see if Smooth Bobby can go 0-for-10!