Joe Brady Wishlist: Three Things Buffalo Bills Offense Can Emphasize During Bye Week

The Buffalo Bills need a lot to go right to make the playoffs, and it starts with Joe Brady and Josh Allen continuing as the biggest factors. What can they adjust during the bye?

The Buffalo Bills entered the bye week coming off of perhaps their most impressive performance of the season. In Week 12’s 37-34 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, quarterback Josh Allen produced 420 yards of offense, willing Buffalo as close as he possibly could to victory.

And yet, the Bills stand at 6-6 and outside of the AFC playoff picture. The immediate returns of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey’s firing have been favorable, with the interim, Joe Brady, drawing the confidence of his players and fellow coaches alike.

There’s work to be done, both in the adjustments that can be made and in the things that have to break Buffalo’s way to play mid-January football. For now, the Bills are focused on handling the business they can control. What should that encompass?

Offensive coordinator Joe Brady approaches Bills quarterback Josh Allen / © Gregory Fisher, USA TODAY

1. Embrace the inevitably of a mobile Josh Allen.

At some point this season, Buffalo decided that emphasizing Allen’s health wasn’t the priority. Taking fewer hits is nice in theory, and there’s no need to take some of the truly unnecessary hits that he has, but part of what makes him great is the size and mobility.

Allen is at his most dangerous when he is two-dimensional. He showed it in Philadelphia when -- slightly impaired by the elements -- his legs saved the day repeatedly.

Whether it’s the quarterback draws in the red zone or designed runs when the chains desperately need to be moved, stopping Allen is a hassle. Teams have enough trouble when receiver Stefon Diggs is connecting with Allen. The threat of him running only adds to that.

This shouldn’t be an issue, given Allen’s nine rushes for 81 yards in Week 12, but it’s in Brady’s best interests to let Allen play to his fullest potential.

2. More Khalil Shakir, less Gabe Davis.

It first came up on Thursday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but receiver Khalil Shakir deserves more touches—especially if receiver Gabe Davis continues to struggle.

Davis’ miscommunication shouldn’t destine him to the bench. It wasn’t necessarily his fault, and he certainly has a role in the offense. But a de-emphasis on his target share could (and should) be in order.

Davis currently has the second-most targets on the team, with 67 for 39 catches, 595 yards, and six scores. Shakir meanwhile, has just 30 targets. At several times this season, Buffalo’s down-to-down consistency has been hampered by Davis’ poor route running. Other times, his hands have led to critical turnovers.

It’s clear Shakir offers more upside after the catch, and he seems to fit well with the quick game concepts the Bills have relied on. It was surprising to see his target share fall after a big Week 11, but it’d be nice to see him get some more looks down the stretch.

Bills Looking Forward To Much-Needed Bye Week

3. Committing to a balanced rushing approach.

Brady spoke extensively about Buffalo’s ground game early this week.

This isn’t to say Buffalo needs to lead the lead in rushing or utilize it to set up play-action passes. However, Dorsey had abandoned the run before his dismissal. Brady, to his credit, hasn’t.

Cook logged 17 rushes in Week 11 and another 16 on Sunday. His development certainly hasn’t been linear, but his touches are an avenue to explosives.

Furthermore, the Bills run game has fared better than many anticipated. They rank third in expected points added on the ground and second in success rate—without accounting for Allen’s dangerous scrambles.

It’s tempting to throw the ball all over the yard with Allen under center, but there’s a difference between unleashing Allen and letting him out to dry.