In a move aimed at revitalizing their struggling offense, the Buffalo Bills have parted ways with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and appointed quarterbacks coach Joe Brady as his interim replacement. The decision was made following a disappointing 24-22 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, in which the Bills committed four turnovers and had a season-high four drops.
“There have been moments when we have moved the ball and scored points, but those moments have become increasingly rare,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott explained on Tuesday. “I can point to the Miami game (in Week 4) as an example of a performance I was very pleased with. We scored on almost every drive if not every drive. However, since that Miami game, and even before that, there have been times when I felt like we were not moving the ball efficiently enough and were not scoring enough points.”
Dorsey, who was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022 after Brian Daboll left for the New York Giants, has struggled to find consistency with the Bills’ offense. Since Week 5, Buffalo has averaged a mere seven points per game in the first half, the fourth-lowest mark in the NFL. The team also leads the league with 13 turnovers since Week 5. Allen, who was a strong advocate for Dorsey’s promotion, has also had a rough patch, throwing 10 interceptions and fumbling four times since Week 5.
“Josh and I communicate regularly. The decision to relieve Ken of his duties was solely mine,” McDermott stated. “Moving forward, it is Josh’s responsibility and duty to collaborate with Coach Brady in developing the game plan, executing it effectively, protecting the ball, and leading our offense.”
Allen’s 14 turnovers are two more than the next closest players (Desmond Ridder and Mac Jones), and his 33 turnovers since Dorsey became coordinator are six more than the next player (Trevor Lawrence).
Statistically, the Bills’ offense appears to be among the best in the NFL, ranking third in offensive EPA per play, second in completion percentage (70.3%), and third in yards per play (6.0). However, the reality for the Bills is that performing at a high level has not been consistently happening despite a relatively healthy offense, and frustration was clearly building since the offense took a turn for the worse after Week 5.
After a string of impressive offensive performances from Weeks 2-4, when they scored at least 37 points in each game, scoring points, particularly in the first half, has become a problem. This has resulted in the Bills falling behind early and often.
Since Week 5, the Bills’ offense has scored an average of seven points per game in the first half (fourth fewest). They had a league-high eight turnovers in the first two-quarters of those games and led the league with 13 turnovers since Week 5.
Buffalo’s top players have also had inconsistent performances. The Bills and Allen entered the season with the goal of minimizing the hits he took and for the two-time Pro Bowler to make smarter decisions with the ball. However, this approach seems to have taken away from Allen’s effectiveness, especially when opposing defenses did not need to account for the threat of him running as often.
Splash plays have also been limited, with Allen throwing 10 interceptions on throws of 10 or more air yards (tied with Jordan Love for the most this season). He has completed 15 of 38 passes (39.5%, 22nd) of 15 or more air yards since Week 6.
“I hope and aim that the new energy around our offense will create a little bit of confidence, clarity, and the ability to anticipate, rather than react in some cases,” McDermott said. “That is an essential part of playing the quarterback position.”
McDermott has also expressed his desire to have a running game that poses a threat to opposing defenses. However, this aspect of the offense has also lacked consistency, with Buffalo rushing for less than 100 yards in three of its past six games.
That said, Bills running back James Cook is coming off a 109-yard performance against the Broncos.
There has also been an emphasis on complementary football with the defense, and while the defense has made adjustments despite significant injuries, the Bills have the third-worst starting field position margin since Week 5 (-5.9).
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs started the season with five 100-yard receiving performances in his first six games. He has not had one since and is coming off a season-low performance Monday, with just three receptions.