The Bills lost to the Bengals in the divisional round of the playoffs, the fourth consecutive postseason that has ended without a Super Bowl appearance. The failures have come despite elite QB Josh Allen having the sixth-highest passer rating in postseason history.
Buffalo’s coaching staff and front office have failed Allen. Here’s how:
1. The Bills have favored defense over offense
The Bills have drafted defense first in five of their past six drafts. From 2019 to 2021, they used two first-round picks and two second-round picks on the defensive line. In 2022 free agency, the Bills used much of their cap space on the defensive line, adding three defensive tackles and two edge rushers (one being Von Miller). In the divisional round loss to Cincinnati, the defensive line sacked Burrow once.
Allen and rookie running back James Cook are the only offensive players drafted by the Bills in the first two rounds since 2017 who remain on the team.
2. The defense has been exposed in the postseason
In Buffalo’s playoff losses to the Chiefs or Bengals, the defense has given up an average of 35.6 points per game and 467.7 yards in three games. The defense has been a top unit throughout the past few regular seasons, but it can’t defend Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Burrow when it matters most.
3. The offensive line is inconsistent
Two offensive linemen made life challenging for Allen this year. According to Pro Football Focus, left guard Rodger Saffold was graded 74th of 78 guards and right tackle Spencer Brown was graded 76th of 84 tackles. Saffold, 34, was a one-year signing from Tennessee, where he battled multiple injuries. Brown, a third-round pick in 2021, was a raw draft choice who has yet to develop.
4. The play calling on offense was ‘boom or bust’
Allen was working with a first-year offensive coordinator in Ken Dorsey this season, who replaced Brian Daboll after he became Giants head coach. It takes time to master the offense in the NFL, and the Dorsey-Allen pairing had ups and downs.
The Bills averaged the second-most points per game (28.4) and the second-most yards per game (397.6), but much of that yardage came on explosive, off-script plays instead of methodically moving the ball. Under Dorsey, the offense ran out of gas in the playoffs.
5. No consistent weapon for Allen outside of WR Stefon Diggs
The Bills banked on role players stepping into bigger roles. Gabe Davis, a WR4 last season, was slotted into the WR2 spot in 2022. Isaiah McKenzie, a WR5 in 2021, moved up to the starting slot position. Neither played up to par.
Davis had the second-lowest catch rate in the NFL (51.6%), and McKenzie had six drops and took a step back this season. The WR2 position should be addressed in free agency or the draft. All four teams who made it to the conference championship games have a better receiving corps than the Bills.
