The Buffalo Bills season opener was important. On multiple levels for multiple reasons, it mattered. And despite the tales some narrators will weave the Bills were the better team this past Sunday. They didn’t win in a pretty or dominating fashion, but they won, and they deserved it. However none of that matters going into their Week Two matchup vs the New York Giants. Well, it matters a little. While the defense showed up in a big way in week one, the Buffalo Bills need to clean up multiple areas of the offense and execute better on that side of the ball in order to win in week two. Starting out 1-0 is great. But the Bills have work to do to get to where they want to be.
Buffalo Bills Week Two: Ways to Improve
The Bills made mistakes in week one and played sloppy for three quarters. To begin with, they had poorly timed turnovers that killed promising drives and directly lead to points for the New York Jets. Plus, their seemingly “pass only” system of play calling to start the game was less than ideal. Despite all that, the Bills came away with the win. It’s good to win. It’s even better to win when you don’t execute at your best. Getting the win was most important but now in week two the Buffalo Bills need refinement. Josh Allen needs to be better. The offensive play calling needs to be better. Progress must be made to continue to string together wins in Buffalo.
Better Play From Josh Allen
Allen wasn’t terrible in week one, but he also wasn’t great. He finished the game with 254 yards passing and 38 yards rushing, while accounting for both Bills touchdowns. He also had a 64.8% completion percentage (nice) and four turnovers (not nice). For me, the jury is still out on Allen but I’m not going to condemn him for his turnovers in week one. Allen’s performance was legitimately a mixed bag against the Jets.
His first drive of the game ended with a strip sack and a turnover. But before that turnover, Allen was five of six for 44 yards on the drive and his only incompletion came on a throw away. Allen’s first interception wasn’t a great throw, but was still a ball Cole Beasley should have caught. It was also an extremely unlucky bounce and a great play by C.J. Mosley. Second interception, unlucky. Second fumble, his fault.
Point is, Allen’s play through the first three quarters was inconsistent and turnover filled. After the turnovers, he responded by doing Josh Allen things and ran for a score, then engineered the game-winning touchdown drive later in the fourth quarter. Was it an ideal performance? No. Was it good enough to get the win? Evidently. Allen cannot continue to turn the ball over and put the Bills in a hole in games. Granted, his four turnovers in week one were not completely his fault. But they could have been avoided and could have cost the Bills the win. He has to be better in Week Two.
Better Play Calling
Josh Allen is still a project at quarterback. In order to help a project quarterback, it’s usually a good idea to establish a running game and mix up your play calling to keep the defense guessing. For the majority of week one, that’s not what offensive coordinator Brian Daboll decided to do.
Out of the first 19 plays the Bills ran, only one was a running play. One. Out of 19. To start the game. On the road. With a project quarterback and eight new starters on offense. Not great.
The offense achieved more success when rookie running back Devin Singletary became the feature back and more running plays were mixed in. That’s the formula the Buffalo Bills need in week two. Singletary has looked electric and Frank Gore is going to be in the Hall of Fame. Establishing a running game using two good running backs seems like a good offensive game plan for anyone. Let alone for the Bills. Establishing the run keeps the defense honest and allows Allen to take advantage with play action and not have to play “hero-ball” and put it all on his shoulders. At this point in time a one dimensional offense is not a recipe for success for the Bills.
Better Defense
Just kidding, the defense was great in week one. Buffalo had four sacks, and held the Jets to 223 total yards on offense and an average of 3.4 yards per play. The Bills defense may have been the best kept secret in the NFL last year, when they lead the league in passing yards allowed per game and were second in total yards allowed per game. They’re going to need more of that this year.
The Buffalo Bills defense in good enough to keep them in every game. They’re fast, well coached, good situationally, and they play disciplined. Josh Allen and the Bills offense aren’t ready to outscore opponents in shootouts and put up points in droves. But they can function when needed and pull out close games like they did to open this season. In week two, the play of the Buffalo Bills defense will be key to their success. Just like it will be for every game this season. Keeping the game close, and keeping the offense within striking distance is a formula we should see often.
What It All Means for the Buffalo Bills in Week Two
Buffalo pulled out the victory in week one but cannot afford to play mistake-filled football week in and week out. If Josh Allen can be more consistent in his play, the Buffalo Bills have a very good shot of winning in week two vs the Giants. Better play calling and use of the running game on offense will mean more success as the Bills attack opposing defenses. Working in a better rotation of plays this week is a good step in that direction. At the end of the day, the Bills stellar defense will keep them in the game and present the opportunity for victory. The rest is up to Allen and the offense.
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