ORCHARD PARK, NY — The “coooooop” chants echoing around Highmark Stadium during the Buffalo Bills’ first home game since Week 3 last Sunday underscored the excitement surrounding the team’s splash move made a few days ago.
The Bills’ roster improved with the trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper. Cooper offers optimism about what this team’s receiving group will be.
The Bills sit atop the rest of the AFC East at 5-2. But the trip to face the 4-3 Seattle Seahawks (4:05 p.m., FOX), quarterback Josh Allen’s first career start in Seattle, raises persistent questions about all three levels.
Buffalo showed improvement over recent years toward the end of the season. The Bills are an NFL-best 14-2 in the regular season in December and January from 2021 to 2023. This is a positive sign. However, the team has shown some disappointing trends this season as well. This is still a difficult matchup to worry about.
Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and what the Bills need to improve to maintain their lead in the AFC East.
violation
Positive: The Bills lead the league in turnover margin (+10), and that’s in large part because Allen hasn’t attempted an interception yet.
From 2018 to 2023, no one has thrown more interceptions than Allen (78), in part because of his style of play. Although there were some questionable plays this year. could do Turning into a pick, Allen showed improvement in that aspect of his game.
“It’s just about being a good decision maker,” coach Sean McDermott said. “[Allen’s] He’s been very intentional about it and that’s important to him. He knows the value of playing clean football and protecting the house like that.”
Allen’s seven-game scoreless streak with zero interceptions marks the fourth-longest streak (at least 15 attempts per game) without a pick to start a season since 1970.
As of last season, Allen had thrown 217 consecutive passes without an interception. That’s the longest passing streak of any starting quarterback this season.
Improvements in this area have been a focus for Allen over the past few years.
“You make better decisions,” Allen said. “I understand the game plan. I know where my answers are and I use my legs when I need to. But again, I think better decision-making comes with coaching. [offensive coordinator Joe Brady] and [quarterback coach Ronald Curry] And the quarterback room… try to play smart, sound football and go out there with the mindset to take chances and take shots when they’re there.”
The Seattle defense has only four interceptions. If he continues his streak (which includes 11 pass attempts), Allen will become the 12th quarterback since 1978 to start a season with at least 200 passes and no interceptions.
“I think it shows his maturity over the offseason,” center Connor McGovern said. “You shouldn’t always try to force the ball. [it] You shouldn’t go all the time. Just check or throw the ball out of bounds. People say, ‘Oh, what is he doing there?’ But he just leaves us fighting for another day.”
To work: Slow starts have been a theme on offense over the past four weeks. The defense was also problematic, with the team having its worst average yards per game margin in the first half since Week 4 (113.3). No team had a lower first half completion percentage of a game during that period (50.9%). The Bills have trailed at halftime four times this season before posting two wins (Cardinals, Titans).
“Sometimes it’s one side of the ball, sometimes it’s both sides of the ball. If there was an accurate answer, it would have changed by now,” McDermott said. “…I don’t have a lot of hair left on my head and I want to keep what I have, so let’s try to get off to a better start.”
The Bills could use help in that area with Cooper. Most of his snaps vs. the Titans came in the second half. The offense came alive, scoring 27 points with five straight scoring drives.
“I’m definitely ready for an increased role and more opportunities,” Cooper said. “And I’m ready to jump into it.”
Cooper has already shown signs of how he can provide opportunities for other players, with rookie Keon Coleman having the best game of his career and Dalton Kincaid making several big plays. It will be helpful to avoid hurting yourself with penalties. The Bills are tied for the league lead in first-half false starts (nine) and tied for 27th in first-half drops (six).
“I think in every game except one or two where we didn’t really click early, it took us a few drives to get a feel for what the defense was doing and get into a rhythm,” Allen said. “… There was a lot of self-harm. I misread it. It was a pre-snap penalty.”
defense
Positive: Survives injuries. The Bills performed well despite missing several starters due to injury. The unit has similar first and second half issues as the offense, but the numbers don’t fly off the page. The unit has been able to make important stops and plays when needed recently.
Nickel cornerback Taron Johnson’s return to defense is significant. The defense will face another challenge this week with linebacker Terrell Bernard (ankle) and rookie defensive tackle Dwayne Carter (wrist) out due to personal issues. Carter’s injury will lead to surgery. Limiting the Seahawks’ offense without Bernard will again test the scheme and depth of this defense, especially on the road, where the team suffered both losses this season.
Greg Rousseau’s continued solid start to the season is also a huge boost to this unit. He ranks 4th in the league in primary pressures (26).
To work: Stop execution. Limiting Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III, who has the third-most touchdowns this season, will be key for the Bills and Seahawks. The Bills have given up the fourth-most yards before contact per rush this season (3.40) and have given up eight rushing plays of 20 yards or more (tied for sixth).
“We have a lot of guys coming in and out, so we have to focus on each player and pinpoint where each individual needs to improve and grow,” defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said. “And I give credit to our employees. We knew [the Titans] “We came here and tried to get run-ins for the most part, except for a few spots, and we did a pretty good job.”
special teams
Positive: Returner Brandon Codrington’s trade with the New York Jets has been successful so far. Although there were a few poor decisions, he also helped put the Bills’ offense in a good position. Codrington has the sixth-highest yards per punt return (10.5), and Buffalo has the fourth-highest yards per kick return as a team (31.2).
The Bills also have the highest average starting field position after a kickoff return or touchback (to the opposing team’s 31.3 yard line).
To work: Kicker Tyler Bass is on thin ice after making 2-of-5 field goal attempts this season from 40-49 yards and all of his other field goal attempts. He missed two PATs.
Last week, the team signed Lucas Havrisik to the practice squad to provide competition for Bass, and he went on to hit 28- and 30-yard field goals against the Titans. A true test awaits Bass, but for now his position appears secure.
“We just want Tyler to be our guy,” general manager Brandon Beane said last week. “But it’s a production business and he knows he has to do that. … And at the same time, he hasn’t done as well as he or we might have expected.”
