For the first time in 20 games, the Buffalo Bills were held under 14 points in a surprising loss at Miami on Sunday.
But the one-week assessment will not include a change in offensive coordinator, despite the availability of former Buffalo play-caller Brian Daboll.
Bills coach Sean McDermott said his current offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, has the team’s full confidence.
“Joe’s a good coach. He really is. We’ve got a really good offensive staff. They’ve had really good games. You’re going to have some games you want back, some play calls you want back,” McDermott said. “It’s how you respond to them, and I’m fully confident in our offensive staff — and Joe as our leader — that we will make the adjustments we need to make and move us forward.”
Daboll orchestrated the offense in Buffalo when the team drafted quarterback Josh Allen. He was hired to become head coach of the Giants after Allen’s fourth season (2021).
The last time the Bills were held without points for three consecutive quarters was Allen’s second season in 2018, a nod to the run of success the MVP quarterback had with Daboll and Brady.
When McDermott was asked about bringing in Daboll, he indicated the Bills are not considering a reunion at this time.
“Yeah, no, I understand why you’re asking that. Brian’s a great coach,” he said. “Unfortunate to see that happen to him. At this point, that’s not under any type of consideration.”
Buffalo leads the NFL in rushing and is second in total yards at 384.4 per game, even after the loss to the Dolphins.
The Bills (6-3) made too heavy of a commitment to moving the ball on the ground in Brady’s postgame assessment. They fell behind 16-0 at Miami while failing to convert on six third-down plays in the first half.
The performance comes two weeks after Allen threw only six passes in the second half of the Bills’ 40-9 blowout of the Carolina Panthers, when running back James Cook rushed for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
After that win, McDermott called for improvement from the passing game, to which Brady responded he had “zero concerns.” But the tune from Brady changed after the dud against the Dolphins.
“I’m not going to point the fingers at anybody else. When we have that type of performance, it falls solely on me,” Brady said.
