Getty Billa quarterback Josh Allen at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023.
Following the Buffalo Bills‘ 29-25 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, October 22, the team is officially in crisis mode.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Co. have been inconsistent and out of rhythm for the past three games, and while the door is still open to turn things around, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey is firmly in the hot seat to figure it out.
After eking out a 14-9 victory over the New York Giants last week, Allen staunchly defended Dorsey against criticism.
He told reporters on October 18, “There’s a lot of All-Pro offensive coordinators out there watching games, a lot of quarterbacks in the stands who think they know what they’re doing,” — a message that came under fire following yet another uninspired showing against the Patriots.
13WHAM sports director Mike Catalana posted on x, formerly known as Twitter, during the first half of Sunday’s matchup, “I am no All-Pro Offensive Coordinator, but the Bills offense is a mess right now.”
Josh Allen: ‘Boom! Roasted.’
On Monday, October 23, Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino re-posted the clip of Allen’s comment and wrote, “This hasn’t sit right with me since Josh Allen said it last Wednesday… The comments by Allen as kind of a veiled shot at fans unhappy with the coordinator seem to be a step outside of the usual love fest with the fan base. This feels like the first sign of tension/adversity between the QB and the fan base – even if it’s just a hint.”
While several fans backed Josh, noting how it’s always easier said than done, many didn’t appreciate his tone. One fan commented, “Yeah, when I first heard it I thought it was a Jim Kelly type flippant response,” while another person wrote, “I got that vibe from him. Kind of out of character. I think he has a little regret for going to bat and it not turning out as he’d hoped.”
Allen, who hand-picked Dorsey to take over for Brian Daboll last offseason, reiterated his implicit trust in him following Sunday’s loss. When asked if he was fully confident with the game plan heading into their AFC East showdown, “Yeah, absolutely,” Allen told reporters.
Sean McDermott Remains ‘Confident’ in OC Ken Dorsey
GettyKen Dorsey of the Buffalo Bills watches practice on August 05, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he remains “confident in Ken,” but can’t pinpoint why the offense is floundering after playing so well between Week 2 and Week 4. “I wish I could tell you. I really do,” McDermott said during his postgame press conference.
“We talk about it. We talk about being more detailed. Getting into a rhythm early. Playing complementary football. All three phases working together. We haven’t been able to get into a good rhythm in the first quarter, let’s just start there, right? So, just overall, we’ve got to find the answers there.”
As for what he means by getting into a rhythm, as the coach mentioned it as being the offense’s issue last week as well, “I think starts with staying on schedule,” McDermott said. “Winning first down so you can stay on schedule, so you can move the chains. If you look at (the Patriots) offense, they did that today. They won first down, they stayed on schedule, they stayed out of third-and-long for the most part of the day.”
While the banged-up Bills defense allowing one of the worst offenses in the league to score 29 points is another story, Buffalo’s offense, which scored 15 points in under four minutes in the fourth quarter, can’t seem to get that spark going in the first half.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia questioned Dorsey’s ability to pivot when things aren’t clicking, which could stem from the franchise’s decision to “go with a first-time play caller in the middle of its Super Bowl window.”
“The time to learn on the job is minimal,” Buscaglia wrote. “Urgency is everything. And with three slow starts in a row, two of which came against one-win teams, it makes you wonder where this is headed.”
The Bills Face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2023.
While losing a winnable game to a division rival is going to sting for a bit, Buffalo needs to quickly shake it off. The Bills (4-3) have a short week as they prepare to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) on Thursday Night Football.
The Buffalo News’ Ryan O’Halloran wrote, “If the Bills stub their collective toe against Tampa Bay – wow, it would then be time for general manager Brandon Beane to make roster moves to shake up the decks because the current setup will be fractured beyond repair.
“They shouldn’t become a buyer at the trade deadline – bosses only make additions when the current roster has earned the right to receive reinforcements.”
The Bills are considered 7.5-point favorites to win.