The Buffalo Bills took four weeks to face their first loss, falling to the New England Patriots 29-26 on Sunday. One of the game’s key stories was tight end Dalton Kincaid’s limited production.
Kincaid recorded one reception on two targets for seven yards. However, he received limited targets because he wasn’t on the field much during passing downs. Kincaid ran only 17 routes against New England, and head coach Joe Brady explained the situation on Monday.
Brady on Why Kincaid Wasn’t Used More
“The game in itself was a little unique. When DJ [Moore] got injured, there’s a lot of moving parts,” Brady said, via Lance Lysowski from The Buffalo News. “They do a great job on that side. Sometimes when there’s injuries on the other side of the ball, too, you’re playing a little bit of trying to see what kind of packages they are trying to play. The ball needs to find him a little more and, in order for him to do that, he has to run more routes. I have to do a good job of getting that to him and when the opportunities are there, Josh trust it and put it on him and play within the system. Any time Dalton comes away with two targets, one of them being on the last drive of the game, obviously I didn’t do a good enough job.”
Leading up to the game against the Patriots, Kincaid had 14 receptions for 263 yards and one touchdown. Kincaid was a big reason the Bills won their first two games, recording five receptions for 130 yards in Week 1 against the Houston Texans and then turning it around in Week 2 with seven receptions for 95 yards and one score against the Detroit Lions.
The Bills need to find more ways to get Kincaid involved in the offense, especially since DJ Moore could miss some time.
Moore Left Week 4 With a Shoulder Injury
Moore left Sunday’s loss in the first half due to a shoulder injury. Although ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday night that the injury doesn’t seem long-term, Moore has been dealing with it for a few weeks.
“Bills WR D.J. Moore aggravated his shoulder injury during today’s loss to the Patriots, per source. It is not considered “a long term issue as of right now.,” Schefter wrote on X.
Moore hurt his shoulder in Week 2 and didn’t return to the game. Now it appears this shoulder injury could affect him for the rest of the season, even if he can play through it.
The Bills traded a 2026 second-round pick to the Chicago Bears this past offseason for Moore. Through four games, he has recorded 12 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown. In the two full games Moore has played, he has performed exceptionally well, catching five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, then six receptions for 67 yards in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Hopefully Moore can get back in action in Week 5 when the Bills travel to play the Los Angeles Rams on “Monday Night Football”.
Bills’ Joe Brady Explains Dalton Kincaid’s Limited Role in Week 4 Loss to Patriots