The Buffalo Bills took a much-needed break after suffering back-to-back losses against the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.
With the Bills coming off their bye week ready to take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday Buffalo needs to start getting back to how it was playing through the first four weeks.
Chris Simms Isnât Thrilled With The Bills Offense
However, NFL analyst Chris Simms doesn’t believe the Bills can pose a threat in the AFC this season.
“Bills Mafia knows this already,” Simms said Monday on “Up & Adams”. “Chris Simms has been critical of their team throughout the year. They rely too heavily on Josh Allen. It’s always about him needing to score a lot of points to get ahead. While he has to make magic happen, the defense is counting on him to score points, and there isn’t a superstar receiver to build a game plan around. They run the ball well and have a strong offensive line, but it’s putting too much pressure on Josh Allen.”
Simms is correct that Buffalo’s offense revolves too much around Allen, which sets it apart from many teams with elite quarterbacks. There’s little doubt that Allen is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, capable of handling just about anything. However, it seems he often has to carry the entire load for the Bills to secure a victory.
Allen handles every aspect of the offense, from throwing to running the ball, and heâs not surrounded by a top-notch group of playmakers, except for running back James Cook.
Cook has had an impressive season after signing a four-year, $48 million deal in the offseason. He has rushed for 537 yards and scored five touchdowns over the course of six games.
Aside from Cook, it seems the offense lacks cohesion, which resulted in the Bills scoring just 34 points in their last two games.
Buffaloâs Defense is Struggling
To add to the team’s challenges, the Bills’ defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 156.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks them 31st in the NFL. Simms expressed his displeasure with the defensive scheme as well.
“I look at their defense, and I’m not impressed with their defensive scheme,” Simms added. The way they are coached is really good, but whenever they face a team that they have to worry about stopping the run, like Atlanta last week or New England the week before, they get exposed in the passing game. They overcommit to stopping the run to such an extent that it puts them in a difficult position in the passing game, and they don’t have great coverage corners.”
It seems the Bills are fortunate to hold a 4-2 record, and thereâs potential for improvement in their defense, particularly in the secondary, over the coming weeks.
According to Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, the Bills have opened up rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston‘s practice window after he suffered an injury during training camp.
Coaches expect Hairston to return to the field in the next few weeks, which could give the defense the significant boost it has been looking for.
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