ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills enter their Week 7 bye at 5-1 on the strength of a prolific offense that is averaging a league-leading 32.8 points per game through six weeks. Only 14 teams in NFL history have averaged that scoring pace over a full season; those teams won an average of 13 games, reached nine conference championship games and appeared in six Super Bowls, according to the article.
Quarterback Josh Allen has been the engine of the attack, leading four game-winning drives and three fourth-quarter comebacks in six games. Allen ranks among the NFL leaders with an 76.2 QBR and is the league leader in rushing touchdowns with eight. Running back James Cook III is also producing, leading the NFL in carries of 10 yards or more in part because opponents are stacking the box on only a quarter of his carries.
The offense is finishing drives at an uncommon rate: more than 40 percent of Bills drives reach the red zone, the first time Buffalo has posted that mark since Brian Daboll’s final year as offensive coordinator in 2021. Twenty-one percent of drives have included a play from inside the opponent’s 5-yard line — the best rate of Allen’s career — and all but one of those drives has resulted in a touchdown. Buffalo’s offensive line and running game rank among the top three in the league in yards gained before contact, while the defense ranks top five in total quarterback pressures and special teams units lead the league in field-goal accuracy and net yards per punt.
Despite the offensive fireworks, the Bills’ defense has struggled. Buffalo ranks 28th in points allowed and 31st in both yards and first downs allowed. The team has surrendered the most passing yards and the second-most passing touchdowns through six weeks. The defense is allowing third-down conversions on 45 percent of attempts, the fifth-worst rate in the NFL.
Turnovers have also been an issue. Allen and Cook each have four fumbles; Cook has lost two and Allen one. Allen has thrown four interceptions. The Bills have faced the NFL’s fifth-toughest schedule so far, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, with the remaining slate easing to the 24th-toughest by that metric.
Coach Joe Brady said Monday that the team must find ways to win in different styles and avoid internal finger-pointing as it looks to sustain its results through the second half of the season.
