The biggest buzz around Orchard Park has been all about Jim Leonhard's new defense, but honestly, what's really cooking in Buffalo is Joe Brady's offense. It's time for the Bills to go back to their pass-happy roots, just like they did under Brian Daboll in those wild 2020-2022 seasons. That's when they had the NFL's highest first-down pass rate in all situations at 61%, and a ridiculous 64% in neutral situations during their AFC East-winning 2020 campaign. Daboll totally unlocked Josh Allen's supreme capabilities, and with all those receiver weapons, leaning into the pass game was a no-brainer. It worked, big time. Remember that 44-34 win against the Seahawks back in the day, when Allen dropped back to pass 31 times and they only ran twice in the first half? Twenty-four points in two quarters, baby. The 2020 Bills offense was an absolute wagon! They kept that top first-down pass rate in 2021 and were second in 2022, even under Ken Dorsey.
The Ground Game Gamble That Didn't Quite Hit
But things shifted. Sean McDermott decided he wanted a punishing ground game, especially in 2025. And yeah, it kinda worked, they got back to another AFC Championship Game and were one bad call away from a third trip, with James Cook winning the rushing title. No joke, the Bills receiving group last season, outside of Khalil Shakir, was one of the worst in the NFL. That's a huge drop-off. In 2025, the Bills were dead last in the league, passing on just 33.3% of their neutral situation first downs, and only 39% of all first downs. That's a massive change from their pass-first glory days.Allen's Still Here: Time to Unleash It
So, is the current crew of DJ Moore, Khalil Shakir, and whoever gets that WR3 spot on par with prime Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and John Brown? Nah, probably not. But you know what *is* the same from those 2020-2022 offenses? Josh Allen. He's still the guy. And signing DJ Moore was Buffalo's most aggressive move at receiver since they got Diggs, so that's a statement. Plus, Dalton Kincaid was the NFL's most prolific tight end on a per-snap basis last season, which is huge. Some old-school purists might grumble about moving away from Cook's ground game, but come on, Allen's arm is the engine here. If Brady can get this offense back to what made Allen an MVP candidate, the Bills are going to be a nightmare for every D-coordinator out there. Get ready, because it's about to get wild.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.