Joe Brady disagrees with Sean McDermott's criticism of Bills' struggling passing game
Minutes after Sean McDermott conceded that the Buffalo Bills must be better in the passing game, Joe Brady appeared to take exception with that criticism.
While speaking with reporters on Monday afternoon, the Bills’ offensive coordinator disagreed with those who felt the Buffalo aerial attack struggled in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers.
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“We didn’t really need it yesterday,” said Brady, referencing running back James Cook’s massive performance against Carolina. “I’m always going to want everything to improve, but when we’re running the ball yesterday, we didn’t really need to pass it. Especially once we kind of got rolling into the second half.”
Quarterback Josh Allen started the game slowly, completing just 6 of his first 13 passes against the Panthers as the Bills' offense stumbled into halftime leading 19-3. If it weren’t for Cook’s heroics, coupled with a few timely splash plays from the Buffalo defense, the score would have been much closer entering the second half.
Allen was off the mark on a few throws in the early going before completing all six of his passes in the second half, while the Bills’ wide receiver corps failed to gain the separation needed to present open targets for their quarterback. Aside from Khalil Shakir’s six receptions, Buffalo WRs recorded four receptions for 44 yards. Second-year pro Keon Coleman totaled just three catches for 30 yards, with one of those coming from backup QB Mitch Trubisky in garbage time.
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“I obviously have to do a better job,” said Brady regarding Coleman’s lack of involvement. “I want to get him going more in the pass game.”
The combination of Allen’s inefficiency and the WRs’ inability to get open led to a long day for the Bills through the air offensively. With that said, Brady remained steadfast in his confidence in Allen and company.
“I have no concerns with the pass game,” said the Bills’ OC.
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Brady did concede that his unit has had some rough patches in past games.
“We were definitely off against Atlanta, we turned the ball over against New England,” he acknowledged.
The Bills’ OC added, “When you look at us the last few weeks, we have to obviously improve in the pass game. I wouldn’t say it’s been hard, but in the situations that we’re in, we’re not helping ourselves get out of those situations.”
Still, it does not appear that Brady feels the Bills need a complete offensive overhaul.
“There’s always elements that we have to clean up,” he said. “But anytime you run the ball or 240, you’re going to be pleased with how the game went.”
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There’s no question that Cook’s emergence has been a revelation for the Bills this season. He has been the MVP of the Buffalo offense through its first seven games of the season. With that said, the question is, what will happen when an opposing team shuts down the Bills’ potent rushing attack, forcing them to pass the ball?
The Bills proved their ability to attack through the air offensively during a comeback win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, a performance that Brady cited in his unit’s defense on Monday. But they have yet to replicate their second-half stretch that led them to a victory over Baltimore. There is still ample time for this team to disprove the doubters, but until the Bills do so, questions regarding their passing game will continue to swirl.
Whether Brady agrees with them or not.
Kevin O’Connell Lavishes Praise on Carson Wentz: “He’s Proven He Can Carry Teams, Now It’s About Doing What He Does Best”
In a glowing endorsement, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has praised Carson Wentz’s experience and ability, making it clear that the veteran quarterback is exactly what the team needs moving forward. Despite the challenges Wentz has faced in recent seasons, O’Connell believes the former No. 2 overall pick has all the tools to succeed.
“He’s played a ton of football. He’s carried teams on his back before. He’s not gonna need to do that here,” O’Connell said, speaking highly of Wentz’s career and his potential with the Vikings. “What he’s gonna need to do is simply go out there and execute the things he’s widely capable of doing. We have full confidence in him.”
Wentz, who has faced criticism at various points in his career, has always been known for his arm strength and ability to lead a team under pressure. O’Connell’s support highlights a new chapter for the quarterback, who is now tasked with leading the Vikings through a competitive season without the overwhelming pressure to “carry” the entire offense.
“Carson doesn’t need to be Superman here,” O’Connell continued. “He just needs to be the quarterback he’s always been, focused and executing at a high level. We’re confident he’ll do that and more with the weapons around him.”
As the Vikings look to make a push for the postseason, O’Connell’s belief in Wentz could be the spark the quarterback needs to prove his doubters wrong and take his game to the next level.
