Tag: joe brady

What Bills’ Josh Allen said after Tyler Bass hit 61-yard game-winner vs. Dolphins

What Bills’ Josh Allen said after Tyler Bass hit 61-yard game-winner vs. Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills sunk the Miami Dolphins in Orchard Park Sunday by a final score of 30-27.

The Bills won a close-fought battle in the final regular season meeting between the two clubs thanks to some late-game heroics by their offense and special teams.

That effort was headlined by kicker Tyler Bass, who delivered a game-winning kick for the ages and the longest in Buffalo Bills history at 61 yards.

 

Immediately after the win, quarterback Josh Allen became emotional during an on-field interview speaking about Bass: “I love that man.”

“So proud of him. So happy for him,” he added during his postgame press conference. “Got emotional in my little postgame speech out there – just the trials and tribulations that he’s been in throughout this year. … A 61-yard field goal to win a game against a division rival, it’s what stories are made of. I love him. I respect him so much. Everybody in that locker room’s so happy for him, and he’s our guy.”

Since the end of last season, Bass has experienced his ups and downs, including this game. He missed an extra point, hit an upright on an extra point, and then delivered the long knockout punch to get the victory.

“That’s why we all love sports, right?” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said to the press after the game.

Bass’s extra point miss came in the third quarter after the Bills took a 12-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Allen to WR Mack Hollins on fourth-and-goal. And as it was his third missed PAT of the season, fans may have been concerned if the kicker with some clutch kicks in his career could deliver again.

The Dolphins perhaps knew better, as they’ve seen Bass beat them in the final seconds of a game before.

And in a site that’s become all too familiar, Bass did just that and Buffalo continued its dominance against Miami.

“What a story, man. What a story,” McDermott proudly declared. “I just think overall that here’s a young man that has been going through it and the journey that he’s been on week to week, the questions that have been asked of him, of me … it’s natural, it’s the business we’re in. It’s a great example of mental toughness. I think it’s a great example of perseverance, resilience for young kids out there. Here’s a player that was under the microscope pretty darn hard.”

Bass has endured a challenging season of misses, one in which the teams signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to their practice squad after an Oct. 14 win against the Jets in which Bass missed a field goal and an extra point. The Bills veteran kept the job and had a chance this week to show off the big leg that the club drafted him for in 2020.

“Just reminding myself that, you know, I love this, I love the sport,” Bass said about his mindset and approach. “This is what I’ve dreamed of and when I was out there, I honestly wasn’t thinking about anything. Just went through my process and trusted my preparation. That was it.”
That perspective paid off when it mattered, for the team and the player.
“It means everything,” Bass added about the kick. “Very emotional. Haven’t really processed it yet, but just putting in a lot of work, man, and was just focused on right here, right now, the present and being patient with everything, man. You’re going to go through ups and downs, but just continue to put your best foot forward. We did that today. So just very emotional, I would say.”

McDermott presented the game ball to Bass in the locker room afterward as well, deferring any credit when asked about standing by his kicker.

“He did it. I didn’t do it,” the coach said about the gesture. “I know why you’re asking, but he’s the one who did it. … The questions that were starting to pop up and more and more this year, and then we bring in a kicker to compete with him. He just stayed true to who he is and he stayed true to his process. Even today, (with the) early miss on the extra point. He stayed true to his process. I think that’s very powerful.”

Josh Allen calls Bills’ win over Seahawks best of 2024: ‘It’s up there’

Josh Allen calls Bills’ win over Seahawks best of 2024: ‘It’s up there’

The Bills traveled from Buffalo in the North East to Seattle in the North West to ground the Seahawks on their home turf by a final score of 31-10.

For quarterback Josh Allen, it also was one of his best overall games of the 2024 NFL Season.

“It’s up there,” The Bills QB said to the media after the game. “I think you look at it from all three phases, I think everybody went out there, knew their job, and executed at a high level — offense, defense, and special teams.”

With over half the offensive plays in motion, Allen is keeping it simple and seeing strong results.

“I wouldn’t say we’re too overcomplicated in what we’re doing,” he added. “I know we have some motions and shifts, but again, it takes guys learning it and understanding it but going out there and executing at a high level, everybody knows their spots, and when you got that, you got a dangerous team.”

He would finish the game 24 of 34 throwing for 283 yards with two passing touchdowns. The Buffalo offense was 8-of-15 on third downs and 4-of-6 in the red zone, scoring touchdowns in every quarter of the game.

Allen’s streak of passes without an interception did come to an end during a rainy and slippery day on the field, which also saw him fumble and recover the ball twice.

But that didn’t stop the most successful quarterback in NFL history from paying him some compliments.

“He has really lit the league on fire since he’s been in it,” said player-turned-analyst Tom Brady. “Sometimes, he played like a spaz. Like a grade-schooler on a sugar high. But now, he’s controlled the chaos. He’s like a storm coming into town. And you don’t want that storm coming into this town.”

The former AFC East foe and long-time UGG enthusiast awarded his “Player of the Game” to the Bills signal caller.

Playing against the Seahawks at home is famously a noisy affair due to their “12th Fan” base, though Allen pointed both to the impact that having a couple of 90-yard scoring drives in the first half as well as a big presence by the members of Bills Mafia in attendance made during the game.

“I think it takes the crowd out of it,” he said of the scores. “You stay out of third-and-longs like we did and be able to convert as well as we did. It quiets them down quite a bit which helps with communication. Helps really with just the whole vibe and momentum of the game. Crowds can be such a big part of it. I do want to shout out Bills Mafia. That was a crazy scene walking off the field to the thousands of fans still here. Appreciate them coming out. Hopefully, they enjoyed the game today.”

Keon Coleman ‘don’t think anybody’ can stop the Bills

Keon Coleman ‘don’t think anybody’ can stop the Bills

The Buffalo Bills clipped the wings of the Seattle Seahawks in all three phases of a 31-10 win that saw them improve to 6-2.

The Buffalo offense has continued to have a strong year, thanks in part to the addition of recent trade acquisition WR Amari Cooper, as well as the arrival of rookie pass catcher Keon Coleman.

During the Bills’ past two contests, Coleman has begun to show the type of high-level playmaking abilities and numbers he was drafted for.

“We feel like every play we come out there and execute at a high level, I don’t think anybody really can stop us but ourselves,” Coleman said after the game.

Among the things that have stood out during those recent game performances in terms of productivity is the first-year receiver’s efficiency numbers.

He went for 70 yards on five receptions Sunday with an impressive contested touchdown grab, and the previous week against the Tennessee Titans he put up 125 yards on four receptions during their NFL Week 7 win.

“When you’ve got an explosive offense, just specific to this game, you know you have to be efficient offensively and explosive at the same time,” head coach Sean McDermott said after the game. “I felt like we were both.”

The way the offense is taking shape stood out to him as well.

“Just growth, one week at a time, growth, development. Adam’s doing a really good job with him. Having Amari, I think, helps too because he’s another veteran in the room and, to me, a big-time established veteran that’s done great things in this league for a while. So that helps with the guys that are already in that room. We’ve got good guys in that room that help young players develop and teach them the right way, teaching them the right habits, the right routines, Monday through Saturday. That’s what leads to what you saw today.”

Bills quarterback Josh Allen also shared what he’s noticed about Coleman.

“Absolutely [playing more confident], and that’s something, our staff has got him rolling,” the QB said. “Knows what he’s doing, and when he knows what he’s doing and gets rolling, he’s a damn good football player. He’s continuing to make plays for us, and you love to see that from your young guy. He’s only going to get better.”

WR Khalil Shakir joined Coleman for their post-game media availability and talked about what he saw on Coleman’s touchdown in particular.

“That’s a big boy play right there. It comes from him and Josh [Allen] being on the same page. Josh trusting him, throwing it up there and him making a play. Anytime we score a touchdown, we’re lit. For it to be him, especially in our wide [receiver] room, for it to be anybody in our wide [receiver] room, I know we get really excited for each other. Just to see each other ball out. But as an offense, as long as we get in there, it can be anybody.”

Amari Cooper on experiencing Bills Mafia: ‘It was very impressive’

Amari Cooper on experiencing Bills Mafia: ‘It was very impressive’

The Bills’ newest wide receiver, Amari Cooper, drove to Buffalo from Cleveland upon being traded to the team on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he began walkthroughs and got his first introduction to their playbook before his first practice on Thursday.

By Sunday, he was on the field at Highmark Stadium for his first game as a Bill, including his first touchdown catch from quarterback Josh Allen en route to a 34-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

“It was just another day at the office at the wide receiver position,” Cooper said postgame about his comfort level.

When the ball made its way into Cooper’s hands for the third-quarter score on a slant run route he ran in a self-described signature “atypical” style, and again later in the contest when he made a catch for a first down early in the fourth quarter, the home crowd loudly cheered “Coooooop” in response.

He would finish four-for-five on targets with 66 yards in a game he learned he’d be playing in on the same call that informed him of the trade.

And playing in front of Bills fans in Orchard Park made quite an impression on the star receiver.

“It was very impressive,” Cooper said to the media postgame. “The fans, it adds a good feel to the game. Like I said, it just felt different, the fans, for some reason. I kind of got the warning throughout the week that the fans are very passionate. I have been a part of a lot of very passionate fanbases. I played for the Raiders, the Cowboys, the Browns, Alabama—but this one, it seems a little bit more heightened. I guess that’s a good thing.”

High praise from the 10-year NFL veteran who’s played for passionate fan bases at the pro and collegiate level.

“It seems like a different ‘Coop’ chant every single time,” he added. “Just grateful, appreciative, there was something special about the one today though.”

His new coach was happy to have him in a Buffalo jersey as well.

“It’s good to have [Cooper] here. He made an impact just in four days, really, four teachable, learnable days,” head coach Sean McDermott noted to the press. “And then to come out on day five here and execute like he did was impressive.”

Cooper’s experience helped to streamline his transition to a new offense, as noted by his new quarterback as well.

“I think being seven years in the league now, just like understanding guys of [Cooper’s] caliber, they don’t need a lot,” Josh Allen said. “They go out there, give him a clear mind, let him go play. That’s what he did out there a couple times, just finding zones, finding windows. He made a really good catch on that slant. But, again, just the professionalism that he has, the ability that he has, just trusting what I see with him, and things will turn out pretty good.”

Josh Allen talks Bills win vs. Titans: ‘Happy for the result’

Josh Allen talks Bills win vs. Titans: ‘Happy for the result’

Buffalo bested Tennessee at home in Orchard Park on Sunday by a final score of 34-10.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the offense started out a little stagnant in the first half, struggling to convert on third downs and put points on the board.

But that all changed in the second half.

While Buffalo’s defense and special teams continued to do their part to keep the Bills in the game, their offense started firing on all cylinders.

Allen, who finished his 100th career start 21 of 33 for 323 yards with two touchdowns, caught up with WIVB Sports Director Josh Reed on the field for a Reed Between The Lines interview.

“You know at halftime, not happy with what was going on,” he shared about the turning point in the game. “At the same time understanding what we are, and who we are. We got back to doing what we do- Making good decisions with the football and getting everybody involved. We found a way in the second half, and our defense played well, they played well in the first half to keep us in it when we were slacking, so we got to find a way to start quicker but happy for the result.”

The Buffalo offense continued their trend of second-half comebacks for wins this season, though this game featured something different that helped open up the passing game as it got going.

The Bills traded draft assets on Tuesday to acquire veteran multi-pro bowl receiver Amari Cooper.

Reed asked Allen about getting those different contributors on Buffalo’s offense involved, including Cooper, who caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter for his first reception as a Bill.

“Yeah it was a go-win route, they went blitz zero, you know he’s matched up there,” “Not a lot of time on task with routes and knowing where he’s going to be just trusting when he breaks the football is coming out, and he made a great play on the ball.”

In his postgame media availability, Cooper expounded on the play a bit as well.

“We had an alert on the play built-in, predicated on if we got a specific look,” He shared. “We got the look that we wanted, we checked to it, and it worked just like it did in practice.”

The receiver once again gives the team a WR1-level threat that opposing defenses now have to account for, which opened up the passing game for Allen and other targets in the Bills offensive attack.

Buffalo has lacked another top option alongside rookie wideout Keon Coleman, and the Bills receivers in general had been struggling to get separation from opposing defenders.

Suffice it to say Allen is pleased with the new addition to Buffalo’s passing game.

“Happy to have him.”

Bills’ Keon Coleman on Amari Cooper: ‘Bring more thrill to the offense’

Bills’ Keon Coleman on Amari Cooper: ‘Bring more thrill to the offense’

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”undefined” playlistId=”undefined” content=”dW5kZWZpbmVk”][/anyclip-media]Bills rookie receiver Keon Coleman has gotten off to a decent start in his rookie season in Buffalo.

The second-round pick by the club in the 2024 NFL Draft has 12 receptions on 20 targets for 201 yards with two touchdowns through six games. He’s also been third on the team in targets and yards receiving after Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid.

He also gained a new teammate who could further open up opportunities for him and potentially help his development as well.

In a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the Bills acquired seven-time 1,000-yard wide receiver and five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper this past Tuesday.

When asked about the newest Bills receiver, Coleman was happy to have a player of Cooper’s experience and ability around.

“I mean, it’s Amari Cooper,” Coleman said to the media on Thursday. “Great receiver, produced in the league for a long time. Get to learn from him and watch him work every day.”

He also gave a funny analogy to describe the big trade addition.

“Same thing like adding another person with more money in your household,” the rookie added. “Help you pay everything, help everything out. Help everybody else get open and just bring more thrill to the offense.”

Coleman has gotten some more looks in the passing game as of late, in part, due to scarcity.

The Bills have not yet replaced the receiving threat or target productivity of former WR1 Stefon Diggs. Though they have spread the ball out across more receivers, Coleman and other targeted players have had difficulty getting separation and open looks the way they did when opposing defenses double-teamed Diggs.

The addition of Cooper can open things up more for Coleman and company, and the young receiver might even see some time on the other side of the ball as well should a play call for it.

QB Aaron Rodgers’ successful hail mary at the end of the first half during last week’s Monday Night Football showdown with the Jets was one the Bills were unsuccessful in defending, allowing a scoring play.

And, more famously, the team also failed to bat down a 2020 Kyler Murray to DeAndre Hopkins play dubbed the “Hail Murray” which won that game for the Arizona Cardinals.

Due to the difficulties that Buffalo has had defending these deep scoring plays, Coleman’s athleticism, jump ball abilities, and basketball background could come in handy.

And according to Sean McDermott via WROC, there is a possibility the Bills could use Coleman as part of the secondary in coverage for future Hail Mary attempts to bat down passes.

Only time will tell.

Bills’ Josh Allen: Team ‘found a way’ to win vs. Jets

Bills’ Josh Allen: Team ‘found a way’ to win vs. Jets

The Bills defeated the Jets 23-20 on Monday Night Football this week to take a first-place lead in the AFC East as the only team in the division with a winning record.

QB Josh Allen and company bounced back from their first two losses of the season in back-to-back weeks by returning to their scoring ways early.

After scoring a touchdown and a field goal, Buffalo appeared headed into halftime with a 10-point lead.

That is until four-time NFL MVP and South American tea enthusiast Aaron Rodgers threw a signature 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown as the clock ran out to end the first half.

“Yeah, obviously kind of a gut punch,” Allen said postgame about Rodgers’ latest feat. “Going in thinking you’re gonna have a two-score lead there and they catch a Hail Mary.”

But the Bills fought back into the game in the second half.

The offense added two more touchdown tosses later in the contest, tying the game at 20 points each before a Tyler Bass field goal gave Buffalo a lead they would not lose the rest of the way.

“Fighting through adversity, getting in at halftime, regrouping, saying let’s just control one play at a time,” Allen added. “We didn’t score as many points as I’d like in the second half, but found a way.”

Allen went 19-of-25 passing for 215 yards with a 127.9 rating and two touchdowns in the air plus one on the ground.

“I wanted to come out and play a clean game and get through my reads quickly” Allen continued.

His teammates had faith in his ability to bounce back from the consecutive losses.

“We totally expected him to be able to flush that (loss),” left guard David Edwards said via The Buffalo News. “Some of the plays he made – awesome.”

The Bills improved to 4-2 atop their division, and have still never lost three straight games with Allen at quarterback. His playmaking has had a substantial impact on the win column this season.

“He’s just Josh Allen,” tight end Dalton Kincaid noted as well. “He can do miraculous things with the ball in his hands.”

The leadership of the club’s quarterback in gutting out the win was noticed and credited by his head coach as well.

“A good division win on the road,” head coach Sean McDermott said to the media. “Last three games in a row on the road, thought it was a gritty win led by Josh. Offense got off to a good start, established the line of scrimmage, really in the game.”

Allen realizes the importance of the division matchups “counting double” in their postseason implications, a concept that may begin to apply to key matchups against the AFC’s top playoff contenders on the Bills’ schedule as well.

“Our No. 1 goal is making the playoffs and you do that by winning your division,” Allen said. “We understand the gravity of this type of game, us being 4-2 with a 2 1/2-game lead with a head-to-head win, as opposed to being 3-3 and in second place.”

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Jets in Week 6

Causes for concern as the Bills face the Jets in Week 6

The Buffalo Bills will head to Metlife Stadium to take on the New York Jets on Monday Night Football in Week 6.

The divisional clash will feature Bills (3-2) and Jets (2-3) teams that both lost last week.

The winner of Monday’s game will be the leader in the division. If the Bills win, they will gain a stranglehold on the division even after an up-and-down start to the season.

For the Bills to improve to 4-2 and take a two-game lead in the AFC East, they will need to be wary of these three things from the Jets on Monday:

Pass coverage

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Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed are arguably the best cornerback duo in the NFL. They are a big reason the team is ranked second in the the NFL in both total defense and pass defense. According to PFF, Reed is graded as the best cornerback in the league through five weeks. His 90.8 coverage grade is second in the entire NFL to the 49ers’ Fred Warner.

Despite losing last week, the Jets held a red-hot Minnesota Vikings offense to just 179 passing yards. Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold posted a 50.3 passer rating while completing just 14 passes on 31 attempts (45%). Last week, Josh Allen posted even worse numbers than those. He and offensive coordinator Joe Brady need a bounceback game in the worst way. It’s a tough matchup for the Bills after their wide receivers struggled against the Houston Texans.

Pass rush

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It’s not just the coverage downfield that makes the Jets’ defense a nightmare. The big guys up front can reach the quarterback with the best of them. The Jets are fourth in the NFL in sacks with 18. Jets edge rusher Will McDonald IV is tied for second in the league in sacks with 6.

After Allen was pressured on 41.7% of his dropbacks against the Texans, the Bills offense now faces a team who can get after the QB in the same way.

For all the times Allen was under pressure in Week 5, he didn’t complete a single pass when pressured. Protection for Allen needs to be on point Monday or McDonald and company will have a major impact. And, receivers need to get open as well.

Unpredictability?

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The Jets promoted defensive coordinator to interim head coach after firing head coach Robert Saleh. They also changed offensive playcallers. Todd Downing takes over for Nathaniel Hackett as the team’s singal caller. After five weeks, ownership had seen enough of the same old problems.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers ranks 26th in the NFL in passer rating and has a 7-4 touchdown ratio. But still, the shakeup within the organization was unexpected.

As far as what the Bills can expect from Jets, there probably won’t be too much difference in what they were last week. There may be a couple added wrinkles in playcalls. Regardless, it will be a good test for head coach Sean McDermott and coordinators Joe Brady and Bobby Babich.

Bills’ Josh Allen post-Texans loss: ‘This isn’t a defining moment in our season’

Bills’ Josh Allen post-Texans loss: ‘This isn’t a defining moment in our season’

The Buffalo Bills could not complete a come-from-behind win in Houston against the Texans on Sunday, falling to an AFC playoff contender for the second consecutive week.

Buffalo’s second loss of the year ended with a final score of 23-20 in NFL Week 5 thanks to a 59-yard game-winning field goal by Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn.

59 yards had significance more than once during the game.

On a 1st-and-20 in the first quarter, Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw a deep shot downfield to receiver Mack Hollins, who lost some acceleration watching the ball overhead and missed what could have been a 59-yard catch with a clear path to the endzone off the fingers of his extended hands.

Allen had the least productive outing of his career and his worst since he made his debut in 2018, completing a career-low 30% of his passes while going 9-of-30 for 131 yards and a touchdown with 54 yards rushing. 49 of those yards came courtesy of a single scoring play by WR Keon Coleman, and 82 yards of that production went scoreless.

“Starts with making better decisions on my part,” Allen said after the game. “I know I didn’t complete the ball at a high rate. I put the ball in harm’s way, especially in that first half.”

The Bills QB found himself on the wrong side of history, recording the lowest completion percentage in a game with at least 30 pass attempts in the last 30 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Info.

The offense struggled on first down and was also without their leading receiver this season, Khalil Shakir, who was out with an ankle injury. Without him, they looked one-dimensional, as the rest of the receivers struggled to get open or catch passes, only hauling in four catches.

“I would have hoped for more, honestly,” head coach Sean McDermott said to the press. “I’m sure those guys feel the same way.”

Coleman had two catches for touchdowns in the last few games, though the Bills’ other significant 3-year $24 million offseason addition to the receivers group, Curtis Samuel, has yet to make a meaningful impact. There remains a clear need for a reliable deep threat and target in the passing game that can take the top off defenses, perhaps setting the stage for a signature Brandon Beane trade acquisition.

“We missed by a little bit,” Allen added of the offensive effort. “We were off slightly. That’s something I have to clean up. I’m proud of how we responded in the second half … we gave ourselves a chance to win the football game.”

Coleman took responsibility on the receiver’s side after only hauling in the scoring catch, missing another target, and getting flagged for offensive pass interference on a play as well.

“It was all self-inflicted,” Coleman said. “Mostly on me and the communication and doing what I need to do.”

He also spoke in support of his QB.

“I would never, ever criticize Josh ever,” he added. “He is the heartbeat of our offense and our football team. We go as he goes. He is the man. I could easily point to myself on one of those third downs, not being able to pick up one of the stunts. So, this game is not on Josh.”

Allen stood by his teammates as well.

“I’m proud of how we responded in the second half,” Bills QB Josh Allen said. “Got on our horses and gave ourselves a chance to win a football game.”

Even with the worst passing percentage performance of his career and an underwhelming lack of help, the Bills came back to tie the game twice and could have at least put the game into overtime by running out the clock.

“This isn’t a defining moment in our season,” Allen noted. “It’s a chance to learn and grow from this. That’s what we’re going to do.”

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Bills’ Sean McDermott takes responsibility for Texans loss: ‘That’s on me’

Bills’ Sean McDermott takes responsibility for Texans loss: ‘That’s on me’

The Buffalo Bills lost to the Houston Texans 23-20 during their NFL Week 5 road game on Sunday.

It was the Bills’ second loss of the season, coming in back-to-back weeks against AFC playoff contenders.

And like the week prior, coaching decisions once more came under question following the matchup.

The Bills came back from being down 20-3 and scored 17 straight points to tie the game with under four minutes to play.

Houston QB C.J. Stroud was flagged for intentional grounding making it fourth-and-15 to take the Texans out of field-goal range with under a minute left in the game. They punted, placing the Bills at their own three-yard line.

Three straight incomplete passes later, and the Bills had neither converted a first down nor run off the game clock, instead punting to give Houston the ball back with a chance to win.

One Houston made good on.

Buffalo could have run the clock down to have a chance to keep the game tied and go to overtime, a missed opportunity that proved costly.

“That’s on me, the end-of-game situation on offense,” head coach Sean McDermott said after the game “We’re in a tough situation … they were holding three timeouts, they got a good field goal kicker. We needed to run the clock and move the chains, and that’s on me. We didn’t do that there, and that’s my fault.”

Buffalo had a chance to keep a drive alive and potentially take a lead when they started a drive on their own three-yard line with under a minute left on the game clock.

But failed to do so.

“Coach is gonna trust us to go out there and do that,” Allen said. “Obviously would love to convert there and hindsight’s 20-20, but yeah.”

Allen threw three straight incomplete passes and the offense wasn’t able to get a first down or run out the clock.

“I love Josh with the ball in his hands — you know I do,” head coach Sean McDermott said postgame. “And again, efficient offense was the right approach there, and … I didn’t have us do that. And so again, we learned from that. Tough situation.”

McDermott and his staff have notably been scrutinized after their game and clock management near the end of the contest.

“… You go back and forth, and, hey, I probably should have run it on the first play and just said, ‘Hey, where are we now?'” He added. “Either way, we’re probably gonna have to move the chains one time, right? To not give them a chance. But again, those are situations and that’s on me.”

“It sucks to lose any game, but especially when you come back all the way through, felt like we had good momentum going into the second half, into the fourth quarter there, but it’s the NFL. It’s a tough League,” LB Terrel Bernard said.

After Houston returned Buffalo’s punt 13 yards to their own 41-yard line, they gained 5 yards on the next play, which set up a 59-yard game-winning field goal.

On that last play before the kick, Bills linebacker Dorian Williams was late to get on the field before the snap, and corner Rasul Douglas noted postgame Williams may not have known the play call.

“We were trying to go nickel defense, and Dorian was on the side,” McDermott explained. “We didn’t have the communication we needed right there, and so because of that, he was late onto the field and getting the call in that situation.”

It was the latest instance of some drop-off in play by the Bills players.

“Overall we’ve been a little bit off our game from what we executed in the first three games,” McDermott added.

Defensive end A.J. Epenesa shared it was important that the team not “ride the roller coaster” of emotions following the two losses.

“Right now, we’re at a low,” he said. “We’ve lost two games, but we’ve got to try to stay as consistent as possible. We’ve had a lot of success on this team. We do a lot of great things. It’s just us shooting ourselves in the foot. It’s us making mistakes, which is allowing these teams to beat us. We’ve got to clean those things up.”

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