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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPNNov 14, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
- Alaina Getzenberg is a staff writer who covers the Buffalo Bills and the NFL. She joined ESPN in 2021. Alaina was previously a beat reporter for the Charlotte Observer and has also worked for CBS Sports and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. You can follow her via Twitter @agetzenberg.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen‘s feet are up as he begins the meeting.
He starts with going over the running game and then moves on to the passing plays, asking the position groups and individual players what plays they would like — and not like — to see called in the game ahead. Allen records notes from the meeting and passes along the plays discussed to offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
The same meeting takes place every Friday after practice. Allen has led it since Brady instituted the meeting when he took over as interim offensive coordinator in Week 11 of the 2023 season. The offense-only meetings, which are not typically lengthy and described by players as “super chill,” take place about 15 minutes after practice comes to a close.
The meeting helps create open dialogue for players to express what plays they like and don’t like, and facilitates conversation between position groups.
“It’s nice, because other things like, say the tight ends don’t like something like, ‘Hey, why don’t you like it? Oh, didn’t think about it that way. That makes sense. Let’s throw it out,'” center Connor McGovern said.
That approach from Brady and Allen encourages buy-in on the offense, across the board, and allows input from players on what’s called during games.
Rookie running back Ray Davis compared the meetings to a band getting together and figuring which songs they like to play.
Players have also progressed to texting Brady if there are specific things they like, or will note them to him during practices.
“I think a lot of it’s ownership, guys taking accountability,” Allen said. “If I told Joe that I want this play and he calls it, I got to go and make it work because we’re putting ourselves on the line there in terms of him trusting us. And as long as we keep executing some of the plays that we like, he’s going to keep calling them. … Joe always talks about the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.”
And this offense is certainly doing more. The Bills are off to an 8-2 start, the team’s best since 1993, while Allen has put together a commanding performance behind a consistent offensive line. He’s also getting help in ways he hasn’t before with the highest yards after catch per reception through 10 games (6.7) of his career and Allen is unusually not the team’s leader in rushing touchdowns (James Cook, 8). The offense behind those numbers will be on display in the eighth meeting between the Bills and Kansas City Chiefs since 2020 on Sunday (4:25 p.m. EST, CBS).
Part of the Bills offensive issues this season have included slower starts — and allowing an undefeated Kansas City team that has trailed in eight of nine wins this season to linger is a dangerous approach. The Bills have trailed at halftime in five games this season, going on to win three of those. In two other games, they have only led by one score at the break — despite a scoring margin of +9.7 per game for the season. Even amid the slow starts, Brady says he prefers to run what the players have confidence in, reflecting a belief that success will come.
“Obviously, I want us to start fast, but I want the guys to know that I’m going to trust them and plays that they own, and they want,” Brady said. “And it’s plays that I believe in as well.”
Here’s a breakdown of some of the Bills’ player-chosen plays, with players explaining the details of their preferences.
TE Dawson Knox play choice
Week 8, Bills at Seahawks: 13:58 | First quarter | First-and-10 | BUF 10 | 0-0
Play result: Allen to Knox for 23-yard gain
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) November 12, 2024
“The play we opened with was one that I wanted to advocate for, which was a 100% Joe Brady’s scheme,” TE Dawson Knox said. “He wanted it called the first play. Josh did a great job alerting it, but I wanted it called because I thought it was a great look, great scheme by [Brady] and thankful we got the call.”
Knox said that when he’s deciding to advocate for a certain play, he looks for: if it worked in practice; if he thinks they’ll get the right look from the defense and; if it features the tight ends.
This was the first offensive play called for the Bills against the Seahawks in Week 8.
McGovern said that as soon as Allen sits down in the weekly meeting, he says, “‘Alright, Connor, Dave [left guard David Edwards], I know you want goalie to start with.'” The play is a mid-zone to the left. McGovern also said that Brady approached him on the plane to Seattle to ask about what he wanted to see run, but before he could even answer, the coordinator already knew.
“It’s a good way to see the defense, how they’re going to be playing it, and then if we could get that going, then that gets the play-action game going,” McGovern said. “So, earlier we get that started, other things get opened up.”
They did run it early in Seattle, and McGovern said it went perfectly in the midst of what ended up as a 14-play opening scoring drive.
QB Josh Allen play choice
Week 8, Bills at Seahawks: 1:08 | Second quarter | Third-and-3 | SEA 36 | 7-3 Buffalo lead
Play result: Allen rush for nine yards. Drive result was a touchdown pass to TE Dalton Kincaid.
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) November 12, 2024
“Third down, third and short. There was a timeout. Go over to the sideline. I told them a play that I wanted, and he called it, and it worked out, and it’s fulfilling for me that it worked. But for [Brady], too, it’s like ‘All right, I trust this guy in what he’s seeing.’ And to have a healthy relationship like that with your OC and he trusts you like that, it’s a dang good feeling.”
In some cases, Allen will communicate on the sideline plays that he thinks are good to run during the game. Sometimes that happens during timeouts with quarterbacks coach Ronald Curry often a go-between on the sideline, while Brady is in the booth.
“There’s a lot of times as I’m communicating down to [Curry], … ‘Josh, any thoughts from Josh,’ or ‘Hey, what’s he thinking?”’ Brady said. “And there might be a timeout, and he goes to the sideline, and he tells RC, ‘Hey, give me this. Hey, bring this up to Joe.'”
Practice squad quarterback Mike White, who joined the team at the start of the season, emphasized that outside of the quarterback room, he had never seen this approach before. White said he noticed how doing so gave players a sense of ownership. He pointed to Brady’s experience as a wide receiver in college and not being far removed from the game as background that assisted that approach.
For Brady and Allen, that trust is key.
“There [were] plays [against the Colts] where [Allen] comes to the sideline like, ‘Give me that play,’ and he’s going to make it work,” Brady said. “And if he doesn’t, it’s not the end of the world. I’m going to still trust him on the next one, and so, I believe in the ownership and more times than not, he’s going to find a way.”
Allen leads the NFL in touchdowns against the blitz (10) and pressure (nine) as he prepares to face a Chiefs defense that has blitzed at the third-highest rate in the NFL this season. Allen’s four interceptions are his fewest through 10 games, and he’s tied for last season’s career-low sack total through 10 games (13).
RB James Cook play choice
Week 2, Bills at Dolphins: 3:45 | Second quarter | 1-and-10 | MIA 49 | 17-7 Buffalo lead
Play result: Allen handoff to Cook for 49-yard touchdown
— Good Clips (@MeshSitWheel) November 13, 2024
Cook scored three touchdowns in the team’s first win over Miami this season.
“The play is going to me first, and then how, the way the line was blocking it,” Cook said on why he pointed out this play.
After Allen handed the ball off to Cook, he navigated a tight opening between McGovern and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence before finding space and then exploding to the sideline and ultimately down the field before a flip into the end zone.
The third-year running back has gotten off to a career-best start as a rusher including a personal high of nine touchdowns for the season. He values the ability to offer input.
Players like wide receiver Khalil Shakir and Davis expressed that while they appreciate the open communication with Brady, expressing a desire for a certain play to be called isn’t necessarily in their wheelhouse.
“I believe in whatever’s gonna happen is gonna happen,” Shakir said. “Whatever play that I may want to get called, if it’s meant to be called, it’s going to get called. I’m a go with the flow type of guy.”
Meanwhile, Cook described Brady’s openness to calling plays the players want as “the greatest thing ever.”
