Thursday Thought: The Buffalo Bills Offense Has Entered the 21st Century

Do you remember the days where this was the Buffalo Bills offensive statistics in a game: Passing leader: 15/22 for 111 yards. Rushing leader: 16 carries for 58 yards and one touchdown. The leading receiver: four receptions for 43 yards. 

This was the Bills offensive stats after a week one loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. The Bills offense only scored seven points and gained a total of 160 yards of offense. This has been the Bills offense for the better part of two decades. A lacking passing game, not much from the receivers, and all the weight on the rushing attack. This is no longer the case for the Bills. This Thursday Thought is simple but straight to the point: The Buffalo Bills Offense Has Entered the 21st Century.

That’s right, the Bills finally caught up with the NFL and understand how to play offense in the current day NFL. No longer are the Bills leaning heavily on the run game. They’re finally throwing the ball consistently and using modern-day passing concepts. 

It’s refreshing to see a Bills offense play like this after watching years of good ol’ “ground and pound” football that played a role in the Bills 17-year playoff drought. The days of “a yard and cloud of dust” are officially done in Buffalo, and there is proof of this. 

Through the first two weeks of the 2017 season (Sean McDermott’s first two games as Buffalo’s head coach) the Bills passing totals were the following: 349 yards, 33 completions, 53 attempts, two touchdowns, and an interception. This equates to 174.5 yards per game, 16.5 completions per game, and 26.5 attempts per game. 

Through the first two weeks of this season, the Bills passing totals are 507 yards, 43 completions, 67 attempts, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. This averages out to 253.5 yards per game, 21.5 completions per game, and 33.5 attempts per game. A clear increase in passing yards, completions, and passing attempts. 

Just for some comparisons, last year it took the Bills leading receiver Zay Jones had 13 receptions through five games. This year the Bills leading receiver John Brown has 14 receptions through two games. 

The Bills passing offense has awoken. After nearly 25 years of hibernating, leaving fans only with murky memories of the K Gun offense, it has come back to life. Instead of Jim Kelly, it’s Josh Allen. Instead of Andre Reed, it’s Cole Beasley. Instead of James Lofton, it’s John Brown. 

Ladies and Gentlemen the Buffalo Bills passing offense is finally a formidable attack, that will only get better after each week. Enjoy it! Cherish it! Accept it! This is now the standard of the Buffalo Bills passing offense. No more days of 160 yards passing and gutting out victories with just defense and running the ball. The Bills passing offense has finally entered the 21st century. Thank goodness.   

Mitch Broder is a contributor for The Buffalo Fanatics. To contact him, email him at mitchell.broder@gmail.com or on Twitter @mitchell_broder