Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills

For most of the 2025 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills’ passing attack has been a cornerstone of their success—led by Josh Allen’s arm strength, a deep group of wide receivers, and a scheme that maximizes mismatches. But over the past three weeks, that once-potent unit has hit a rough patch: Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills. In losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, and a narrow win over the New England Patriots, the Bills have averaged just 185 passing yards per game—nearly 100 yards below their season average—and Allen has thrown more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3) during that stretch. This slump isn’t just a statistical blip; it’s a collection of interconnected issues that the Bills must fix quickly if they hope to make a deep playoff run.

Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills starts with a critical issue: the offensive line’s inability to protect Allen. Over the past three games, the Bills’ line has allowed 12 sacks—more than they gave up in the first 12 weeks of the season combined. Left tackle Dion Dawkins, a Pro Bowl-caliber player, has been hampered by a knee injury, forcing him to play through pain and limiting his ability to block elite edge rushers. Against the Chiefs, Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis exploited Dawkins’ limitations, sacking Allen three times and pressuring him on seven other plays. The interior line has also struggled: center Mitch Morse has missed two games with a concussion, and his replacement, Ryan Bates, has struggled to communicate with the guards, leading to misalignments and free blitzes. “When you can’t protect the quarterback, everything else falls apart,” Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said. “Josh can extend plays with his legs, but even he can’t outrun every defender. We need to get healthier up front and fix our communication.”

Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills also highlights inconsistencies among the Bills’ wide receivers—especially beyond No. 1 target Stefon Diggs. Diggs has remained reliable, recording 21 receptions for 245 yards in the past three games, but the rest of the group has failed to step up. Gabe Davis, who had a strong start to the season, has just 8 receptions for 92 yards in the slump and dropped a critical third-down pass against the Dolphins that would have extended a potential game-winning drive. Rookie Keon Coleman, who showed promise earlier in the year, has been limited to 3 receptions for 28 yards and was inactive for one game due to “game-specific fit.” Even slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie, a usually reliable option, has struggled with route precision, running incorrect paths on two plays that led to Allen throwing interceptions. “We need more from our secondary receivers,” Bills wide receivers coach Chad Hall said. “Stefon can’t do it alone. We need guys to make plays when the defense focuses on him, and right now, we’re not getting that.”

Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills is also a result of opposing defenses adjusting their strategies to neutralize the Bills’ strengths. Teams have started using “cover-2” and “cover-3” schemes more frequently—zone coverages that force Allen to throw into tight windows rather than relying on his favorite deep passes to Davis or Diggs. Defenses have also been blitzing more often: the Chiefs and Dolphins combined for 32 blitzes in their games against the Bills, using extra defenders to pressure Allen and limit his time to read the field. “Opponents have studied us and found ways to take away what we do best,” Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said. “They’re forcing us to beat them with short passes and runs, which isn’t our strength. We need to adjust our scheme to counter their blitzes and find ways to get our receivers open in zone coverage.” The Buffalo Bills have historically been good at adapting mid-season, but this recent stretch shows they’re still searching for answers against these new defensive looks.

Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills has also put more pressure on Allen, and his performance has shown signs of frustration. The usually confident quarterback has made uncharacteristic mistakes: he threw a forced pass into double coverage against the Chiefs that was intercepted by L’Jarius Sneed, and he held onto the ball too long against the Dolphins, leading to a sack that pushed the Bills out of field goal range. Allen has also struggled to connect on deep passes, completing just 3 of 12 attempts of 20+ yards in the past three games—well below his season completion rate of 45% on deep balls. “Josh is a competitor, and he hates losing,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. “He’s trying to do too much right now, and that’s leading to mistakes. We need to take some pressure off him by fixing our line and getting our receivers to make plays.” The Buffalo Bills’ coaching staff has been working with Allen to simplify his reads and focus on short, high-percentage passes until the line and receivers can regain their form.

Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills wraps up with the Bills’ plan to fix the issues before the playoffs. The team has brought in extra offensive line help this week, signing veteran tackle Riley Reiff to provide depth while Dawkins recovers. Dorsey has also announced that the Bills will incorporate more “play-action” passes into their scheme—using the threat of the run to pull linebackers out of coverage and create open spots for Diggs and Davis. Allen has been working with the receivers after practice to refine route timing, and the team has added more short-yardage passing drills to their practice schedule. “We’re not panicking,” McDermott said. “Every team goes through slumps. The key is how you respond. We have the talent to fix these issues, and we’re working tirelessly to get back on track.” For the Bills, the stakes couldn’t be higher: a continued slump in the passing attack could cost them the AFC East title and a first-round bye in the playoffs. In the end, Passing Attack Stalled in Recent Games for the Buffalo Bills is a test of the team’s resilience—a chance to prove they can adapt, overcome adversity, and rediscover the form that made them Super Bowl contenders earlier in the season.