A few years ago, there were doubts about the Kansas City Chiefs’ performance without Tyreek Hill. The oversight wasn’t about Patrick Mahomes’ talent, but rather the exceptional playcalling and offensive strategies employed by head coach Andy Reid.
Watching the Chiefs last week, it struck me how effortless it seems for Mahomes, as his receivers often appear wide open—this is a product of play design. It can be frustrating to see players like Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster contribute significantly to the Chiefs while the Bills struggle to replicate that success.
At the start of this season, I supported the Buffalo Bills’ mantra of “Everyone eats” and thought it could work. However, I imagined a passing game centered around Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid. Spreading the ball is important, but when I think of everyone participating, I didn’t anticipate players like Mack Hollins and Marques Valdez-Scantling frequently being involved. Josh Allen has made 131 pass attempts, with Shakir and Kincaid accounting for 42 of those, representing 32% of the target distribution. Yet, Valdez-Scantling, Hollins, and Curtis Samuel combined for only 38 targets.
For years, Bills management has discussed putting the best 11 players on the field. If that’s the case, why are Hollins and Valdez-Scantling getting so much playing time and, more importantly, being targeted frequently? “Everyone eats” should refer to the top offensive talents, namely Shakir, Kincaid, James Cook, Keon Coleman, and Dawson Knox. Given this talent pool, one would expect the Bills’ offense to perform better. However, their recent games have been disappointing, largely due to the inclusion of MVS and Hollins. The coaching staff needs to improve their schemes to help players get open, similar to what Coach Reid does in Kansas City.
If the Bills’ receivers can’t create separation, offensive coordinator Joe Brady must devise strategies to simplify throws for Josh Allen. Ultimately, trying to involve everyone in the offense isn’t feasible. There’s a reason Valdez-Scantling and Hollins have played for eight different teams each—it’s not because of their exceptional skills. An alarming statistic: together, MVS and Hollins have 618 career targets but only 325 receptions.
To enhance the Bills’ passing attack, Hollins should focus solely on special teams, while MVS can run occasional deep routes to draw the safeties back. Curtis Samuel, who is a capable receiver, should be utilized as a receiver rather than being molded into a version of Isaiah McKenzie. Finally, the targets currently going to Hollins should be redirected to Coleman, who has proven he can make plays and deserves more chances.
