Josh Allen: Bills Have 'A Lot of Stuff to Clean Up' After Back-to-Back Losses

The Buffalo Bills are facing a challenging bye week after consecutive defeats have shaken their strong start to the season.

 

In Monday night's 24-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, both the offense and defense displayed significant shortcomings.

 

The offense struggled to sustain drives beyond the opening possessions of each half, while the defense was unable to contain Falcons' running back Bijan Robinson, who dominated the field.

 

Quarterback Josh Allen acknowledged the team's struggles, stating, "It's gonna eat at me the next two weeks. I mean, a lot of stuff to clean up."

 

Allen's performance included two interceptions, one at the end of the first half and another during the final drive.

 

The offense's inconsistency was evident, with four three-and-out drives, two of which occurred in the fourth quarter when the team had opportunities to tie the game.

 

Running back James Cook was underutilized, with three of the four three-and-outs occurring without him touching the ball.

 

Given the lack of playmakers on the outside, Cook's involvement is crucial, similar to how the Falcons utilize Robinson.

 

The offensive line also struggled, allowing pressure on 44.1% of Allen's dropbacks, the highest rate he's faced since Week 5 of the previous season.

 

Prior to these losses, the Bills' offense had been prolific, scoring over 30 points in each of their first four games.

 

However, they've managed only 20 and 14 points in the recent defeats.

 

Allen expressed his frustration, saying, "We had our opportunities to take advantage of and we didn't. It sucks when you feel like two-thirds of your team (special teams and defense) are doing their job and you're the team not to pull your weight. It sucks."

 

Defensively, the Bills have been struggling, particularly against the run and in the secondary.

 

They've been unable to stop opponents from gaining significant yardage on the ground, and the secondary has been exploited by opposing receivers.

 

Head coach Sean McDermott emphasized the need for a comprehensive reassessment, stating, "We've got to figure it out. We've got to dive deep into what we're doing, how we're doing it, making sure we've got the right people in the right positions, and then the execution at the end of the day, we've got to start from ground zero and work our way back up."

 

Despite the current setbacks, the Bills have a history of bouncing back from early-season struggles.

 

Last season, they overcame a 3-2 start to win seven consecutive games and secure the division title.

 

To replicate that success, the team will need improved performances from Allen and a more cohesive defensive effort.

 

The Bills haven't lost three consecutive games in a season since Allen's rookie year in 2018, when they endured a four-game losing streak.

 

As the team heads into the bye week, the focus will be on addressing these issues to prevent a similar slide.