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Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
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 (
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
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— 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.
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— 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.'”