ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — For a third straight week, the Bills and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey are searching for answers after an underwhelming performance from an offense that at one point this season looked like one of the NFL's best.
Buffalo is coming off its second loss in three weeks, a 29-25 defeat to the now 2-5 Patriots in Foxborough. The Bills scored just three points in the first half, continuing a trend of slow starts in which they've managed a collective 10 points across the last three outings.
"I think no matter when we're on the field, our expectation is to drive and score points," Dorsey said Monday. "Whenever that might be, our goal is to consistently be effective as an offense and put points on the board."
But that's something that hasn't happened enough recently for the Bills.
Over the last three games, Buffalo is averaging 19.7 points and 341.3 yards per game. Those results include a 25-20 loss to the Jaguars in London, a 14-9 win over the Giants at home, and Sunday's loss to the Patriots in Foxborough.
Compare those results to the previous three weeks. Between Weeks 2 and 4, the Bills offense averaged 41 points and 416.7 yards per game. Buffalo went 3-0 in that stretch, with wins over the Raiders at home (38-10), Commanders on the road (37-3), and Dolphins at home in the Bills' best performance of the season (48-20).
Dorsey, however, says the team's struggles after the win over Miami, starting with the loss to Jacksonville, are more execution related than anything other defenses are doing schematically.
"At the end of the day, the big part of offensive football is you've got to focus on yourself," Dorsey said. "And you've got to focus on your execution, and how you get the guys executing at a high level consistently."
"We've just got to be able to extend drives and just overall, just execution. I don't think, to be honest with you, it's any one thing a defense is specifically doing to us," Dorsey went on to add.
The struggles are leading head coach Sean McDermott, who also serves as the team's defensive coordinator and play-caller, to answer more questions about his specific role in the offensive side of the game plan.
"From a head coach's perspective, I'm involved," McDermott said. "I also believe in allowing my coaching staff to do their job as well. I try not to micromanage. I do step in when I need to and there's been increased communication over the last few weeks. Whatever area it is, I'm not just going to stay quiet."
"Definitely has some input and has a philosophical idea of what he wants," Dorsey said of McDermott's involvement on that side of the ball. "That's something that continues to blend in with our offense."
Both Dorsey and McDermott are faced with a smaller timeframe to tinker with the offense as the Bills face a short week.
Buffalo turns around to play Thursday night, as they are set to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Orchard Park.
