Is Joe Brady the main issue on offense?

[ganesh]

I am tired of the predictable scheme of running the football on 2nd down every time (at least it seems like that) and we gain 1-yard and a puff of dust

[Fan in San Diego]

On 10/14/2025 at 3:15 AM, Dan Darragh said:

You're at 4th and 1, you have a genius scrambler at QB, an RB you just signed to a huge contract, an OL that has been good all season long, plus you have a hot prospect at blocking TE and you've dedicated a roster spot to a FB.  

 

This is a perfect situation to run a jet sweep with a 4th string WR or better yet a TE and fumble the ball.  At least if you're going to call a play like that, make it look like you've run it once or twice in practice.

Getting to cute and outsmarted himself

 

[Dan Darragh]

12 minutes ago, Fan in San Diego said:

Getting to cute and outsmarted himself

 

That explains the first time he did it.  Subsequent occurrences are just dumb.

[hondo in seattle]

11 hours ago, Richard Noggin said:

 

Where did you see "defenders...saying they're reading our plays"? That's been a growing complaint of mine on BOTH sides of the ball, tbh. The players are at a disadvantage far too often because the play callers rely on poorly disguised tendencies/concepts. The Bills seem easy to scout, overall. Also, the (offensive) players seem to do a shite job of executing wrinkles and creative calls, which potentially speaks to how little practice time is spent on diverse concepts each week. Their comfort zone is incredibly narrow, apparently. 

 

It's truly unfortunate that Allen will spend the absolute prime of his career with substandard NFL offensive play design and play-calling. Really robs us of so much joy when watching the Bills. There is a GULF between offenses like the Bills and those of McVay, Shanahan, whoever the eff is calling Tampa's plays this season, etc.

 

All this ignores or sidesteps how easily opposing offenses can motion our defense into predictable and vanilla concepts most of the time. Again, putting the players at least at a disadvantage. 

 

Just a few examples, since you asked...

 

“I saw the formation and I knew the play. We’d seen it on film all week. I just jumped the route.” — DeAngelo Malone after picking Josh off last week.  

 

“We knew they’d try to hit Knox on the seam early. That’s their rhythm starter. We took it away.”  Christian Gonzalez, Patriots 2025

 

“They motioned the back and we knew it was the screen. That’s their tell. We jumped it.”  Quincy Williams, Jets, 2024

 

“They’ve got some great athletes, but their route trees out of 12 personnel are pretty static. We keyed on that.”  Spags, 2024

 

 

I feel weird - maybe even unfair - criticizing an OC that averages as many points as Brady does with the flawed squad he has.  But Joe seems unimaginative and predictable at times - especially in the downfield passing game.

 

Edited Thursday at 05:47 PM by hondo in seattle

[Richard Noggin]

9 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Just a few examples, since you asked...

 

“I saw the formation and I knew the play. We’d seen it on film all week. I just jumped the route.” — DeAngelo Malone after picking Josh off last week.  

 

“We knew they’d try to hit Knox on the seam early. That’s their rhythm starter. We took it away.”  Christian Gonzalez, Patriots 2025

 

“They motioned the back and we knew it was the screen. That’s their tell. We jumped it.”  Quincy Williams, Jets, 2024

 

“They’ve got some great athletes, but their route trees out of 12 personnel are pretty static. We keyed on that.”  Spags, 2024

 

 

I feel weird - maybe even unfair - criticizing an OC that averages as many points as Brady does with the flawed squad he has.  But Joe seems unimaginative and predictable at times - especially in the downfield passing game.

 

 

Appreciate the receipts AND completely agree with your reluctant criticism of Brady's play calling. 

[Pete]

Back up Matt Jones threw for 342 yards and 2TDs, beat the rams, despite not having Kittle, Aiyuk, Pearsall.  
 

That shows what a real coordinator can do.  If Brady was coorinator, Rams win imo

[BeastMaster]

I'll say Brady is not good, and here's why I believe so

 

What he got credit for was simply designing an offense that was predicated on the Bills running the ball and Josh taking less risks in the passing game

 

This is something we all knew had to happen in order for Josh and the offense to progress into an elite offense

 

He gets credit since he was the guy that did it, but I think just about any decent coordinator would have done similar or even better

[RoscoeParrish]

17 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

Just a few examples, since you asked...

 

“I saw the formation and I knew the play. We’d seen it on film all week. I just jumped the route.” — DeAngelo Malone after picking Josh off last week.  

 

“We knew they’d try to hit Knox on the seam early. That’s their rhythm starter. We took it away.”  Christian Gonzalez, Patriots 2025

 

“They motioned the back and we knew it was the screen. That’s their tell. We jumped it.”  Quincy Williams, Jets, 2024

 

“They’ve got some great athletes, but their route trees out of 12 personnel are pretty static. We keyed on that.”  Spags, 2024

 

 

I feel weird - maybe even unfair - criticizing an OC that averages as many points as Brady does with the flawed squad he has.  But Joe seems unimaginative and predictable at times - especially in the downfield passing game.

 

This happens around the league all the time to every offense?

 

Our own Terrell Bernard said he knew that pick on Tua was coming because of tendencies he saw on film.

 

It’s up to Brady to break tendencies so his offense doesn’t get “figured out” like Dorsey’s did over the long term. But it’s quite early. 
 

and he’s got to do it with his hands tied at skill positions.

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, RoscoeParrish said:

This happens around the league all the time to every offense?

 

 

Indeed the week before Devin Lloyd said he knew the Chiefs counter to a zero blitz so he just had to get in the right vicinity and the ball came right to him. 

 

If you mined defensive pressers after every game it is what they all say. Film study is real. Every team does it. The number of times a year one genuinely surprises another with a gameplan is very rare. Generally NFL football games come down to execution and talent. 

[DCOrange]

The results to this poll are absolutely insane lol

[mannc]

3 hours ago, Pete said:

Back up Matt Jones threw for 342 yards and 2TDs, beat the rams, despite not having Kittle, Aiyuk, Pearsall.  
 

That shows what a real coordinator can do.  If Brady was coorinator, Rams win imo

I’ve always wanted to see what peak Josh Allen could do with a really good OC…we’ll probably never know.

[CincyBillsFan]

Last nights Bengals/Steelers game reminded me again of how flawed the concept of "everyone eats" is.  Everyone didn't eat - Chase and to a lesser extent Higgins bellied up to the buffet and gorged themselves. And over the decades this is how teams with great QB's win championships - they have elite skill players that eat all the food.

 

Just go back to the Bills Super Bowl years - you had a HOF QB depending on the production of Thomas & Reed and for a couple of years Loften - all elite HOF skill players.  Sure Metzalars, Beebe & Davis could explode but the notion of "everyone eats" would have been bizarre to those teams.

 

The basic nature of high end NFL offenses works against the everyone eats concept if that concept means that a lot of average skill players can take turns putting in HOF performances on any given night.  The reason a Beebe could have a 200 yard receiving game against the Steelers was because the Steelers were doing everything in their power to keep Thomas & Reed away from the buffet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Negan]

Watching the Steelers Bengals game last night, I think it's time to find a new offensive coordinator.  

 

This current Bills offense, reminds me of the Bills offense during the drought.  Where every offensive possession seemed like a real struggle.  And we would watch other NFL games praying that we could play offense like these other teams.  I feel like we're not even in the same league anymore.  

 

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.  

[colin]

everyone in the world will agree that josh is an uber talent at QB, and has the records/stats, with multiple OCs, to prove it.

 

everyone in the world will agree that james cook is an explosive RB, as soon as he started being featured in the O his production has been near the top of the nfl, he's fast, he was awesome in college, and he's awesome now.

 

everyone knows the bills have very very good nasty tackles, generally solid interior OL play, and most people who assess OL put them in the top 3 to top 5.

 

we have all seen the TEs block well and go off this season.  the stats of passing to our TEs are super strong, and we have three of them who can play (only two last monday obv).

 

everyone also knows our WR room is weak.

 

also, we lead the nfl in scoring last season, and the consistency we've shown since 2020 on O is basically the best or 2nd best in the nfl.

 

how the hell does someone see this, and say the reason why our O is sputtering and outright sucking the past two weeks is because of the lack of outside wr?  yes we don't have that, yes we should trade for one so we do have it, and yes beane is a clown shoe for doing nothing to change that, but with four advantage position groups and a track record of success not getting production is CLEARLY ON THE COACHING.

 

brady has accomplished jack squat as an OC.  he was passing game coordinator for the must insane wr 1/2 and qb trio i've ever seen in college football, and the HC was the architect of that O.  he was ish on a stick in carolina, and he has produced roughly the same numbers as dorsey did w our O, but with a much better balance (i tip him well over dorsey).  

 

how on earth is it the one single position we are not the beneficiaries of an embarrassment of riches on and not the OC?  again, yes we should have better wr talent and it's a sin that we don't, but holy crap we played a small fast d and couldn't figure out how to run the ball or pass out of run sets against them?  running 80%+ out of under center and passing 80%+ out of shotgun, that's not bad coaching?  what is?

 

brady has had some great success with this O, with the players we have now, he did not call good games, had idiot jet sweep calls, no answers for blitzes rattling his qb, and took cook of the pitch for what, 10 high leverage snaps?  we had like 50 something offensive plays vs atl, so fully 20% of them were high leverage snaps where cook was on on the field.  why, so shavers or a future UPS driver can confuse the d and show how clever brady is?  our HC has called him out for the same trash the prior week.

 

brady is not doing his job, it's so obvious, and it's mind boggling how anyone doesn't see it.

[Pete]

2 hours ago, DCOrange said:

The results to this poll are absolutely insane lol

The only insane thing is that it should be 100% against Brady.  We all watch and study the games.  Tell me one good thing Brady has done for the offense.  Run game is Cooks and Kromer- not Brady.  Brady neutered Josh.  Brady had a lousy plan for the Pats.  He made New Orleans D look like the 85 Bears.  We at TBD knew that the Falcons blitz more than any team.  Brady didn’t I guess, it wasn’t in his game plan.  And he made zero adjustments.  Josh took a beating repeatedly, and Brady did nothing.

His play calls are vanilla.  I can predict what play the Bills are running most of the time- so it must be real easy for opposing Ds.   Watch the 49ers or Chiefs, and you will see what a real offensive coordinator can do.

[hondo in seattle]

7 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Indeed the week before Devin Lloyd said he knew the Chiefs counter to a zero blitz so he just had to get in the right vicinity and the ball came right to him. 

 

If you mined defensive pressers after every game it is what they all say. Film study is real. Every team does it. The number of times a year one genuinely surprises another with a gameplan is very rare. Generally NFL football games come down to execution and talent. 

 

You're right, GB, and yet...   Regardless of what separation stats may say, I feel like I see #2's, #3's and even backups getting wide open more often on other teams than our guys.  The problem is bigger than not having a #1.  

 

Let me ask: do you believe our passing game is as good under Brady as it would be under, say, Kyle Shanahan?  I agree that execution (generally a factor of coaching) and talent are critical.  But I'd like Brady to put together a staff that can scheme a passing game as well as Shanahan and his coaches.  And get the execution, too.  

 

And I'd also like Beane to get us more talent - which I agree also holds us back. 

 

As a fan, am I wrong to be greedy and want both?

[GunnerBill]

15 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

 

You're right, GB, and yet...   Regardless of what separation stats may say, I feel like I see #2's, #3's and even backups getting wide open more often on other teams than our guys.  The problem is bigger than not having a #1.  

 

Let me ask: do you believe our passing game is as good under Brady as it would be under, say, Kyle Shanahan?  I agree that execution (generally a factor of coaching) and talent are critical.  But I'd like Brady to put together a staff that can scheme a passing game as well as Shanahan and his coaches.  And get the execution, too.  

 

And I'd also like Beane to get us more talent - which I agree also holds us back. 

 

As a fan, am I wrong to be greedy and want both?

 

No it is not as good as Kyle Shanahan. Or Andy Reid. Or Sean McVay. They are the elite of the elite and not available. 

 

As for other 2s and 3s... easier to get them open when teams are locked onto your #1. Who are teams doubling on the Bills? Nobody. That is the point. If you rank #4 and #5 receivers in the NFL the Bills are maybe closer to middle of the pack. But if you rank #1s.... there is a legitimate case they are 32nd.

 

Teams bracket Shakir in zone in the middle of the field and man up outside on Keon and Palmer and say "go on then, get open" and they can't. 

 

Could one of the elite offensive minds in the league do it? Probably. Brady isn't that, at least yet, he is still a young guy. But he is a pretty good offensive coordinator. He has done a pretty good job here despite Brandon Beane tying his hands. He isn't faultless. Of course not. But the idea that he is realistically upgradeable.... I honestly don't know about that. 

[BVBILLS]

Not sure if the Bills coaching staff follows other teams on offense or defense, but I am jealous.

Edited 10 hours ago by BVBILLS

[Ethan in Cleveland]

On 10/16/2025 at 12:08 PM, TurfToeJam said:

Remember when Brady was named OC and he asked the players which plays worked/ they liked?  I knew at that point we were in trouble and that Brady was inexperienced/ had no specific scheme he uses.

Bill Walsh asked Joe Montana what plays he liked and disliked 

[hondo in seattle]

27 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No it is not as good as Kyle Shanahan. Or Andy Reid. Or Sean McVay. They are the elite of the elite and not available. 

 

As for other 2s and 3s... easier to get them open when teams are locked onto your #1. Who are teams doubling on the Bills? Nobody. That is the point. If you rank #4 and #5 receivers in the NFL the Bills are maybe closer to middle of the pack. But if you rank #1s.... there is a legitimate case they are 32nd.

 

Teams bracket Shakir in zone in the middle of the field and man up outside on Keon and Palmer and say "go on then, get open" and they can't. 

 

Could one of the elite offensive minds in the league do it? Probably. Brady isn't that, at least yet, he is still a young guy. But he is a pretty good offensive coordinator. He has done a pretty good job here despite Brandon Beane tying his hands. He isn't faultless. Of course not. But the idea that he is realistically upgradeable.... I honestly don't know about that. 

 

I don't want to fire Brady.  I want him to get better. 

 

The Bills offensive coaching staff consists of roughly 10 guys.  The roster has 20-some offensive players.  I'd like to see the Bills develop a collective IQ that matches the 49ers, Chiefs, or Rams.  Solicit the players for input (some of them are smart and observant) and collect the best offensive football minds you can find.  

Right now, our passing game specialist is Marc Lubick.  I know little about the guy, but I wonder if we can upgrade him.  Or complement him with another young passing game sensei or maybe an Assistant OC who excels at Xs and Os.  Whatever the case, Brady needs to build a team of smart offensive coaches who collaboratively scheme and problem-solve at such a high level that no opponent can stop our Superman-driven offense.  

 

So, yes, I agree the main problem of our offense is Beane, not Brady, but I still want more from Brady.  The last two weeks of offensive turds isn't all on Brandon.  

 

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  Brady didn't make much lemonade in the Pats and Falcons games.