The Buffalo Bills’ “everybody eats” offense is apparently on a strict diet.

Few areas are devoid of blame in Buffalo’s ugly 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans, with the receiving corps’ production (or lack thereof) certainly playing a role in the outcome of the game in Week 5. Quarterback Josh Allen focused his wide receivers 18 times during the game, with the position group combining for just four receptions for 76 yards.

Keon Coleman led the way statistically, with all 49 yards coming on his touchdown reception in the third quarter. Mack Hollins caught two balls for 27 yards, while Curtis Samuel caught one pass for no gain. Four receptions on 18 targets. Allen certainly had one of the worst statistical performances of his career in terms of losses (he only completed 30% of his passes), and while several of his throws were off target all day, he is entirely to blame for his wide receivers who were out of bounds throughout the day. only catch 22% of their goals during the day?

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While this is theoretically possible, it seems unlikely. Some blame must be placed on the team’s receiving corps, with longtime NFL pundit Greg Rosenthal posting a stat after the game that sums up how unproductive the group was; Allen finished the game just 1 of 15 on passes from more than 10 yards down the field, according to Rosenthal.

“It was almost as if the Texans were daring those receivers to beat them,” Rosenthal wrote.

And they didn’t. Buffalo’s receivers struggled to create any kind of separation on the play, and while Allen has the ability to thread the needle and fit balls into remarkably tight windows, it’s a recipe for him – or any quarterback – ask to do this throughout the game. for a disaster.

The players who make up the receiving corps aren’t entirely to blame here, as you could legitimately look at the players who were targeted on Sunday and simply ask, “Well, what did the Bills expect?” Hollins led his position group on the day with six; he’s a career role player who thrives as a blocker and special teamer, and asking him to play a major role in a passing attack is simply detrimental at this point. Coleman was second in five goals; he’s a rookie who was generally considered raw in the pre-draft process, and it’s just unfair to expect him to be a refined target eater in his fifth career game. Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling had four and three targets, respectively, but these are career-additional options that, again, arguably cannot be relied on for consistent offensive production at this point.

Buffalo opted to take an egalitarian approach to aerial production following the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, creating a theoretically robust group of versatile weapons to which Allen could distribute the ball relatively evenly. Through five games, it is clear that the group does not have the necessary firepower to be consistently competitive.

Additional talent is needed. Reliable third-year contributor Khalil Shakir was sidelined in Week 5 with an ankle injury, and his eventual return will provide a boost; That said, the receiving corps ceiling is relatively low regardless of Shakir’s availability. Allen (and every other quarterback in football) needs receivers who can create separation, and right now the number of wideouts on Buffalo’s roster who can do this consistently is worryingly low; Pass catchers reportedly currently on the market include Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro Davante Adams, Cleveland Browns receiver Amari Cooper and Green Bay Packers running back Romeo Doubs.

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