Nearly 60% of Allen's Passes Have Been Short-Yardage Gains

Three games into the 2025 season, and the Buffalo Bills have the No. 1-ranked offense (420 yards per game) and No. 4-ranked scoring offense (34 points per game) in the NFL.

Yet, despite the team’s 3-0 start and its success on that side of the ball, there’s still some unruly Bills fans who aren’t happy with one specific are of the team’s offense.

Buffalo has just one passing play longer than 40 yards this season, and quarterback Josh Allen sits outside the top 10 in yards per pass attempt (7.6).

Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady has emphasized an “everybody eats” mentality with his play-calling, meaning Allen is going to spread the ball around as much as possible, and as he recently told reporters, that sometimes mean taking guaranteed shorter-yardage passes over the temptation of throwing the deep ball.

“I just want to win football games,” Allen said. “People are mad we’re not pushing the ball down field…and it’s just like we’re just trying to win football games, whatever that may be, and sometimes it’s not going to be that easy.

“…It’s not (always) going to be, ‘Hey, we need to check it.’ Sometimes we’re going to have to take some chances down the field, and when those opportunities come up, we’re going to have to make them, but until then we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Though three games, Allen has attempted deep passes (throws that go for 20 or more yards downfield) on just 9% of his drop backs, per Pro Football Focus — a stark contrast from the 43.4% of his throws that are short-yardage (0-9 yards) or the 18.2% that behind the line of scrimmage (screens).

When the Bills throw it deep, Allen has completed 5 of his 9 passes (55 completion percentage) for 130 yards. Conversely, his completion percentage is much higher on throws of 9 yards or less (37 of 43, 86%) and screens (16 of 18, 88.9%).

Nearly 40% of Allen’s 755 passing yards have come on short throws (295 yards) compared to 17% on deep throws (130 yards). Brady’s somewhat conservative play-calling has resulted in 58.8% of Allen’s yards (444) coming on short-yardage passes or screens.