It had to be a bit weird for Joe Brady.
The Bills’ offensive coordinator was the subject of great interest a week earlier after Buffalo had hung on to beat the Cardinals at Highmark Stadium, 34-28 with quarterback Josh Allen having accounted for all four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing).
However, Thursday night, though coach Sean McDermott’s team had put up an impressive 31-10 win over the Dolphins at Hardrock Stadium, the victory really belonged to the defense with three interceptions, one a pick six.
For its part, Brady’s offense got a couple of touchdown runs from tailback James Cook (one a 49-yarder) and a short touchdown pass from Allen to Kahlil Shakir.
But this game was supposed to require an offensive explosion for victory, instead the Bills put up a mere 247 yards of offense — Allen throwing for a mere 139 yards — while losing time of possession by 12½ minutes.
IT WAS REALLY complimentary football (Thursday night), especially in the second half,” Brady said in his weekly meeting with the media. “We really didn’t have to throw the football at all. When we get some points on defense they’re helping us a lot.”
He continued, “The biggest thing is, throughout the season, just finding different ways to win … being able to win up front rushing the football. There’s gonna come a time and place when we’re gonna have to throw the ball 50 times. It’s about us just being willing to be able to adjust to how the game’s being played and being able to dictate the terms and know that.
“We can win any way that we need to … watching a guy like Josh, just loving life, no matter whether he’s throwing it 10 times (or) he’s throwing it 50 times. Just how he was out there having a lot of fun, taking what the defense was giving them and leading. Not (him) having to do everything was a lot of fun to see.”
As for Allen’s maturation, Brady added, “I’ve been pleased with his decisions … with his footwork … with his understanding of the scheme and what we’re trying to get done with it. He’s doing a really good job … playing confident. And anytime that (occurs) good things are gonna happen.
“Fortunately we didn’t didn’t have to do much in the second half (against Miami) with what our defense was able to do and the lead we were able to get. We didn’t ask him to do much in that situation, but from a decision standpoint I like where he’s been at so far.”
AS FOR the play of Cook, who finished fourth in NFL rushing last season and sixth in scrimmage yards, Brady was impressed.
“(Cook) is really confident,” he said. “He understands the (game). It was really important to see him continue to evolve last year and understand blocking schemes, how linemen are gonna approach blocks, how we can set it up just doing what he’s kind of been able to do his whole life. Just get the ball in his hands and get things happening … being that veteran presence now … understanding what we’re trying to get and how or why, we’re trying to run this play, how we’re trying to attack it.”
Brady added, “His patience, his understanding … he’s playing confidently and whenever guys are playing confidently, good things are going to happen. We have all the confidence and faith in Jimbo in any role, and (Thursday night) he had those opportunities and made the most of them.”
As for the oddity of Thursday’s result, he noted, “Most games — I know (Thursday) night might not have played that way — but most are one-score games, and a lot of that comes down to scoring touchdowns in the red zone as opposed to field goals. You go back to Week 1, we had a touchdown taken away for a field goal and that stuff can’t happen. Anytime that we get in there, it’s so important to score touchdowns. It helps make the opposing team one dimensional and makes them have to chase points.
“Sometimes you kick a field goal and the defense comes off the field feeling good. No matter, you could have had a 98-yard drive, but you kick a field goal, and they’re like, ‘Hey, good job.’ So when you find a way to get seven as opposed to three you’re feeling a lot better, and it’s making life a lot easier for our defense.”