Josh Allen and DJ Moore show signs of bringing back big-play dimension to Bills offense

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After months of seeking to develop an on-field connection with receiver DJ Moore during the Buffalo Bills spring practices, Josh Allen concluded he might be the one holding up the process.

Too often, Allen realized he was doing too much in attempting to impress the newly acquired veteran by aiming or even forcing the ball Moore’s way. So on the first day of training camp , Allen informed Moore about trying a different approach.

“I felt myself trying to be perfect when I’m throwing to him,” Allen said.

“So I walked to him and said, ‘I’m just going to throw it. I’m just going to pick a spot and let it go. I’m not going to aim it anymore,'” he added. “And I feel once I said that, things kind of clicked for us.”

The revelation and the duo’s newfound rapport was no more evident than during a team drill on the fifth day of camp.

With time in the pocket, Allen glanced to his left in seeing Moore running at full speed and gaining a sliver of separation against three of Buffalo’s best defenders. Without hesitation, Allen heaved a spiral which Moore brought in over his shoulder with two out-stretched hands, and without breaking stride before tumbling to the turf for a would-be 60-yard touchdown.

Allen called it “one of the better or more impressive catches and throws that I’ve made.” His only regret was that it didn’t happen during an actual game.

Moore chalked it up to reflecting a new level of trust with Allen.

“My confidence is high, regardless,” Moore said. “Now, I just know he’s going to let it rip and I just got to be there at a certain spot.”

With one crowd-buzzing moment, the play represented why the Bills acquired Moore in trading a second-round pick to Chicago in March. And it also signaled what may well be the return of the big-play dimension Buffalo’s offense has lacked in the two seasons since Stefon Diggs’ departure.

However much the Bills bought into the so-called “everybody eats” spread-the-ball approach to the passing game minus Diggs, Moore’s addition places him at the head of the table.

First-year head coach Joe Brady avoided the suggestion of Moore representing a philosophical departure from the group of receivers he oversaw over the past two seasons as Buffalo's coordinator.

And yet, Brady acknowledged Moore bringing a new dimension to the offense.

“There’s a reason we wanted him,” Brady said in detailing Moore's speed, route-running technique and leadership. “Look, it’s training camp, right? We haven’t played a damn game yet. But you can feel him out there on the football field.”

Though older by NFL receiver standards, the 29-year-old Moore has an accomplished resume entering his ninth season. He’s topped 1,100 yards receiving four times, including a career-best 1,364 yards and eight TDs in 2023, Moore’s first season in Chicago.

Though his numbers have dipped over the past two years in combining for 1,648 yards, he still accounted for 148 catches and 12 touchdowns. He became expendable in Chicago in part because of the Bears changing coaches last year, while also placing an emphasis on developing their younger receivers.

Moore spent his first five seasons in Carolina, and is reunited with Brady, who was the Panthers offensive coordinator from 2020-21.

“Being here in Buffalo is definitely a new start,” Moore said. “I don’t really worry about expectations. I just go out there and be me each and every day and try to get better and better.”

Age doesn’t appear to have slowed Moore, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard noticed.

“He’s bigger than you think he is. He’s stronger. He’s more explosive than you think,” Leonhard said. “You see it live and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s why he’s so hard to tackle,’ or, ’That’s why he’s always creating separation.'”

A lack of separation and having a bona fide deep threat led to a sag in Buffalo passing attack. Though productive, the Bills leaned more on completing short passes and relying on receivers to break tackles.

From 2020 to 2023, the Bills ranked no worse than seventh in the NFL with an average completion of 6.5 yards or longer beyond the line of scrimmage. Over the past three years, the Bills have ranked in the bottom half of the league with a sub-6-yard average.

Allen’s numbers dropped, too. After averaging 4,385 yards passing from 2020-’24, he’s down to 3,700 over the past two years.

It’s no wonder why Allen placed an emphasis on trying to impress Moore from the beginning, and realizing he doesn’t have to be perfect with each attempt.

How imperfect, Allen was asked on Thursday.

“Pretty imperfect,” he answered. “(Moore) can erase a lot of mistakes.”

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