Key Offensive Opponents to Watch in Falcons vs Bills

The Atlanta Falcons welcome the Buffalo Bills to Mercedes-Benz Stadium this weekend. Fresh off a bye, Atlanta looks to climb above .500 while notching a statement win against a top team in the NFL.

While 2-2 doesn't seem like a praiseworthy record, the Falcons' progress can be seen when looking deeper, and that progress could translate into stifling the Bills' offense. Let’s take a look at key Bills players on offense to watch during Monday night’s game. 

Josh Allen, Quarterback

From an accuracy standpoint, Allen continues to enjoy the best start of his career, completing 70.4% of his passes. In essence, you can see the offense shift. Allen, still possessing a powerful arm, has receivers who streak by defenders. Instead, the Bills work underneath, trying to dominate the intermediate routes. 

Atlanta shouldn’t attempt to remove the middle because the Bills can sneak a receiver vertically. Allen extends plays to either sideline at about any conceivable distance, and few targets run out of range. 

He’s not afraid to tuck and run either. If the Bills need a first down and the play breaks down, Allen will take it himself downfield. He lacks the speed of Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts. Instead, he runs into space with forward momentum and power. 

Somewhere past the line of scrimmage, Allen will contact the defense, and it's their job to bring him down. Allen runs more like George Kittle. Every time he breaks containment, the Falcons need to punish Allen. Constantly pressuring the Bills quarterback increases the chances of forcing a fumble, as Allen has fumbled 66 times during his career and has two fumbles in the first five games of this season. 

James Cook, Running Back

Cook has started to see his usage increase. He provides the complete backing that the Bills need to compete. As a runner, Cook explodes through the line, quickly accelerating to the second level. 

How the Bills use him in the passing game makes Cook dangerous. Instead of simple dumpoffs, Cook runs a fairly extensive route tree for a back that sees him matched up against linebackers, giving him the distinct advantage. At the same time, a linebacker like Divine Deablo, a converted college safety, can stay with Cook on the perimeter, potentially limiting his effectiveness as a receiver.

Dalton Kincaid, Tight End

With Stefan Diggs and Gabe Davis out of the picture in Buffalo, Allen's favorite target isn't a wide receiver. Kincaid, a tight end, earned Allen's trust to become an integral part of the Bills' offense. Kincaid worked on his drops (six in 2024) and depth out route. 

Last season, Kincaid would gain four yards before the catch. This year, his 8.1 yards before the catch allows Buffalo to stretch the middle of a defense. Safety play for the Falcons will matter as they have seen plenty of chances to make a play.

Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman, Wide Receivers 

The most surehanded of Allen's targets (four career drops, 147 catches), Shakir bided his time while growing into his roles as a slot receiver. While he does possess excellent deep speed, Allen Delpys Shakir is a possession receiver, winning on option routes and the entire route tree. Mike Hughes will have his work cut out for him, but keeping close and not falling prey to Shakir’s quickness will go far.

Coleman, on the other hand, is a different player. His game strictly revolves around power and strength. He will not run by most corners. However, he thrives in hand fighting, jostling with the corner. Moreover, his leaping ability makes him a big play target. A.J. Terrell's length makes him the only Falcons player who can disrupt Coleman. Terrell could look to bait Allen by allowing Coleman to gain separation.

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