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2020 Buffalo Bills Red Zone Offense - Brian Daboll

In 2020, the Buffalo Bills’ red zone offense, orchestrated by offensive coordinator Brian Daboll under head coach Sean McDermott, was a critical component of their high-powered attack, contributing to a 13-3 record, an AFC East title, and an AFC Championship Game appearance. Daboll’s scheme, rooted in an Erhardt-Perkins system, leveraged quarterback Josh Allen’s development and a talented receiving corps to produce a highly efficient red zone unit. The Bills’ offense ranked second in the NFL in scoring (31.3 points per game) and total yards (396.4 per game), with their red zone performance playing a pivotal role in setting franchise records for points (501) and touchdowns (60).

Daboll’s red zone offense emphasized versatility, using spread formations, pre-snap motion, and a mix of quick passes, play-action, and designed quarterback runs to exploit tight spaces. The Bills frequently deployed 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) on 68.2% of snaps and four-wide sets (10 personnel) on 15%, opening the field for Allen’s reads, per PFF data. Key plays included slants, fades, and option routes to receivers like Stefon Diggs, with tight end Dawson Knox often used as an in-line blocker or red zone target. Allen’s mobility (102 carries, 421 yards, 8 TDs) was a weapon, with six of his 18 red zone rushing attempts in 2020 resulting in touchdowns, per Buffalo Rumblings. Daboll’s play designs, such as four-vertical concepts and run-action passes, created mismatches, as noted by Sports Illustrated. The Bills converted 61.7% of red zone trips into touchdowns (37 of 60), ranking 12th in the NFL, a solid mark given their 76% pass-heavy approach.

Josh Allen was the linchpin, throwing for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, with a 69.2% completion rate, setting Bills’ single-season records. In the red zone, Allen threw 25 touchdown passes, leveraging his 6’5” frame and arm strength for fade routes and back-shoulder throws, particularly to Diggs (127 catches, 1,535 yards, 8 TDs), who caught 5 red zone scores. Cole Beasley (82 catches, 967 yards, 4 TDs) was a slot weapon, scoring 3 red zone touchdowns, while rookie Gabriel Davis (35 catches, 599 yards, 7 TDs) added 4. Knox contributed 3 red zone touchdowns, often on play-action. Running backs Devin Singletary (687 yards, 2 TDs) and Zack Moss (481 yards, 4 TDs) were less impactful in the red zone, with Moss scoring 3 times. The offensive line, bolstered by Dion Dawkins and Mitch Morse, allowed just 27 sacks, giving Allen time to execute in condensed spaces.
Standout red zone performances included a 44-34 Week 9 win over the Seattle Seahawks, where Allen threw for 415 yards, 3 touchdowns (2 in the red zone), and added a rushing score. The Wild Card playoff rout of the New England Patriots (47-17) saw the Bills score touchdowns on all seven red zone trips, a historic feat, with Allen throwing 5 red zone touchdown passes, including two to Davis, per ESPN. However, red zone struggles surfaced in a 38-24 AFC Championship loss to Kansas City, where the Bills settled for field goals on two of four red zone trips.

The Bills’ red zone offense faced challenges due to its pass-heavy nature, which sometimes led to predictability. Buffalo ranked 20th in rushing yards (1,723), and their running backs averaged just 74.4 yards per game, limiting ground-based red zone threats, per NFL.com. Allen’s 18 red zone rushing attempts were effective but fewer than ideal, as defenses dropped more defenders into coverage, reducing his scrambling lanes compared to later seasons. Daboll’s aggressive play-calling, like a failed flea-flicker in a 23-16 Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh, occasionally misfired in critical red zone situations, as noted by Sports Illustrated. Despite these issues, the offense’s 61.7% red zone touchdown rate was a significant improvement from 2019’s 55.6% (22nd).

The 2020 red zone offense under Daboll was a cornerstone of Buffalo’s breakout season, with Allen’s leap to MVP contention and Daboll’s AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award reflecting their synergy. The unit’s success, driven by Allen’s accuracy and Daboll’s creative designs, like a Cole Beasley-to-Gabriel Davis trick play touchdown against the Chargers, set a new standard for Bills’ offenses. The season’s 501 points shattered the franchise record, and the red zone efficiency laid the groundwork for Buffalo’s continued offensive prowess, though Daboll noted it remained “a work in progress.” For Buffalo, 2020 marked the emergence of a modern, pass-driven identity, with the red zone offense proving the Bills could compete with the NFL’s elite.

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