A look at Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills vs. Falcons ahead of Monday

FLOWERY BRANCH — The Buffalo Bills, with the reigning MVP in quarterback Josh Allen, will arrive in town in a bad mood.

When the Bills (4-1) face the Falcons (2-2) at 7:15 p.m. Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, they will be trying to rebound from an 23-20 loss to the Patriots on Sunday night.

The Bills, who reached the AFC title game last season and have been to the playoffs in each of the past six seasons, played an uncharacteristically sloppy game that featured three turnovers, shoddy tackling and 11 penalties.

“Back to basics,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said to media members in Buffalo on Monday.

Allen has been doing most of the heavy lifting for the Bills’ offense. He led them in rushing against the Patriots, with 53 yards on nine carries. Running back James Cook, a former Georgia standout, was held to 49 yards on 15 carries.

Cook has rushed 90 times for 450 yards and five touchdowns. Allen has rushed 40 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns.

Against the Patriots, Allen ran more as his receivers struggled to get separation in the passing game. Wide receiver Keon Coleman was benched for the start of the game for disciplinary reasons, McDermott said.

Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are the Bills’ top four receivers.

Coleman, 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, was drafted in the second round (33rd overall) in the 2024 NFL draft. He played at Michigan State and Florida State.

“Just being where he supposed to be,” Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady said of what’s expected of Coleman. “When he’s there, doing his job …. just being accountable to the 10 other guys in the huddle with him.”

The Bills are hoping that Coleman will respond to the discipline.

“You see the growth,” Brady said. “You see the plays that he has out there. That just needs to be at a consistent level. We had some opportunities in one-on-one coverages, and those are opportunities that Keon would be the first to say he’s got to make.”

With the receivers struggling, Allen has turned to tight end Dalton Kincaid, who had eight catches for a career-high 108 yards against the Patriots. Kincaid has 20 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bills’ streak of four consecutive regular-season games of 30-plus points also ended against the Patriots.

The Bills’ defense has suffered some key injuries.

McDermott is hopeful that defensive tackles Ed Oliver (ankle) and T.J. Sanders (knee) can return and play against the Falcons. Linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral) is considered week to week. Shaq Thompson came on and played well for Milano against the Patriots.

The Bills secondary had trouble covering New England wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who got loose for 10 catches and 146 yards.

Safeties Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop man the back end of the defense. Bishop, who played at Starr’s Mill High and Utah, had a big missed tackle that led to a 30-yard gain by Diggs.

“He’s playing a lot faster,” Buffalo defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said of Bishop. “I think we are just going to continue to see him go (upward). There are plays that he wants back, that everybody wants back. But once you minimize those, which he’s doing, that’s when you really start to see that exponential growth.”

Bishop was drafted in the second round (60th overall) of the 2024 draft. He started four games as a rookie last season. He’s started all five games this season.

“For him, it’s to continue to grow comfortable in not only what we are doing but understanding what’s the offense is trying to present,” Babich said. “That’s part of becoming a pro.”

This will be the 14th meeting between the Falcons and the Bills. The Falcons lead the series 7-6. The Bills won the last meeting 29-15 on Jan. 2, 2022. The Falcons led 15-14 at halftime, but got steamrolled in the second half.

The Bills are preparing for Falcons running back Bijan Robinson.

“He can do it all,” Babich said. “He can tote the rock. He can play in the pass game. Just watched a clip, an extremely good slasher, cutter. He’ll certainly be a challenge.”

Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is left-handed. “Just a few things, but nothing crazy,” Babich said about preparing for a lefty. “Just a couple of fundamental things. We see a left-handed quarterback twice a year in this division, so our guys are used to it.”

The Bills are in the AFC East with Miami and its lefty quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

In addition to the turnovers and sloppy tackling, the Bills have committed 11 penalties in each of their past two games. They loss 55 yards in their win over the Saints and lost 90 yards against the Patriots.

“It’s a good reminder for us,” McDermott said.

He wants the Bills to return to making sound decisions and taking better care of the football.