The Buffalo Bills walked into Acrisure Stadium in Week 13 and walked out with a convincing 26-7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers-a road victory that keeps their playoff push on track. But while the scoreboard tells one story, the deeper dive into player performance reveals a few wrinkles worth unpacking.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) released its player grades following the game, and while many Bills contributed to the dominant win, not everyone came away with high marks. These grades offer a more nuanced look at individual performances, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Let’s break down the five lowest-graded offensive players for Buffalo in this one, based on a minimum of 10 snaps played.
5. Keon Coleman - 55.8
The rookie wideout continues to find his footing in the offense. Coleman flashed early in the season with his size and contested catch ability, but in this one, he struggled to get separation and didn’t make a significant impact.
His grade reflects a quiet outing, one where he wasn’t a major factor in the passing game. It’s part of the learning curve, and the Bills will hope he grows more consistent as the season winds down.
4. Khalil Shakir - 54.8
Shakir has been a reliable slot option for much of the year, but this game wasn’t his best showing. He had limited production and didn’t quite find the soft spots in Pittsburgh’s zone coverage the way he has in previous weeks.
It wasn’t a disastrous performance, but the tape shows a few missed opportunities-whether it was a route that didn’t create enough space or a block that didn’t quite land.
3. Tyrell Shavers - 54.7
Shavers saw limited action but enough to be evaluated. He’s mostly been a depth piece and special teams contributor, but when called upon offensively in this game, he didn’t do much to move the needle.
The grade reflects a small sample size, but it’s clear he didn’t make a strong case for more snaps moving forward.
2. James Cook - 52.7
This one might surprise some fans. Cook has been a key piece in the Bills’ offense this season, but against the Steelers, he didn’t have his usual burst.
The run game as a whole was a bit inconsistent, and Cook’s vision and decision-making seemed a tick off. He also had a couple of plays where pass protection became an issue-an area he’s still working to improve.
The talent is there, but this wasn’t his cleanest outing.
1. David Edwards - 39.0
The lowest grade on the offense belongs to guard David Edwards, and it wasn’t a pretty day for him in the trenches. Pittsburgh’s defensive front brought pressure, and Edwards had trouble holding up in pass protection.
There were multiple reps where he lost leverage or failed to anchor against the bull rush, leading to disrupted pockets. For a Bills offensive line that’s been mostly solid this year, Edwards’ struggles stood out.
Despite these individual hiccups, the Bills still controlled the game from start to finish, which speaks volumes about the depth and resilience of the roster. Not every player is going to have an A+ performance every week-but in a league where margins are razor-thin, these grades offer valuable insight into where the team can tighten things up heading into the final stretch of the season.
Buffalo got the win, and that’s what matters most. But if they want to keep stacking victories, especially against tougher competition, they’ll need more consistency across the board-particularly from the supporting cast on offense.