Coleman’s recent emergence gives Bills fans a glimpse of a new star at being born at WR
In the Buffalo Bills’ impressive 31-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8, rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman put on a show, showcasing his rapidly growing role in Buffalo’s offense. After a few weeks of adjusting to the NFL, Coleman now looks like a polished weapon for quarterback Josh Allen, and his skill set appears primed to open up the offense in big ways moving forward.
If his current trajectory holds, Coleman could be a game-changer for the Bills offense and a go-to option for Allen. Looking back at last Sunday’s tape gives us a glimpse of what the future may hold in spades with Coleman. Let’s take a look.
Keon Coleman’s performance vs. the Seattle Seahawks
Against Seattle, Coleman tallied five receptions on seven targets — racking up 70 yards and a touchdown. That made for an impressive two-week stretch for the rookie. Over his last two games, Coleman’s gathered 195 receiving yards on 14 targets with a league-high 103 yards after the catch (YAC) — which ranks fifth in the NFL in YAC over this span. Additionally, his 3.42 yards per route run ranks fifth in the NFL, which is a testament to Coleman’s play-making potential every time he touches the ball.
Adding to his impact as a receiver, Coleman’s work goes beyond catching passes; his run-blocking prowess was on full display in Week 8. Earning an incredible 90.8 Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade against the Seahawks, Coleman demonstrated that he’s a complete player willing to get involved in every facet of the game. Check out these clips of him making people look silly in the run game.
A Coleman pancake
Coleman blocks to the bench
Coleman vs. Tariq Woolen: Holding his own vs an elite CB
Matching up against Seattle’s top cornerback Tariq Woolen was no easy task, as Woolen is known for his size, speed, and sticky coverage. But Coleman rose to the challenge, highlighting his day with an amazing contested catch for a touchdown over Woolen.
Though not all of his targets were against Woolen, Coleman still managed to average 2.5 yards of separation, which is a solid number when facing a corner of his caliber a majority of the time. The Bills didn’t shy away from keeping Coleman on the outside for this matchup either — 22 of his routes ran were from the outside, and only four routes were run from the slot.
Coleman showed his versatility by running routes from each spot, something that will prove valuable as he grows within Buffalo’s offensive scheme. Here are some matchups between the two during the game:
Fade attempt 1 (unsuccessful)
Coleman almost pulled off a ridiculous catch on the first try, but Woolen did a fantastic job of raking his hands through the ball to break up the play. Woolen proceeded to trash talk Coleman after the play.
Fade attempt 2 (Successful)
Coleman somehow ends up coming down with this ball even with Woolen’s arm in the middle of it all. Amazing catch. My favorite part? Coleman didn’t need to talk trash back, instead just giving Woolen a little head tap. This Coleman is what Bills fans pictured when he was drafted.
Missed opportunity
Coleman put his hand up, signaling another end zone fade ball, but he didn’t get it because Allen was flushed out of the pocket. However, Coleman worked hard to move back towards Allen and ended up wide open for a TD, Allen just chose to throw the ball elsewhere.
Getting open
Coleman used a quick hesitation to freeze Woolen and then burst past him for some separation down the sideline. Coleman never saw the ball on this play, but after the play, Woolen was frustrated with Coleman and gave him a nice shove. Win for Coleman.
Another win for Coleman
Coleman beat Woolen vertically again, which is surprising given that Woolen is super fast (4.26-second 40-yard dash). Coleman got so much separation that Woolen was worried about giving up a TD and ended up holding Coleman back and settling for a flag instead of a long TD.
Additional film analysis of Keon Coleman
Play 1
Nothing special here, just super efficient. Coleman found the soft spot in the zone and sat down to give Allen a big, reliable target. Simple but super effective.
Play 2
Coleman’s play strength and big body were on display here as he bullied his way through a couple of defenders to streak open down the field. Notice how Coleman slowed his stride down before getting to the side line to give Allen room to throw. That’s solid awareness for the rookie.
Play 3
Coleman should have caught this ball. Granted, it wasn’t the easiest of catches, but if Allen trusts you enough to dial up this laser beam in the Cover 2 hole down the sideline, you need to make this catch — plain and simple. FYI Allen has a cannon for an arm. This was an absolutely ridiculous throw.
Play 4
I think this offensive pass interference call was weak, but it doesn’t matter because they called it. Coleman just has to realize that an extended arm on his part is likely to draw a flag. This type of route is encouraging to see from Coleman because he gets solid separation.
Play 5
A quick screen on the outside resulted in 15 yards. I’ll take that all day. Coleman showed off his run-after-the-catch ability picking up some good yardage as he weaved through defenders and solid blocking.
Play 6
This was a trust ball from Allen— a tight window with defenders closing in down the seam and Coleman made the catch even though he was upended. It’s encouraging to see Allen trust Coleman with these types of throws, it just goes to show you that these two are starting to get on the same page.
Statistical context: Coleman’s numbers among the NFL’s best
Coleman’s consistency isn’t just limited to this week; he’s already placing high in key NFL metrics. Currently, he ranks sixth in the league in YAC Over Expected (YACOE) with a plus-85 mark, proving his ability to create extra yards after the catch. He’s also 12th in the league in receiving EPA at plus-24.2, and ranks 19th in catch rate over expected (CROE) at plus-9.3%. In deep target opportunities (plus-20 yards), Coleman is converting at a rate of 23.5%, ranking 11th in the NFL.
For a rookie, these numbers are eye-popping. Coleman’s advanced metrics illustrate his knack for turning short throws into big gains and his effectiveness on deep balls, adding a new layer of explosiveness to Buffalo’s passing game.
Looking Ahead: Coleman and Allen’s Potential
Josh Allen and Keon Coleman’s chemistry is only growing with each game, and the potential ceiling of this duo seems sky high. Allen, who thrives with receivers capable of creating yards after the catch and stretching the field, now has in Coleman a weapon that complements his skill set perfectly.
With a plus-.71 EPA per target (ranking fourth in the NFL), Coleman has proven to be one of the most efficient receivers in the league, alongside Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir who is second in the NFL in the same metric with plus-.87 EPA per target. How about that Bills fans? Two of the top-five wide receivers in EPA per target are catching passes from Josh Allen, awesome!
If Coleman’s development continues at this rate, Allen may have found a young, dynamic partner to form a tandem that could be among the league’s most formidable.
In summary
Week 8 was just the beginning of what could be a breakout season for Keon Coleman, who’s proving that he belongs at the top of the Bills’ receiving corps. His stats reflect a player who’s already making a significant impact in his rookie year, and his smooth connection with Josh Allen hints at even bigger things to come.
As Coleman continues to find his footing in Buffalo’s offense, he should evolve into a premier option for Allen, giving the Bills another dimension in their pursuit of a Super Bowl title. The future looks bright for Keon Coleman — and if his recent performances are any indication, Bills fans are witnessing the start of something special.