Bills offensive coordinator blames sacks on quarterbacks

Quarterback sacks happen for a lot of reasons. Great defenses make plays, offensive lineman fail to block them, receivers don’t get open and quarterbacks hold on to the ball for to long. A lot of things can happen.

Those things have been happening a lot for the Buffalo Bills, who are ranked 26th in sack allowed with 28.

But for Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, the Bills sack woes fall on the quarterbacks, not the offensive line, according to the Buffalo News:

"Not at all. I’d say about 15 of those sacks are truly on the quarterback.Young quarterbacks need to get the ball out. Young quarterbacks need to throw the ball away. Thad [Lewis] had two where he slid and got minus-1 yard. It’s just him trying to make a play not realizing where he’s at and not throwing it out-of-bounds."

Maybe this has something to do with starting four different quarterbacks this season. Buffalo has played Kevin Kolb , first-round pick EJ Manuel, practice squader Thad Lewis, and undrafted rookie free agent Jeff Tuel at some point during the preseason and regular season. It looks likely that Tuel will stat this week against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs with Lewis out with sore ribs.

“It’s a unique situation, but you have to be ready to go with whoever’s out there,” said Hackett. “That’s my goal. I’ve got to try to call a game to help whoever’s out there.”

That will be a tall order this week against the Chiefs, who are on pace to tie the ’84 Chicago Bears’ single season sack record of 72. Led by Tamba Hali and Justin Houston, the Chiefs’ defense has 36 sacks this season.

“Put seven guys on the line and bring five every play,” Hackett said. “Play man coverage. It’s an attack defense. … They make you mess up.”

I’m sure Hackett is hoping Kansas City doesn’t mess the inexperienced Tuel up to bad. If so, Buffalo will have to play Matt Flynn, which hasn’t worked out to well for anyone in recent years.