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Keon Coleman has risen through the ranks

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Keon Coleman has risen through the ranks

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ORCHARD PARK — Keon Coleman didn’t hesitate when asked Tuesday what the most talked-about play was from the Buffalo Bills’ preseason win Saturday night at Pittsburgh.

“Just a fall,” Coleman admitted. “Focus on the fall. You have to watch the ball and make the play.”

Coleman had a chance to catch a touchdown pass late in the first half against the Steelers and he couldn’t capitalize on it. He threw a quick pass from the left side, beat his opponent inside, but a safety came in and Coleman missed his attempt at the goal line and the ball went through his hands.

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There was a lot of banter on social media about the play, much of it absolving Coleman and placing the blame on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky for not throwing a perfect pass.

Sorry, but the failure of that play was almost exclusively Coleman’s fault, and the rookie receiver knew it then, he knew it after watching the film, and he was rightfully responsible for it.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I feel like every ball that comes at me, comes at me, I can catch it, honestly.”

Obviously he’s evolved and taken it as a learning experience, but it still bothers him that he didn’t reach out a little more to catch a pass that every top receiver in the NFL would have caught.

“I think it’s more frustrating when it happens than afterward, because afterward, you’re already feeling it,” he said. “Right afterward, you’re a little bit angry, but you have to take the next action. When you watch the film, everybody in the room knows you have to take that action. So nobody’s going to keep picking on you. People make harmless jokes throughout practice and stuff, but you have to take that action, it’s that simple.”

Keon Coleman Moves Up WR Depth Chart

The former Florida State standout had a solid training camp and has clearly cracked the top three receivers, meaning he’s going to get significant playing time in Joe Brady’s offense.

However, there were times in the two preseason games where Coleman looked like a rookie. Trubisky tried to hit him in the end zone twice in the game against the Bears and on both occasions, Coleman failed to win the recovery and couldn’t separate, although on one of the two passes he did manage to prevent an interception. And then came the drop against the Steelers.

“These are all learning experiences,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “I know Mitch will say he could have given him a better ball and Keon will say he could have caught it. If we can make both of them a little bit better, I think we’ll probably celebrate in the end zone and everybody will stay calm.”

Bills offensive coordinator has confidence in Keon Coleman

Brady, for his part, isn’t worried about Coleman.

“I like where Keon is as a football player right now,” the offensive coordinator said. “You have to understand obviously where the expectations are and everything. I understand where he was drafted and all that, I don’t always focus on just the production in a preseason game versus seeing it every day in practice.”

For example, Brady has been impressed with Coleman’s competitiveness in practice, his command of his assignments, and his adherence to the one thing that is probably the most difficult transition for receivers to make when they go from college football to the NFL: blocking in the run game.

“If you remember Keon when he first came out, he was one of the best blockers in the draft,” Brady said. “I’m not saying you draft a guy to block, but having guys that can do a little bit of everything, where they can make plays as a receiver, they can block, it makes it a little bit harder for a defense to know where guys are and what they’re going to do when they’re in those positions.”

“Physically, he can do everything we’ve asked of him. I have no problem with anything physically. It’s just a matter of him growing and getting experience on how the game is played, how guys are going to defend it, how they’re going to change things up as the season goes on. I’m happy with where Keon is right now.”

Coleman made a splash when he showed up at One Bills Drive the day after being selected with the first pick of the second round. He gave reporters tips on where to buy winter coats and touted Wegmans cookies in the press box, and fans devoured them.

It was fun, but now that the regular season is fast approaching, no one cares about any of that, especially Coleman.

“I don’t really like to talk about the jacket either,” he said. “It’s football season, right? My mindset has been football since my first press conference. You have to see the personality, but I don’t want to focus on the jacket. I think I’m pretty prepared, ready to go out there, game plan and really play, knowing what I have to do, when I have to do it and where I have to be.”

On that point, he’s absolutely right. Now the question is, can Coleman play? Was he worth spending a second-round pick on? Can he help offset the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and keep the Bills’ offense at a level similar to what it’s been at for the past four seasons?

“I think his football IQ, and I’ve talked about it before, the way he sees the field, it’s pretty special for a rookie,” Allen said. “His body control, the way he can go up and jump and catch the ball that you’ve seen throughout camp. So he loves the game, he loves being around his teammates. I’m really excited to see what he can do for this offense.”

Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades, including 35 years as a full-time reporter for the D&C, and has written numerous books on the team’s history. You can contact him at [email protected], and follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

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