Bills’ Keon Coleman speaks on dropped TD vs. Steelers: ‘Got to make that catch’

Orchard Park, N.Y. — The debate among Buffalo Bills fans on social media has raged since Saturday on whether rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman should have caught a would-be touchdown pass from quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

It was a bang-bang play.

Trubisky faked a handoff, immediately flipped his head around, and fired a pass to Coleman, who had gained some separation after a quick slant route. Coleman extended his arms, but the ball tipped off his fingers and fell incomplete.

The safety was looming and setting up to deliver a big hit. Some fans argued that Coleman made a business decision by not extending far enough to make the catch. Others claimed it was out of his reach or he shouldn’t risk a big hit in the preseason. After all, Bills receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling took a monster hit in the same game and suffered a neck injury that has him sidelined.

So, what does Coleman think? He said he should have made the catch.

“Definitely, I feel like any ball come my way, I can catch it, honestly,” he said. “(It was) Just a drop. Focus drop. Got to look the ball in and make the play.”

Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a front-row seat to Coleman’s dropped touchdown because he was on the sidelines. Allen didn’t play against the Steelers and won’t play against the Carolina Panthers this weekend in the preseason finale.

Allen said that Coleman’s drop is a necessary learning experience for the young receiver.

“I know Mitchell said that he could have gave him a better ball, and Keon’s going to say he could have caught that,” Allen said. “So, if we can clean up a little bit of both, I think we’re probably celebrating in the end zone and everyone’s staying calm.”

Injuries have ravaged the Bills’ wide receiver room. Valdes-Scantling is out, and veteran Curtis Samuel is also trying to recover from a turf toe injury. Both have unclear timelines for return, which could mean even more pressure and expectations for Coleman with the regular season opener less than three weeks away.

Coleman said he feels ready for the season, and he’s excited to start the process of game planning for teams when the regular season begins. Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady said Coleman’s biggest challenge is figuring out how defensive backs will play against him.

Coleman hasn’t had many reps against NFL cornerbacks outside battles in Bills practice at this stage. He’s trying to be creative and construct ideas in his mind about how DBs will try to defend him.

“Just imagining how I would stop myself, pretty much, is the same way they are imagining how to stop me when I’m going out there,” Coleman said. “So just continue to be creative, asking for different coverages, leverages in one-on-ones and in practice, and just perfecting it that way.”

Brady said he’s pleased with Coleman’s performance entering the season, whether blocking in the run game or being a factor in the passing game.

“Physically, he can do everything that we asked him for,” he said. “It’s just a matter of him just growing and getting experience of how the game’s being played, how guys are going to defend him, how they’re going to change things as the year goes. And that’s just for every rookie, but something that really just harkened on with him.”

As far as the dropped touchdown goes, Coleman didn’t focus too much on it in the film room the past few days. He was mad on Saturday, though.

“I think it’s more frustrating when it happens than after, because you already done process the feeling,” he said. “Right after, you kind of mad, but you got to get to the next play. And when you watch the film, everybody in the room knows you got to catch that. So nobody’s going to continue to harp on you. People make harmless jokes throughout practice and stuff, but you got to make that catch - simple as that.”

Allen said Coleman’s football I.Q. and catch radius have stood out throughout training camp.

“I think he’s made for a city like Buffalo,” Allen said. “And I think that he’s played a lot of big-time games in college, and he’s answered the bell there. I got no worries about his mindset or his ability to help his team win football games.”