Year 1 McDermott regime: Success or Growing pains?

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

Coaching Staff changes Bills history ( change in Wins year 1)

 

Ramsey-Saban +1.5, Saban-Collier -1, Collier-Rauch +2.5, Rauch-Johnson-2.5, Johnson-Saban+3.5, Saban-Ringo+1, Ringo-Knox+2, Knox-Stephenson +0.5, Bullough-Levy +2, Levy-Phillips +4, Phillips-Williams -5, Williams-Mularkey+3, Mularkey-Jauron+2, Jauron-Gailey-2, Gailey-Marrone 0, Marrone-Ryan-1

 

Overall, +10.5 wins in 16 full year changes. 10 times the team has improved by something. I’m not sure how this rates against the NFL in general. The biggest improvement occurred with Saban2 taking over for H.Johnson and improving by 3.5 wins to 5 wins coming off a 1.5 win season with Harvey. The biggest dropoff was from Phillips to G.Williams a whopping 5 win dropoff.

 

What does everyone think about new coaching regimes and whether McDermott can take the team forward in year1 or will it be growing pains. Discuss?

[Drunken Pygmy Goat]

I would put zero stock in how previous Bills coaches did in their first year, or any coach for that matter. There are so many variables, and each instance was different. Chan Gailey inherited crap and won 2 less games than Jauron did the previous year, but a guy like Adam Gase comes in and improves the win/loss record in his first year, but inherited a solid group of talent on both sides of the ball. That's not me comparing Gailey to Gase as coaches, just comparing scenarios.

 

I think there will be some growing pains this year, mainly due to the large amount of new faces on defense, and at WR. Having new coaches will contribute to the growing pains as well, although I like the guys that were brought in. Hard to say how McDermott will do as a first time HC (he seems like he has the right mentality and approach for a HC, but he has no history there), but I think most people will agree that the Bills have a really good staff behind him with lots of experience. Even with early season growing pains, I do think that the first 3 games this season are "winnable". Hopefully those pains will lessen after those games, and the team begins to gel, because it gets pretty tough after the Denver game.

[T-Bomb]

Growing pains but still around 7 wins IMO.