Jump to content

8 players explain how the Bills culture has evolved during the Sean McDermott era


WhoTom

Recommended Posts

This is why the Browns are going to have problems... they cater to egos, to individuals and the GM wants the personalities. They will keep getting the hype, unlike the Bills, who will be relegated to the bottom of division predictions.

 

I'm REALLY, REALLY looking forward to Bills/Browns. Everyone will get to see the difference!

  • Awesome! (+1) 1
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Limeaid said:

What do you think the biggest criticism was?

 

Oh I know! Why when you were in charge did you not draft Patrick Mahomes for all of us had him for Bills in mock draft?  It was the obvious choice!

 

That was Josh Allen's review.

  • Haha (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

This is why the Browns are going to have problems... they cater to egos, to individuals and the GM wants the personalities. They will keep getting the hype, unlike the Bills, who will be relegated to the bottom of division predictions.

 

I'm REALLY, REALLY looking forward to Bills/Browns. Everyone will get to see the difference!

 

The late 80s/early 90s Bills managed pretty well with several egos.  

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was a good read. Almost like a design for living that McDermott believes in and is trying to instill. Giving your own life and team work the urgency that it deserves...sharing a common goal of winning in the present and the future. I get it...but it takes time.

Edited by Rocket94
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

This is why the Browns are going to have problems... they cater to egos, to individuals and the GM wants the personalities. They will keep getting the hype, unlike the Bills, who will be relegated to the bottom of division predictions.

 

I'm REALLY, REALLY looking forward to Bills/Browns. Everyone will get to see the difference!

Same here man! Very well said. 

Beane and McD SHARE the same vision for success. They followed a very specific blueprint while building this roster after gutting it 3 years ago. 

They've carefully chosen FA and draft picks , placing a huge emphasis on character and leadership and not just talent alone.

They also are damn good at what they do , I said it from day 1 and many times after , we struck gold landing both these guys.

This roster is deep , talented and very very well coached. 

McD and Beane have built a team , I feel the Browns are just a collection of talent and like you said , I also feel people will see the difference when we go to Cleveland!

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, BillsVet said:

 

The late 80s/early 90s Bills managed pretty well with several egos.  

True but their core players were together for 3-4 years before they got really good and developed that chemistry. 

 

I think there's way more examples of teams with big egos and troubled players crashing and burning than succeeding. Great coaching and leadership is crucial for them , going to be a tough job for a Rookie HC.

 

They look good on paper but very top heavy imo , not much depth either. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting read. The 'culture' side of things was especially so, in that all of the guys basically said that now the moment someone comes in, they see how hard they are expected to work, and pretty much just have to do it.

 

It certainly appears that within the 'process' there's room for personalities, just not divas - you only have to watch White to see the truth in that. ;)

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

True but their core players were together for 3-4 years before they got really good and developed that chemistry. 

 

I think there's way more examples of teams with big egos and troubled players crashing and burning than succeeding. Great coaching and leadership is crucial for them , going to be a tough job for a Rookie HC.

 

They look good on paper but very top heavy imo , not much depth either. 

 

 

 

This looks like an accurate statement to me. Analyzing - in chronological order - the 11 starters on offense and 11 starters on defense:

 

Bill Polian arrived in Buffalo on August 1984, inheriting Jim Ritcher and Darryl Talley.

In 1985, he played a key role in adding Bruce Smith and Andre Reed.

Then in 1986, he hired Marv Levy and added Jim Kelly, Kent Hull, Will Wolford, and Mark Kelso.

In 1987, he added Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan, Nate Odomes, and Keith McKeller.

In 1988, he added Thurman Thomas, Howard Ballard, Jeff Wright, and Carlton Bailey.

In 1989, he added James Lofton, Don Beebe, and John Davis.

In 1990, he added James Williams.

In 1991, he added Phil Hansen and Henry Jones.

 

So what you can clearly see here is that there was a definite core of 16 players in place by 1988, including 4 Hall of Famers and 3 more on the Wall of Fame (plus Tasker). I think 1988 was the point at which the roster simply reached a critical mass in talent. Egos set the team back in 1989, but these locker room issues were resolved by 1990.

 

By the way: notice the remarkably high level of continuity on the 1990-1993 Super Bowl rosters. Of these 22 starters, only 6 missed a single season during the Super Bowl run (Jones and Hansen in 1990, Wolford and Lofton and Bailey and Conlan in 1993). Polian was eventually fired in February 1993, the modern form of free agency began in March 1993, and the salary cap began in 1994. These three factors, along with the natural aging process on the team's core plus the wear and tear from a more physical style of NFL back then, quickly led to the destruction of our beloved team dynasty. But I digress...

 

My point (if I even have one) is that chemistry and talent both matter. But in the case of the Super Bowl Bills, the chemistry took longer to build than the talent. In the case of the McBeane Bills, possibly the opposite is happening? The chemistry is coming together fairly quickly, as this article suggests, and pretty much began to take hold as soon as McDermott became head coach. The talent accumulation is coming along slower, but not at all in any abnormal way (see: Buffalo Sabres). I think next season will be our "1988 season" where the talent reaches a critical mass and we become a serious Super Bowl contender. 2020 will be Allen's 3rd season as starting QB, and Beane will have the free agency money and the draft picks to find an elite WR and an elite DE.

  • Like (+1) 1
  • Awesome! (+1) 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

This is why the Browns are going to have problems... they cater to egos, to individuals and the GM wants the personalities. They will keep getting the hype, unlike the Bills, who will be relegated to the bottom of division predictions.

 

I'm REALLY, REALLY looking forward to Bills/Browns. Everyone will get to see the difference!

 

Couldn't agree more Eastern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

This is something that real leaders do. 

 

 

 

 

...great point Yolo ....leader has to make sure within the culture he/she maintains an "open door policy" welcoming constructive criticism....I don't want my culture to be intimidated from offering constructive criticism by telling me "everything is great" when it is NOT...I also get the sense that the Buffalo Bills are all about "WE" and never "ME".....good show McDermott...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

This is something that real leaders do. 

 

 

Yes!  I was so pleased to read that comment.  McD is driven to get better himself in every aspect of the job, which means opening himself up to criticism.  This is such a solid foundation they are building...god I hope the players have the combination of talent and drive to get it done.  If they get on a roll, watch out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMHO, great leadership begins with humility. It takes a humble person to openly ask for constructive criticism and genuinely intend to use that criticism to improve and then be accountable for how that insight was used to get better. If all of this is accurate and sincere, McD and his coaches will continue to show why he was deemed one of the top up-and-coming coaches by the committee who researches these things for the NFL owners. Proof is in the pudding....but I think over the next two years, this pudding is going to taste fantastic.

 

As long Cosby isn't anywhere near Camp.

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...