"A Coaching Clinic in Bizarro World" - Coaching Extends Drought

[colin]

Really good article.

 

Our offensive coaching is terrible, dunno how much is mcd and how much is dabol, but a change is needed.

[Phil The Thrill]

6 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

This article got referenced in the "Allen tried to do too much" thread, but I thought it was very on-point and deserved more looks.

I think it's, unfortunately, quite on-point.  Discuss!

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-playoffs-2020-bills-sean-mcdermott-coach-bad-calls/1hmflvozh6wsi1vbwi4iax3o7v

 

This is all fair.  It was not McDermott’s best game, but a lot of his decisions were predicated on the fact that Josh Allen played so poorly in the second half.  Again, I hate to harp this but the team needs better QB play and when you’re QB isn’t making the throws he needs to against a poor defense, it limits  what you can do in a game.

 

Again, I don’t know how anyone who wants to blame McDermott or Daboll, can’t factor in the play of their QB...it was below average 

31 minutes ago, Mshaw said:

That playoff game showed McD won't do anything here other than sneak into the playoffs a few times

 

the only reason we were in the game was bc Bill obrien is almost as bad as he is. 

Not true.  He doesn’t have a QB that can win games for him

[NoSaint]

5 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

God man!

 

Just reflecting back on that sequence at the end of the 1st half irritates the heck outta me!!!

 

Ball just outside of the red zone at the 23 with 30 seconds left in the half with the clock stopped after driving pretty much the entire length of the field and you hand it to Gore up the middle??? Seriously?!?!?! And then Allen is forced to waste another play by spiking it?

 

15 seconds and 2 plays wasted in a 30 second range where we had plenty of time to potentially score a TD.

how they didn’t have two plays in to Allen there is beyond comprehension 

[Phil The Thrill]

1 minute ago, NoSaint said:

how they didn’t have two plays in to Allen there is beyond comprehension 

I guess but at the same time, didn’t they take a shot in the endzone and Duke dropped the football?  It was a perfect pass.  That easily could have been a TD and this point is moot.  Again game management, but also execution 

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

how they didn’t have two plays in to Allen there is beyond comprehension 

 

Well the Gore play was checked in to by Allen. So who knows what they had actually called. 

Just now, Phil The Thrill said:

I guess but at the same time, didn’t they take a shot in the endzone and Duke dropped the football?  It was a perfect pass.  That easily could have been a TD and this point is moot.  Again game management, but also execution 

 

Yep. 

[Phil The Thrill]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Well the Gore play was checked in to by Allen. So who knows what they had actually called. 

 

Yep. 

Kind of unfair to blame McDermott there.  It would have worked out if the players executed

[NoSaint]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

Well the Gore play was checked in to by Allen. So who knows what they had actually called. 

I know Allen was walking out like ain’t no thing after the run. It’s possible they gave him a “rush to the line and do this” instruction before the snap and he ignored it though. 
 

regardless, that sequence lands on him too for sure and is one of my knocks in his first half. A strong coach/qb VERY rarely see that sequence unfold like that and it’s not been rare that they flub it when the clocks ticking down 

3 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

I guess but at the same time, didn’t they take a shot in the endzone and Duke dropped the football?  It was a perfect pass.  That easily could have been a TD and this point is moot.  Again game management, but also execution 

It’s still a tough play to a guy you’ve kept inactive all year. With a timeout in your pocket there are plenty of ways that last 30 seconds okay out and that includes a solid 2 additional shots, and having the rest of the field available for plays instead of a spike and fast dart to duke

[wvbillsfan]

A 3-yard pass from quarterback Josh Allen to wideout Duke Williams on third-and-2 had set up the Bills with a first down, and they followed that by spending their second timeout. And then, having all that time to consider their options, they handed off to Frank Gore on first down.
 

That run by Gore is on Josh. He’s gotta know he can’t “kill” the original call which I assume was a pass. It had to be an audible Lee Smith walked from his tight end spot all the way down to the qb to get the changed call

Edited January 5, 2020 by wvbillsfan

[peterpan]

Allen need stop grow a sack, and the next time some ###### calls a 4th and 27 play, Allen needs to take the shot gun snap and punt the damn thing himself. 

[Teddy KGB]

Put me in the hope Daboll is gone camp.  

[Chaos]

5 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

This ***** been going on all year and I've been roasted for calling it out.... what's so surprising? 

That sequence and running the OT offense like it was a 2 minute drill were coaching malpractice. Someone should sue. 

[stosh64]

1 hour ago, Codyny13 said:

Everyone blaming coaches when our QB LOOKED LIKE HE HAD A STROKE OUT THERE. Major Allen supporter he’s my guy going forward, but he crashed and burned at the end of that game. He has to get better.

I said the same thing to my wife during I think the 3rd Q, "it looks like Josh had a stroke".  I can't remember at what point it was but it was like someone flipped a switch and "it" just didn't make sense for him anymore.  Was very weird to watch.

 

This is from one of the biggest Josh Allen homers there is. 

 

Someone else mentioned up thread about hoping McBeane has some 3rd party guru come in and blatantly tell EVERYONE what they see.

I was always of the opinion that we were at least a year away yet, but after watching that mess I am having a hard time keeping such a bright outlook.

I hope they prove me wrong early next year.  

Tough day to be a Bills fan, but we are used to that...

[Trogdor]

6 hours ago, Big Blitz said:

I'm just going to say this.  Yes the coaches had their worst game of the season.  Maybe the McD era. 

 

But what I think happened was they mistakenly stuck to a formula that worked all season.  I can't blame them....but in this case I just have to 

 

"Oh we're up 16 with 17 minutes left?  Our D has this." Why would they feel like it was in the bag?  Because we dominated the first half.  False, horribly false sense of security.  

 

They underestimated Watson, the best QB we've played all year and what they do in the 2nd half and I think a lot of fans are missing that tonight.  He is so friggin good.   A great QB made 2 guys miss on that (2nd) dagger play.  The first being the 3rd and 18.  That play is on the coaches.  

 

Watson is just special.  A great QB made great plays.  He only attempted 25 passes.  They scored TDs.  We didn't.

 

Total total team loss.  

There have been many games like this since he's been here. It doesn't matter who the OC is, even the defense goes into a soft zone when we have the lead. His management of timeouts, substitutions, game day roster, challenges, and his overall 1980s philosophy are just not working. This was the easiest schedule they have had in as long as I can remember and the best shot at the division in years. Now was the time to win and anything can happen next year. 

[Chandler#81]

From my perspective, during his post game presser, McDermott knew and was remorseful about the ridiculous 4th & 27 among other blunders he was individually responsible for. If he believes what he constantly preaches -and I think he does, then he’s never had a more specific ‘learning experience’ for himself than his decisions in this game. 

I, for one anyway, believe he’ll learn and change from this.

[Codyny13]

9 minutes ago, stosh64 said:

I said the same thing to my wife during I think the 3rd Q, "it looks like Josh had a stroke".  I can't remember at what point it was but it was like someone flipped a switch and "it" just didn't make sense for him anymore.  Was very weird to watch.

 

This is from one of the biggest Josh Allen homers there is. 

 

Someone else mentioned up thread about hoping McBeane has some 3rd party guru come in and blatantly tell EVERYONE what they see.

I was always of the opinion that we were at least a year away yet, but after watching that mess I am having a hard time keeping such a bright outlook.

I hope they prove me wrong early next year.  

Tough day to be a Bills fan, but we are used to that...

Today sucks, but it’s already better than last night. I  totally agree, something seemed to go haywire. That being said, I’m not one to overreact, I don’t want coaching changes, or a mad mashup of players. We have a lot of youngsters at key positions, there’s no doubt in my mind that Allen, Edmunds, Ford, Dawkins, Knox, Singletary, etc will grow and be better next year. We need some new pieces for sure, cb, outside backer, wr, and running back, maybe a guard or tackle depending what happens with Spain and what position they put Ford at, but I have all the faith in McD and especially Beane to get players through free agency and the draft. Everyone wants to point fingers, but they forget where we were just a few short years ago. This team is on the crescendo, not the downside with aging stars like the Pats. Keep the faith.

[BillsFanSD]

I've been pro-Daboll all season, but this article is spot-on, especially with regard to calling up hopeless runs in situations where good teams score TDs and put the game away.

[Trogdor]

42 minutes ago, Codyny13 said:

Today sucks, but it’s already better than last night. I  totally agree, something seemed to go haywire. That being said, I’m not one to overreact, I don’t want coaching changes, or a mad mashup of players. We have a lot of youngsters at key positions, there’s no doubt in my mind that Allen, Edmunds, Ford, Dawkins, Knox, Singletary, etc will grow and be better next year. We need some new pieces for sure, cb, outside backer, wr, and running back, maybe a guard or tackle depending what happens with Spain and what position they put Ford at, but I have all the faith in McD and especially Beane to get players through free agency and the draft. Everyone wants to point fingers, but they forget where we were just a few short years ago. This team is on the crescendo, not the downside with aging stars like the Pats. Keep the faith.

Dawkins gets beat by speed rushers pretty often. I thought he was a spot to look for an upgrade preseason. I'm not sure he really has more to develop. Ford is just flat out slow. Slow off the snap and in moving. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

8 hours ago, Reed83HOF said:

We don't play for TDs and we don't put teams away, it has been who we were through the entire season. Yes I wanted a 300yard 4TD game from Josh a few times, not just for Josh though - it is to see that we can put the game a away and stomp on a team and stay on for the full 60 minutes = we don't do that. Is it coaching philosophy or is it a fear of mistakes from poor execution by the offense? I think it is a bit of both, but mostly coaching

 

 

....I'm waiting for someone to post a "Josh is a coach killer" gem.......

[Big Blitz]

4 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

From my perspective, during his post game presser, McDermott knew and was remorseful about the ridiculous 4th & 27 among other blunders he was individually responsible for. If he believes what he constantly preaches -and I think he does, then he’s never had a more specific ‘learning experience’ for himself than his decisions in this game. 

I, for one anyway, believe he’ll learn and change from this.

 

 

Agreed.

 

Growth mindset.

[transplantbillsfan]

Snippet from an article by Fairburn in The Athletic:

https://theathletic.com/1509902/2020/01/05/a-lot-of-pain-in-that-locker-room-josh-allen-sean-mcdermott-let-down-bills-in-collapse-against-texans?source=shared-article

At the end of the first half, coming out of a timeout, the Bills had the ball at the Houston 23 with 30 seconds to play and one timeout in their pocket. Rather than going for the Texans’ collective jugular, McDermott played for the field goal.

 

In the third quarter, with the ball at the Texans 42-yard line, the Bills punted on fourth-and-4. Again, playing not to lose.

 

But then, coming out of the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, the Bills faced fourth-and-27 from Houston’s 42-yard line, down by three and with all three timeouts. McDermott inexplicably decided to go for it.

 

“We wanted to be aggressive,” McDermott said.

 

That was a hell of a time to cave to that desire. It was one of many ways in which McDermott outsmarted himself. Duke Williams, who didn’t make the active roster out of camp and was active for just four games in the regular season, played more snaps than Beasley, who had two 100-yard games in his last four.

 

Frank Gore touched the ball eight times, some in critical situations, despite Devin Singletary racking up 133 yards from scrimmage.

 

Tre’Davious White was too often left alone on DeAndre Hopkins, who had six catches for 90 yards in the second half and caught all four of his targets for 70 yards against White in the second half.