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I think McDermott's conservatism caught up to him in this game.


njbuff

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The Bills were CLEARLY the better team, but they kept Houston in the game and the Bills relative conservatism caught up to them big time in this game.

 

Ok, it happens, but I have two questions moving forward..............

 

1. Does McDermott become more aggressive when it comes to stepping on opponents when he has them on the floor by the throat?

 

2. Is this that crushing learning experience that some teams go thru before winning a championship?

 

Anything you guys can add to this?

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I don’t have much to add, but this is a fair criticism of McD for sure. 
 

My hope is that McD, like the rest of the team, can use all of this experience and grow from it. I hope the loss leaves as bitter a taste in his mouth as it does his players. 

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The Texans made half time adjustments and started playing better. The Bills stopped playing well and had some bad calls from the refs. The margins were so small in this game that a stop at 3rd & 18 or a non call on Fords hit or a half a dozen other things could have changed the outcome. The team was not good enough this season to win a game against a good opponent without a little luck, or at least without bad luck. I think the players kind of folded under the pressure in the second half and this will be a valuable experience for the future. Was McDermott flawless? No, but I wouldn't put this on him. He's taken a team with the longest playoff drought in pro sports to two playoffs in three seasons. I'm excited for the next season! The Patriots are fading, the Bills are getting stronger and god knows what's going on with the Dolphins and Jets. Next season will be fun! :)

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I actually could have gone a little MORE conservative in this game

 

WHen we went up by 16.....we stopped running the ball....DS was having a great game and ALL WE NEEDED TO DO WAS just keep getting first downs and run clock......the defense of the Texans did not score...which means that their offense scored all those comeback points.......

 

A running game in the 2nd half of this game would have gotten us a win

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It would have been nice if McDermott would have caught that pass for Duke Williams in the endzone, or caught that pass for John Brown at the 2 yard line, or blocked Mercilus on Allen's fumble, or blocked Cunningham on that QB sweep in OT, etc., etc., etc........

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Hopefully his qb will provide a reason for McDermott to trust him in a pressure situation with the ball. When Josh goes into hero mode the results will be like a box of chocolates. A couple more weapons will help and I think Josh made big strides this year, so hopefully he'll continue to improve. 

Edited by 4BillsintheBurgh
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7 hours ago, njbuff said:

The Bills were CLEARLY the better team, but they kept Houston in the game and the Bills relative conservatism caught up to them big time in this game.

 

Ok, it happens, but I have two questions moving forward..............

 

1. Does McDermott become more aggressive when it comes to stepping on opponents when he has them on the floor by the throat?

 

2. Is this that crushing learning experience that some teams go thru before winning a championship?

 

Anything you guys can add to this?

To me, we were trying to run clock and not give up big plays. IMHO and I've believed it all year we go in that mode too soon. Hard to argue with the approach of a  coach who won 10 games. Watching the game though, I felt like you do have a point. Starting right before half time with the lack of urgency with trying to score a TD, to sitting back off Hopkins 10 yards when we had them in third and short-medium. It just felt like let's give them yards and will hold them to a FG once they're in the Red Zone.

I think we played from 16-0 onward like we had this and just needed to get it over. It worried me watching the game, I felt it.

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Just now, ScottLaw said:

My only gripe was the run with 30 seconds and 1 TO before halftime deep in Houston territory. Completely wasted down, but seems to be determined that this was Josh's audible.... they also ran it with Gore on 3rd and 3 from the Houston 38 late in the game and followed up with a punt which also irritated the hell out of me..... he just seems to get conservative at the worst times and aggressive at the worst times. Just terrible game day management overall. The 4th and 27 was ridiculous.


agreed. But it wasted two downs because a spike was needed.

 

whats this about the audible?

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It's normal, even inevitable, to foreground the negative when your team loses. But they could easily have won, not just because they were the better team (as the OP points out), but that they played better, too. The difference was the home crowd. I don't think it was Texans adjusting at halftime or even the Bills being too conservative overall, but rather the crowd getting into it after the Watt sack and Houston feeding off that energy. If you've ever played a sport before a big crowd you know how that can pump you up and make you a better player. Conversely, it's hard to keep your play strong when you sense the momentum shifting, such as after Allen's fumble. The refs are human, and they, too, were inevitably influenced by the crowd. (This isn't empty speculation: the phenomenon has been documented. See Scorecasting by Tobias Moskowitz, for example.)  In other words, play this game at home or at a neutral site, and the Bills win. 

 

So Bills fan should temper their emotions with a dose of rationality. The Bills don't suck, Allen isn't a bust, and the coaches aren't any dumber than any of the other playoff coaches. (Good god, can you imagine the grief the Houston coaches would have gotten for going for it on fourth down and basically snatching defeat (or OT) from the jaws of victory?). They're fine. I think the lesson here is not be less conservative overall but be less conservative in spots, like going for it on fourth down in at least two occasions (not the fourth and 27!). 

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8 hours ago, njbuff said:

The Bills were CLEARLY the better team, but they kept Houston in the game and the Bills relative conservatism caught up to them big time in this game.

 

Ok, it happens, but I have two questions moving forward..............

 

1. Does McDermott become more aggressive when it comes to stepping on opponents when he has them on the floor by the throat?

 

2. Is this that crushing learning experience that some teams go thru before winning a championship?

 

Anything you guys can add to this?

 

The bigger question is whether or not the HC begins to embrace a different ideology.  Does he remain a HC that tries to keep games close and keep a lid on an offense to minimize risk?  Or, does he become more aggressive now that Allen has more experience?

 

You can sign and draft new offensive players, but none of that matters if the overall strategy remains the same. 

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1 hour ago, Jobot said:

Didn't feel too conservative.  Lots of throws, just poor offensive execution.

 

Look at our play calling once we got in FG range. 

 

That's the rub.  We've done this all year.  Once we have 3 in the bank, or a lead of any sort, we go into safe mode. 

 

McDermott has relied on our defense to hold leads all year..  You could sense the shift once we went up 10.

 

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Just now, ScottLaw said:

Think that was more on the players execution for dropping so deep past the sticks. Inexcusable. 

 

I actually thought they were more aggressive in this game then in previous weeks. Just a couple inexcusable calls as I stated in my post above. 

 

Agree with both but they still could have been more aggressive in the call there.

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I'm of two minds here:

 

1)  McD needs to adjust his in game tactics in reaction to this loss and I think he will.  Now that doesn't mean he throws the baby out with the bath water it's just refining his approach to how a game plays out.  He's a young head coach and learning just like the players.  I also think he will change in reaction to having better players on the field.  This is particularly true about our offense.  Right now his game plans have to account for protecting the Bill's from some of their own weaknesses.  As we continue to upgrade the roster that will diminish.

 

2)  McD has achieved a lot as the head coach.  Stepping back from the hurt of this playoff loss and the progress is clear for all to see.  With the most important piece, a franchise QB, in place (yes he is the guy - this game confirmed it for me) and plenty of CAP room & a full slate of draft picks the Bills are poised to go on a multiyear playoff run.

 

The only thing I would throw out is that like what Levy/Polian faced in 1989 McD/Bean face a couple of decisions on how they might tweak the overarching architecture of what they're trying to do with the Bills.  A focus on the offense is essential this off season IMO.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, BillsVet said:

 

The bigger question is whether or not the HC begins to embrace a different ideology.  Does he remain a HC that tries to keep games close and keep a lid on an offense to minimize risk?  Or, does he become more aggressive now that Allen has more experience?

 

You can sign and draft new offensive players, but none of that matters if the overall strategy remains the same. 

McD strikes me as someone who is self reflective and adaptable.  I think he can and will change.  He and Beane knew they were short of offensive talent this year.  They tried to get Antonio Brown which to me was a good sign indicating they needed another playmaker.  Fortunately he went to Oakland.  Get two legit WRs with size and speed, another RB, and some oline help and McD will become more aggressive with his overall approach.

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Where was he conservative?

 

The offense came out of the gate swinging, and immediately went down to score a touchdown on the first drive.

Early second quarter, the Bills were up 7.  We drive down and take a shot at the sideline.  John Brown fails to tap his feet.  We settle for a field goal.

Next drive we are up 10-0 with time ticking down in the half.  We take a shot at the end zone, but Duke Williams can't bring it in.  Another field goal.

Our second drive in the 3rd Quarter, we get into the red zone again.  But JJ Watt gets a sack, and we are forced to take yet another field goal.

The next time we get the ball, the score is 16-7.  We start moving the ball again and Josh Allen fumbles it back to the Texans.

 

From this point on, the Bills get ridiculously aggressive.  To the point of going for it on 4th-27 when most coaches would have punted.

And if anything, they didn't run the ball enough in OT.

 

 

 

For some reason, blaming the coach is always the first reaction out of sports fans.  And most of the time it's nonsense. 

The Bills coaching staff put out a very solid gameplan, which completely shut-down the Texans offense in the first half and put together four strong drives by midway through the 3rd Quarter.  Each time the Bills failed to get into the end zone and settled for a field goal, it was due to an offensive player failing to execute.  Brown not getting his feet in bounds.  Williams not coming down with the catch.  Cody Ford getting beat on a sack.  

 

Do you blame the coaching staff for Deshaun Watson dragging three defenders into the end zone on the Texans first touchdown?  Do you blame the coaching staff for Allen fumbling the ball (yet again) when hit from behind on the next possession?  Do you blame the coaching staff for All-Pro shutdown cornerback Tre White allowing a 41 yard bomb?  Do you blame the coaching staff for two straight offensive line breakdowns, causing us to lose 33 yards with the game on the line?  How about two blockers failing to touch a linebacker on Allen's run in overtime?  Or Allen totally missing Williams on a swing pass that could have gotten us into field goal range?  Or the defense getting too deep and reacting too slow, allowing a 3rd-18 conversion?  Or two pass rushers hitting the quarterback and totally failing to get him down?

 

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9 hours ago, njbuff said:

The Bills were CLEARLY the better team, but they kept Houston in the game and the Bills relative conservatism caught up to them big time in this game.

 

Ok, it happens, but I have two questions moving forward..............

 

1. Does McDermott become more aggressive when it comes to stepping on opponents when he has them on the floor by the throat?

 

2. Is this that crushing learning experience that some teams go thru before winning a championship?

 

Anything you guys can add to this?


yes 

3.  His horrible coaching got us to the playoffs 2/3 seasons  

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10 hours ago, njbuff said:

The Bills were CLEARLY the better team, but they kept Houston in the game and the Bills relative conservatism caught up to them big time in this game.

 

Ok, it happens, but I have two questions moving forward..............

 

1. Does McDermott become more aggressive when it comes to stepping on opponents when he has them on the floor by the throat?

 

2. Is this that crushing learning experience that some teams go thru before winning a championship?

 

Anything you guys can add to this?


I don’t think he prefers to be conservative but he doesn’t have the personnel (namely a QB) that can do that yet.  You saw what happened when you “let Josh Allen loose.”  He still has some Wyoming Josh left in him which isn’t a good thing. 
 

Also they did pass 46 times that game.  Did you want McDermott to go ground and pound?  Because that’s more conservative than passing the ball.

 

Even the sequence everyone complains about at the end of the first half, no one is talking about poor game management if Duke catches the football. 

 

 

6 minutes ago, mjt328 said:

Where was he conservative?

 

The offense came out of the gate swinging, and immediately went down to score a touchdown on the first drive.

Early second quarter, the Bills were up 7.  We drive down and take a shot at the sideline.  John Brown fails to tap his feet.  We settle for a field goal.

Next drive we are up 10-0 with time ticking down in the half.  We take a shot at the end zone, but Duke Williams can't bring it in.  Another field goal.

Our second drive in the 3rd Quarter, we get into the red zone again.  But JJ Watt gets a sack, and we are forced to take yet another field goal.

The next time we get the ball, the score is 16-7.  We start moving the ball again and Josh Allen fumbles it back to the Texans.

 

From this point on, the Bills get ridiculously aggressive.  To the point of going for it on 4th-27 when most coaches would have punted.

And if anything, they didn't run the ball enough in OT.

 

 

 

For some reason, blaming the coach is always the first reaction out of sports fans.  And most of the time it's nonsense. 

The Bills coaching staff put out a very solid gameplan, which completely shut-down the Texans offense in the first half and put together four strong drives by midway through the 3rd Quarter.  Each time the Bills failed to get into the end zone and settled for a field goal, it was due to an offensive player failing to execute.  Brown not getting his feet in bounds.  Williams not coming down with the catch.  Cody Ford getting beat on a sack.  

 

Do you blame the coaching staff for Deshaun Watson dragging three defenders into the end zone on the Texans first touchdown?  Do you blame the coaching staff for Allen fumbling the ball (yet again) when hit from behind on the next possession?  Do you blame the coaching staff for All-Pro shutdown cornerback Tre White allowing a 41 yard bomb?  Do you blame the coaching staff for two straight offensive line breakdowns, causing us to lose 33 yards with the game on the line?  How about two blockers failing to touch a linebacker on Allen's run in overtime?  Or Allen totally missing Williams on a swing pass that could have gotten us into field goal range?  Or the defense getting too deep and reacting too slow, allowing a 3rd-18 conversion?  Or two pass rushers hitting the quarterback and totally failing to get him down?

 


 

I can answer this.... because it’s easier than blaming the players.  
 

All of your points are spot on!

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2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

My only gripe was the run with 30 seconds and 1 TO before halftime deep in Houston territory. Completely wasted down, but seems to be determined that this was Josh's audible.... they also ran it with Gore on 3rd and 3 from the Houston 38 late in the game and followed up with a punt which also irritated the hell out of me..... he just seems to get conservative at the worst times and aggressive at the worst times. Just terrible game day management overall. The 4th and 27 was ridiculous.

Just before halftime, your complaint should be Duke dropping a td right in his hands. If knox or morse make 1 block on the qb sweep in ot, josh either scores or we're in position for a game winning fg. Overall, the play calling was fine. Execution on the other hand...

That's on the players.

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