Figured out why I feel amazing as a fan currently... Sean McDermott is an elite head coach.

[folz]

3 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Exactly, and yes, I would.

 

Even if we had lost to the Bengals and only beat Jax by 3, Denver by 2, Minnesota by 1...and Bears by 7 and Texans by 6?

 

Somehow I think that you would be using that to say McD wasn't a good coach (rather than pointing to 3 big wins by 26, 19, and 14 points).

[machine gun kelly]

12 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I appreciate the kind word. 

 

The point I wanted to make is that it all depends upon perspective.  Some people have the perspective that negative or dissenting viewpoints are not welcome or even allowed here.  Other people have the viewpoint that the board is overly cluttered with negative and dissenting viewpoints to the point where it's degraded and they don't want to be here.

 

My viewpoint is 🤷‍♂️

 

I can tell I'm a born moderate, I can usually get both sides of an argument mad at me 😜

No worries my friend.  If people are honest about their dissenting views, I’m cool.  I won’t rewrite my stuff as there is too much of that sometimes.  As Rodney said, can’t we all just get along.  I don’t mean that disparaging.  I think he was onto something 28 years ago.

[Big Blitz]

3 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

 

 

Only 1 of those guys on this list not named Bill has won a SB in the last 10 years.  2 of them haven't won one and while he's absolutely an offensive genius, he over thought the SB and allowed the Patriots every opportunity to come back and win in an historic meltdown.  Decisions that absolutely boggled the mind.  

 

Reid is took him almost going into his 3rd decade of coaching and landing arguably someone who will be one of the 5 best QBs ever.

 

Steeler fans had been relentlessly calling for Tomlin's head up until last season.  

 

We have a bad habit in our sports world of immediately want to crown or call trash.  I think a guy that is likely headed toward taking this team to a 3rd playoff trip in 4 years (one of which was with Tyrod Taylor) its probably safe to say we got a good coach and whatever they're doing is working.  He's developing to much like our QB.  

[Teddy KGB]

The president of the Duke Williams fan club has spoken 🤣🤣🤣

[US Egg]

1 hour ago, LABILLBACKER said:

One this board that's the only type of response allowed. Sunshine and lollypops.

You forgot rainbows.

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, Teddy KGB said:

The president of the Duke Williams fan club has spoken 🤣🤣🤣

 

Imagine not liking Sean McDermott but being a fan of Duke Williams. Would be the time to maybe reel in the takes.....

[BuffaloBills1998]

I don’t get it we have arguably the best HC and GM combo since Levy/Polian era and we’re 8-3 leading the AFC East and people still have the audacity to B word and complain. Good ***** grief 🤦‍♂️ 

Edited November 30, 2020 by BuffaloBills1998

[Roundybout]

1 hour ago, Gugny said:

 

You call those wins???

 

Pshhh those weren't signature wins 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

3 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

 

As soon as you put Tomlin in there you lost me as this being great coaches.  He's lucky he hasn't been fired.   He also benefited many years of not having much competition in division other than Ravens and they've had their share of bad seasons too.   What exactly has Vrabel done?  Shanahan is that the guy that's the coach of the 5-6 49's and is 28-31 lifetime?  Reid makes the list for lifetime achievement and one SB victory. Similar with Payton, but not nearly as long a career as Reid.

 

There's Belichick and maybe Reid and Payton, then a bunch of guys who may look great some years and other years very average.

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

As soon as you put Tomlin in there you lost me as this being great coaches.  He's lucky he hasn't been fired.   He also benefited many years of not having much competition in division other than Ravens and they've had their share of bad seasons too.   What exactly has Vrabel done?  Shanahan is that the guy that's the coach of the 5-6 49's and is 28-31 lifetime?  Reid makes the list for lifetime achievement and one SB victory. Similar with Payton, but not nearly as long a career as Reid.

 

There's Belichick and maybe Reid and Payton, then a bunch of guys who may look great some years and other years very average.

 

Tomlin is not top rank elite for me but he has never had a losing season and getting that O sans Ben to 8-8 last year was a hell of a coaching job. 

[jkeerie]

Here's a laugh that might cheer you up that I saw on another board:

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by jkeerie

[Buddo]

14 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Tomlin is not top rank elite for me but he has never had a losing season and getting that O sans Ben to 8-8 last year was a hell of a coaching job. 

 

I think because he's in a solid organisation, and has had the benefit of a franchise QB, he hasn't been given enough credit through the years. Last year showed that he is a good coach, imho, and is now getting some just desserts.

 

I've not read the whole thread, just the first page or so, but I'm guessing that someone has tried to explain that McDermott is also a 'work in progress'. I believe he would tell you that himself as well.

 

While I think his nature is conservative, with the small 'c', I also think that he isn't afraid to be aggressive, when he thinks it's necessary - on either O or D. Players want to play for him, and unlike Jauron, he isn't afraid to embrace new ideas.

 

Atm, the only team that actually scares me, as a playoff/championship opponent, are the Chiefs. Anyone else, and I think we have a fair crack at beating them, and that would include in a Superbowl. Should the Bills win their first playoff game, and somoeone else does us a favour by squeaking past the Chiefs, expectations should be high that we could get it all.

 

And that is with McDermott as our HC.

[BillsBlue]

4 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

Just sit back and think about our coaches leading up to Mclappy.............................................

let the names sink in............................

there do you feel better now??????????

If not you're hopeless bro

[Victory Formation]

McDermott is a great coach.. I’m not sure what his potential is.. He did, with the help of Brandon Beane find us a franchise QB so I’m assuming he will win a load of games here.. but as far as long term success, he will have to shift away from being a DC at HC into more of an offensive mind as well.. Needs to get that side of the ball down the way Belichick did.. Needs to understand how to keep a top notch quality staff on offense and to do so he needs to study and master that side of the ball not just defense. Ideally we need to be loaded so deep in terms of coaches & assistants on offense that when Daboll leaves we keep the same system for Josh and we have great coaches to execute the scheme and coach up the players.. So McD needs to know inside out on who to hire and who not to.. The difference between hiring the next Daboll or Dennison will either help him keep his job or lose his job.. Constantly keeping that offensive staff loaded will be his greatest challenge as a HC..

[Artful Dodger]

McDermott got the Bills to the playoffs with Tyrod Taylor.  He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

[1st&ten]

Couldn't help it, this coaching thread made we think of this-------buddy nix.mpg - YouTube

 

[Da webster guy]

Is that the same Shanahan that got outscored 46-0 in superbowl 4th quarters?

 

GENIUS !  I want a guy like that on my side.  Mr Clutch I call him.

 

McD is learning as a head coach.   He's already a good leader and detail guy, but there's no school for getting to be a good clock manager, call challenger, or in game adjuster.   

The only way to do it is to do it. (and have some good calm, analytical people on your headset to offer suggestions).  

 

I hope Sean isn't too easy on Beane when we whiff on a draft pick and that he doesn't cater too much to Beane's ego in terms of overplaying someone who otherwise wouldn't be on the field if he was a free agent and we didn't burn draft capital on them.  Knox and possibly Ford come to mind.   That would be my only worry with McD, that neither he nor Beaner pull the rip chord early enough on guys that aren't going to pan out.

[Nextmanup]

5 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

This season is about taking the next step, if we can, and actually winning a playoff game.

 

I think your concerns here are generally a step or 2 ahead of where most Bills fans are right now, though this conversation will be more relevant if we lose our first playoff game, for the 3rd time.  

 

I've been wondering since this season began if we are a 1 and done playoff team, or better than that, and I still don't know.

 

 

 

 

[Hampton Josh fan]

Other than the hoodie, this list has done less than Sean. 2 out of3 seasons in playoff with pedestrian personnel. Grooming a franchise QB that is already top 5 in NFL. OC is on short list for coaching jobs and 8 and 3 this year. In case you're going to say Reid, look at the dumpster fire his career was before Mahomes. 

[JGMcD2]

I wonder how much the perception of McDermott changes if we overachieve in 2017 but DON’T make the playoffs. We finish 9-7 and just miss out... things are great because he took a rebuilding team and performed above expectations. 
 

It seems many fans are hung up on the 0-2 in the playoffs... which I’ll concede is somewhat fair. What I’ll push back with, is the fact that that first season they were playing with house money. Being there exceeded expectations and they played a competitive game. A win would have been wonderful and nobody mailed it in, but a win surely wasn’t expected, the playoffs weren’t even really in play for many people that year. 
 

Does the perception change if he’s only 0-1 in the playoffs going into this year? Or do folks just harp on the fact that he’s only been to the playoffs 1 time going into this year? 

Edited November 30, 2020 by JGMcD2

[Behindenemylines]

BRING BACK REX!  BRING BACK JAURON!  Heck bring em back together!   

[ProcessTruster]

2 hours ago, BuffaloBills1998 said:

I don’t get it we have arguably the best HC and GM combo since Levy/Polian era and we’re 8-3 leading the AFC East and people still have the audacity to B word and complain. Good ***** grief 🤦‍♂️ 

Exactly.   I was one of countless Bills fans who actually left that 2018 opener in Baltimore at the start of the 4th QTR , the team was that bad and was getting killed .  What McBeanes have on the field 27 months later is nothing short of remarkable.  The turnaround from then to now is astonishing.   Passing game gone from worst to first in a pass-first league.   Tremendous locker room by all accounts.    

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Man, this is such a ludicrously sad take.  Feeling depressed as a fan because you have this "feeling" about our coach that I guarantee is shared by absolutely nobody who actually works in or around the NFL.  

 

 

[White Linen]

Depressed?

 

 

[Man with No Name]

He does a good job running the overall program. as long as he brings in talented to guys to delegate to, I feel good. I'm not really sold on Daboll though. I think we could go to the next level with the RIGHT change. It shouldn't happen until he leaves for greener pastures though. 

[Rc2catch]

I think some of you forget it is still a learning process with first time coaches. 
Everyone crowns Andy Reid as this god like coach and he lost almost all the big games in Philly and was regarded as a coach who chokes in prime time. Makes the playoffs every year but his teams fell apart under the bright lights. He was even a solid but joke hire for Kansas City. There is nothing wrong with Mcdermott. There are areas to improve on but you can say that with almost every coach in the league. But not every coach in the league has accomplished what Mcdermott has turning this franchise around so far. 

[Penfield45]

15 minutes ago, Man with No Name said:

He does a good job running the overall program. as long as he brings in talented to guys to delegate to, I feel good. I'm not really sold on Daboll though. I think we could go to the next level with the RIGHT change. It shouldn't happen until he leaves for greener pastures though. 

what? Daboll has been much improved this season. 
 

if anything our FO needs to do a better job building this team. Half of Our defense is aging quick and the other half are young guys who we have no idea how they will pan out. 

[Man with No Name]

3 minutes ago, Penfield45 said:

what? Daboll has been much improved this season. 
 

if anything our FO needs to do a better job building this team. Half of Our defense is aging quick and the other half are young guys who we have no idea how they will pan out. 

the lack of adjustments when the opposition stifles our passing game worries me. Maybe im being too picky. it just seems there are too many long stretches where we can't do anything at all. 

[Shaw66]

6 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

When Belichick was in his fifth season as a head coach (25-35), was he on anyone's list as the best in the NFL?  Payton was 25-23 after three years.  Tomlin inherited a team built by Bill Cowher, a team that won a Super Bowl a year before Tomlin took over.  Reid was 27-21 after three seasons.

 

McDermott was 25-23 after three seasons, and now he's 33-26.  

 

What's the problem?  

 

Coaches grow and develop.  

 

[Augie]

19 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

When Belichick was in his fifth season as a head coach (25-35), was he on anyone's list as the best in the NFL?  Payton was 25-23 after three years.  Tomlin inherited a team built by Bill Cowher, a team that won a Super Bowl a year before Tomlin took over.  Reid was 27-21 after three seasons.

 

McDermott was 25-23 after three seasons, and now he's 33-26.  

 

What's the problem?  

 

Coaches grow and develop.  

 

 

THANK YOU! 

 

The people who want to panic because we haven’t won a Super Bowl yet make me crazy. Could some things be better? Of course. The coaches are just like the players. You hope they get better every year, except they don’t lose a step in their 30’s.  McD will tell you that about himself!

 

If you look at where we were for almost two decades, then look at what we have accomplished with McD, I don’t understand how you could possibly be unhappy and considering a change! Goodness! 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

31 minutes ago, Man with No Name said:

the lack of adjustments when the opposition stifles our passing game worries me. Maybe im being too picky. it just seems there are too many long stretches where we can't do anything at all. 

 

It should worry you, but there is a large component where "it's about the Jimmies and Joes, not the X's and O's"

 

If Daboll designs pass plays with outlets for quick throws and Josh overlooks them in favor of a double-covered WR down the field, well....not much he can do during the game but talk to him when he comes off the field and at halftime.

 

If Daboll designs run plays that should work if guys hit on 2 of 5 blocks and they can't sustain any of them (or just whiff)....that's a tackle for loss.

 

If we get put behind the chains because of penalties...likewise.

 

 

 

[GunnerBill]

55 minutes ago, Man with No Name said:

the lack of adjustments when the opposition stifles our passing game worries me. Maybe im being too picky. it just seems there are too many long stretches where we can't do anything at all. 

 

Not a good day to make this point because there were very noticeable adjustments on offense yesterday. 

[Don Otreply]

4 hours ago, BuffaloBills1998 said:

I don’t get it we have arguably the best HC and GM combo since Levy/Polian era and we’re 8-3 leading the AFC East and people still have the audacity to B word and complain. Good ***** grief 🤦‍♂️ 

Yup, lots of short and long term memory damage here on this forum, it would appear that they don’t remember the seventeen years of futility that ended with the arrival of Beane and McDermott,  I guess these whiners want Dicky “It’s hard to win in this league” Juron back...  

 

Go Bills !!!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 hours ago, JGMcD2 said:

I wonder how much the perception of McDermott changes if we overachieve in 2017 but DON’T make the playoffs. We finish 9-7 and just miss out... things are great because he took a rebuilding team and performed above expectations. 
 

It seems many fans are hung up on the 0-2 in the playoffs... which I’ll concede is somewhat fair. What I’ll push back with, is the fact that that first season they were playing with house money. Being there exceeded expectations and they played a competitive game. A win would have been wonderful and nobody mailed it in, but a win surely wasn’t expected, the playoffs weren’t even really in play for many people that year. 
 

Does the perception change if he’s only 0-1 in the playoffs going into this year? Or do folks just harp on the fact that he’s only been to the playoffs 1 time going into this year? 

 

Interesting question.

 

Myself, I think perception doesn't change too much.  I think what people are reacting to isn't just that we lost, but HOW we lost.   

 

I mean, No *****, There we Were, playing against one of the most feared pass rushers and one of the most famed QB-WR combos in the NFL, and we had them on the ropes.  13-0 at halftime, 16-8 at the end of the 3rd Q.  And we let them back in it with 11 points to take the lead, tied the game at the end. 

 

Forced a punt in OT, couldn't move the ball and score, got "dunked on" allowing a 3rd and 18 conversion and a 34 yd pass for FG range.

 

Josh Allen takes a lot of ***** for melting down and this whole "Josh Allen Experience" media theme (which I abhominate), and he did commit a number of errors.  But McDermott's vaunted defense also melted down: losing contain on Hopkins, playing too soft on  3rd and 18, etc. etc.

 

I think it's not just the loss that rankles, it's the way we lost.

 

Now it should be noted that the Texans suffered a rather similar fate the following week in KC.  But narratives march on.

 

 

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

Honest question OP- how long have you been a Bills fan?

[Orlando Tim]

8 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Belichick
Tomlin
Vrabel
Reid
Payton
Shanahan

 

These are the best coaches in the NFL... They either have next-level smarts or an elite ability to motivate players to perform.

 

McDermott is a solid playoff coach, but not a championship coach, I fear... So Bills fans are like, "We're 8-3! Enjoy it!" But I see a frustrating period of good-but-not-good-enough on the horizon for the foreseeable future.

 

And that's depressing. I am absolutely not of the "Hey, it's Buffalo; at least we're winning" type of mentality. It's championships or nothing. That is the life goal. And with McDermott signing a long-term contract, I almost feel as hopeless as I would if we sucked. If we sucked, at least there would be hope of striking coaching gold on an imminent hire. In this case, though, I feel like we'll just be a solid playoff team for the next many years, but not elite enough to win it all.

Until 10 months ago Reid could not win the big one, Tomlin has not the AFC in a decade, Payton is 4-6 in playoffs in the past decade, and Vrabel and Shanahan are new. I am sorry but this is a terrible comment from top to bottom.

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

30 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

Honest question OP- how long have you been a Bills fan?

30 years

[YoloinOhio]

5 minutes ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

30 years

How the heck did you make it this long if THIS is the season that you are depressed?

[without a drought]

I'm depressed enough about the Bills being 8-3. And now this too.

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

4 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

How the heck did you make it this long if THIS is the season that you are depressed?

Maybe I was suicidal in other seasons 😀