Doug Whaley Criticizes Sean McDermott’s Game Management vs Chiefs

[Buffalo_Stampede]

He's right. You kick FGs vs KC you lose.  What showed me McDermott had no idea what he was doing that night was when he goes for 2 late in the game instead of making it a 2 score game. Just no sense at all. 

 

Imagine the Bills actually scored on that last drive? McDermott would be getting slammed by everyone. 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Buffalo_Stampede

[JohnNord]

14 minutes ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

Brandon and Whaley were failures on a epic level. Easy to criticize a coaches game plan when 3 starting WR’s are playing injured and no running game. I think our game plan was based on the injuries knowing we couldn’t match the KC offense.

While I don’t think Doug’s criticisms were unwarranted, I do agree that it’s easy to criticize when your watching the AFC Championship on CBS and not competing in it.  

[BillMafia716ix]

The 2nd quarter field goal was the absolute right decision. The Chiefs were on a run and Bills had to get some kind of points to gain confidence going into half. If we would of went for it on 4th down and came up short...it probably would been the first nail in the coffin with the Chiefs getting the ball to start the half. 
 

Now the 3rd quarter field goal I didn’t agree with. The same is slipping and we needed to score at least two more TD’s to even have a chance to tie. If we would of went for it and didn’t get the TD, we would of at least had KC pinned deep in their territory. Although it probably wouldn’t have mattered anyway since we couldn’t stop them all night. 

[WideNine]

 

I don't have a lot of beef with his comments.

 

I do think you have to have a mindset that mirrors the winner take all nature of that game.

 

I do think that one can argue, especially with the other team scoring at will, that you have to trust the offense that got you there when they have a chance to take it in for the score.

 

He didn't think they could get that 4th and goal play. Is what it is, and not upset Whaley called it that way.

 

McD said as much in his presser that he did not like what coming away with nothing would do to their morale.

 

It is only fair to ask what conceding your inability to get a few yards does for moral too.

 

Honestly, I don't blame McD or the coaches if they went either way on that call. I can see the pros and cons of both.

 

I do blame them for not having an effective game plan on either side of the ball.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

18 minutes ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

Brandon and Whaley were failures on a epic level. Easy to criticize a coaches game plan when 3 starting WR’s are playing injured and no running game. I think our game plan was based on the injuries knowing we couldn’t match the KC offense.

He played them. We could've saw more Mckenzie. McDermott failed his team in the AFC Championship game. No need to make excuses. He didn't have a good plan going in and he made poor game day decisions. 

[Coach Tuesday]

It sounds like he was right?  McDermott decided during the week before the game that his team couldn’t run with the Chiefs and he never really put his players in a position to win.  You’ve got to hope he learns from it and that his players have a short memory about their coach not believing they could win.

[BuffaloBills1998]

1 hour ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Whaley and Beane both hurt us cap wise. Beane accelerated the process so he could get the roster he wanted.  We have cap issues again before paying Allen. Beane spends a lot of money on marginal free agents. 

First off Beane did not hurt us in any way shape or form. He got us out of the muck that Whaley left us in and we have plenty of cap room. Idk where your getting your information 

[Niagara Dude]

1 hour ago, Rico said:

Agree 100%, he needed to be hit. Well worth the 15 yards.

Look at all the shots a more healthy Allen took in the first half,  it pays off later in the game.  Frazier blew it with guys just back peddling the whole game,  at least the Browns got shots on him the week before and knocked him out.

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

He did try though.  Look what happened on the goal when Kelcie was wide open and every time they blitzed Mahomes.  It’s getting to the point where if you want get pressure with your front 4, Mahomes is going to destroy the defense 

Should have blitzed well before they got into the red zone

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I've never watched a defense in the playoffs defeat a great offense by playing soft like Buffalo did. The Chiefs don't have the CB depth to matchup with Buffalo but they said we're going to punch these WR's in the mouth and make everything difficult. McDermott decided to play a soft zone and let KC have easy releases and easy uncontested catches. 

[Lenigmusx]

2 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Disagree.... he obviously didn’t have a good feel for the game or was coaching scared. The Bills defense could not stop the Chiefs. They needed TDS to keep pace. A FG wasn’t going to do much there. 

My issue is more with Frazier and the lack of Defensive adjustments. Yes Josh should have run it in on 4th down at the end of the 1st half. We also should have run a few more designed QB runs up the middle. The safety’s were so far off it would have made them play more honest. Finally when we saw how aggressive  The KC corners were playing with no PI we should have adjusted and played more physically. Especially Johnson and White in Hill. 
 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Lenigmusx

[Coach Tuesday]

You’re playing against Tiger Woods in his prime.  You have two choices: hit it down the middle and hope he has an off day, or try to hit the snot out of the ball and maybe go down swinging.  Beane and McD trend towards the former.  It’s a middle management approach to sports that doesn’t really do it for me but in McDermott’s defense, he has gradually learned to be more aggressive and ruthless.  Sunday was an unfortunate step backwards.  I really hope we never have to see that approach again.

[Lenigmusx]

5 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I've never watched a defense in the playoffs defeat a great offense by playing soft like Buffalo did. The Chiefs don't have the CB depth to matchup with Buffalo but they said we're going to punch these WR's in the mouth and make everything difficult. McDermott decided to play a soft zone and let KC have easy releases and easy uncontested catches. 

You are 100 percent correct! This time 1000. 

[Coach Tuesday]

As for Whaley at least he swung for the fences.  He just missed.  He had no real idea how to build and run a football team but he tried to collect talent for his coaches to coach.  Everyone failed at their jobs during his tenure - including ownership.

[WideNine]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I've never watched a defense in the playoffs defeat a great offense by playing soft like Buffalo did. The Chiefs don't have the CB depth to matchup with Buffalo but they said we're going to punch these WR's in the mouth and make everything difficult. McDermott decided to play a soft zone and let KC have easy releases and easy uncontested catches. 

 

Probably the biggest head-scratcher for me too.

 

You see Knox release and he is getting knocked around like a pin ball on his drag route.

 

Kelce releases and it is a clean uncontested route.

 

It was a zone concept you play if you think the other team is going to eventually misfire on execution, not a plan I would have against the Chiefs.

 

You take away Kelce and Hill and make them beat you with the run or using other guys and you hit Mahomes whenever you can. 

 

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by WideNine

[Coach Tuesday]

Just now, WideNine said:

 

Probably the biggest head-scratcher for me too.

 

You see Knox release and he is getting knocked around like a pin ball on his drag route.

 

Kelci releases and it is a clean uncontested route.

 

It was a zone concept you play if you think the other team is going to eventually misfire on execution, not a plan I would have against the Chiefs.

 

You take away Kelci and Hill and make them beat you with the run or using other guys and you hit Mahomes whenever you can. 

 

 

 

Do you by any chance have a side piece named Kelci?  Your unique autocorrect has been giving you away lately!

[WideNine]

12 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

Do you by any chance have a side piece named Kelci?  Your unique autocorrect has been giving you away lately!

 

 

Fixed and thanks for the head-up.

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by WideNine

[Buffalo_Stampede]

8 minutes ago, WideNine said:

 

Probably the biggest head-scratcher for me too.

 

You see Knox release and he is getting knocked around like a pin ball on his drag route.

 

Kelci releases and it is a clean uncontested route.

 

It was a zone concept you play if you think the other team is going to eventually misfire on execution, not a plan I would have against the Chiefs.

 

You take away Kelci and Hill and make them beat you with the run or using other guys and you hit Mahomes whenever you can. 

 

 

 

Definitely. We had to take away one of those players, or at least limit them better. You're likely still going to get beat many times because KC can beat you so many ways but the Bills really had zero chance to win this game unless Josh Allen was a super hero. KC would have put up 50+ if the Bills offense made it a game. 

[JohnNord]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Definitely. We had to take away one of those players, or at least limit them better. You're likely still going to get beat many times because KC can beat you so many ways but the Bills really had zero chance to win this game unless Josh Allen was a super hero. KC would have put up 50+ if the Bills offense made it a game. 

Sounds good in theory, but the problem is the Bills defense doesn’t really have the physical players to jam at the line.  You miss on a jam you’re looking at a massive completion.  That’s why the Bills elected to keep everything in front of them.  Like McDermott said it’s pick your poison.  
 

If anything I hope this loss reinforced the idea that the defenses might have to be more versatile and athletic to keep up with a team like Kansas City.   There are times when they’ll need to make a switch from predominately zone to man given the matchup.  Not sure if the currently defensive players can do this well 

25 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

As for Whaley at least he swung for the fences.  He just missed.  He had no real idea how to build and run a football team but he tried to collect talent for his coaches to coach.  Everyone failed at their jobs during his tenure - including ownership.

Whaley was a terrible GM and had no idea how to build a team.  He didn’t have the ability or the vision to do what Beane and McDermott did.  
 

If you long for the days of Doug Whaley, I have no idea what to tell you.

[JohnNord]

42 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

Look at all the shots a more healthy Allen took in the first half,  it pays off later in the game.  Frazier blew it with guys just back peddling the whole game,  at least the Browns got shots on him the week before and knocked him out.

Should have blitzed well before they got into the red zone

Check Mahomes rating versus the blitz it’s disgusting.  The answer is almost never to blitz Mahomes

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 hour ago, JohnNord said:

Sounds good in theory, but the problem is the Bills defense doesn’t really have the physical players to jam at the line.  You miss on a jam you’re looking at a massive completion.  That’s why the Bills elected to keep everything in front of them.  Like McDermott said it’s pick your poison.  
 

If anything I hope this loss reinforced the idea that the defenses might have to be more versatile and athletic to keep up with a team like Kansas City.   There are times when they’ll need to make a switch from predominately zone to man given the matchup.  Not sure if the currently defensive players can do this well 

Whaley was a terrible GM and had no idea how to build a team.  He didn’t have the ability or the vision to do what Beane and McDermott did.  
 

If you long for the days of Doug Whaley, I have no idea what to tell you.

I do agree. We saw Tre White on the 1st series get smoked off the line by Hill. I still think you've got to do a better job taking away someone. Can't let both Hill and Kelce have huge games.