Let's hear it for Coach McDermott

[Logic]

It makes sense on this Victory Monday to reflect on the amazing plays we saw our players make on the football field yesterday. Josh Allen's hurdle and golden-armed rocket throws, Von Miller closing, Taron Johnson sealing the win with a pick..,.

It makes sense on this Victory Monday to reflect on the awesome job that our GM Brandon Beane has done in building this roster...the late round gems, the trade acquisitions, the brilliant free agent signings...

One thing I want to make sure doesn't get lost in the good feelings of this Victory Monday, though, is the credit that Coach McDermott deserves for yesterday's win. 

For making all the right "Go for it vs kick it" decisions. For being aggressive throughout the game and not falling back any conservative tendencies. For keeping his team composed after early adversity. For great clock management decisions at the end of the game. For having this team ready to beat a high quality opponent on the road.

Hell of a game, coach!

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

You're right.

 

McD did some seriously hard clapping yesterday.

 

I bet his hands are black and blue

[SCBills]

There's a lot of scar tissue from 13 seconds that, justifiably, taints some of our views towards the coaching staff.. but it's time to let that go and recognize that we have a phenomenal staff in place, led by a top tier Head Coach. 

[mushypeaches]

It's been encouraging watching him grow as a coach and embrace going against his more conservative, defense-oriented nature

 

Even though all of the decisions didn't necessarily work yesterday, they were still the right decisions.

 

Players see that - and they appreciate having an aggressive coach behind them

[NORWOODS FOOT]

1 minute ago, mushypeaches said:

It's been encouraging watching him grow as a coach and embrace going against his more conservative, defense-oriented nature

 

Even though all of the decisions didn't necessarily work yesterday, they were still the right decisions.

 

Players see that - and they appreciate having an aggressive coach behind them

Amen. He's growing. Can't ask for more than that. I respect the hell out of him.

[Big Turk]

I know they don't always work out but I LOVE McDermott putting his fate in the hands of Josh Allen when it's easier to kick the FG. I don't think we realize how rare that is for a defensive coach to be able to step out of that defensive mindset and be aggressive offensively on 4th downs repeatedly in key moments.

 

There would have been coaches from previous years that would have punted on the 4th and inches from the Bills 33 and hoped the D got the ball back for the offense one more time.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Big Turk

[NewEra]

This should be fun

 

Hats to our head coach.  I’m glad he’s our coach.  

[US Egg]

With JA, McD can go out of his comfort zone and afford to be a risk taker.

 

That said, it was a big win and McD and his staff did a solid job, no doubt.

Edited October 17, 2022 by I am the egg man

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, Big Turk said:

I know they don't always work out but I LOVE McDermott putting his fate in the hands of Josh Allen when it's easier to kick the FG. I don't think we realize how rare that is for a defensive coach to be able to step out of that defensive mindset and be aggressive offensively on 4th downs repeatedly in key moments.

 

There would have been coaches from previous years that would have punted on the 4th and inches from the Bills 33 and hoped the D got the ball back for the offense one more time.

But we’ve all read right here, that he is innately conservative and that will never change.

[BritBill]

End of thread.

[Logic]

1 minute ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches.

Yep, you're in the minority.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Logic

[Warcodered]

That wasted timeout at the start of the second half really came back to bite the Chiefs too.

[Logic]

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

Understand but if we lost the game I'm pretty sure we would be questioning the plays I mentioned.

And if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches. Having said all that I do like McDermott overall.

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches.

 

Not sure if it's the same sequence, but we went for it on 4th down and McKenzie is wide open and literally trips over his own feet for what should have been a semi-routine catch for a professional receiver. 

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

That wasted timeout at the start of the second half really came back to bite the Chiefs too.

That's right, and unless I missed it, Tirico and Collinsworth failed to comment on that point.  When the Chiefs took that timeout, the announcers commented that this was the kind of game where that timeout was important, and it was.  

 

Of course, the Bills were really humming, and if they'd needed a first down on that last possession, they would have gotten it. 

[Punching Bag]

6 minutes ago, Logic said:

And if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

 

These days she may have been your uncle before the operation.

[Warcodered]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

That's right, and unless I missed it, Tirico and Collinsworth failed to comment on that point.  When the Chiefs took that timeout, the announcers commented that this was the kind of game where that timeout was important, and it was.  

 

Of course, the Bills were really humming, and if they'd needed a first down on that last possession, they would have gotten it. 

It might have been more clear without the pick where the Chiefs would really have been managing the clock, they just kind of missed how that let us run out the clock.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Warcodered

[Logic]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

In most games, I would have taken the field goal, too.

For me, the Chiefs are simply one of those teams where field goals aren't going to get the job done. 

I also think that the players LOVE IT when you go for the touchdown instead of the field goal in that area of the field. It sends the message that you believe in them, and you're going to do everything you can to win the game.

Normally, most Sundays, I'm a "take the points" guy. Against the Chiefs...not so much.

As for the option play where McKenzie fumbled and the Chiefs recovered...I feel like that one is on the player who didn't execute -- in this case, McKenzie. We, as fans, didn't watch practice all week. Maybe they DID consistently execute it correctly. Maybe it went for big gainers a few times against the Bills defense in practice. We simply don't know.

We only saw the one instance of it being used in a game, where it DIDN'T work...and it's hard for me to blame the coaches for a play in which execution (particularly a dumb concentration error like the one McKenzie made) was to blame. Sometimes it's the X's and O's, sometimes it's the Willies and Joes. That looked like a Willie and Joe mistake to me.

[Jauronimo]

9 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

A gadget play?  It was a pitch.  If McKenzie didn't forget he had arms and try to catch it with his face like a golden retriever it probably goes for a TD.

[Bills2022]

I am still not sold on McDermott. I did not think we were not ready to play in the first half yesterday.  We have more talent than KC and everyone else in the NFL, but we need to play complete games. We struggle in the first half against good teams. 

 

[Logic]

6 minutes ago, Radar said:

You don't turn the ball over to that quarterback at the forty five yard line. They turned that into seven points. All I'm saying is the final score was much closer in my opinion because of questionable play calling where I commented on. Hey, like I said I like McDermott but he's a good coach not a great one at this point much like I viewed Marv back in the 90's.

It takes incredible selective tunnel vision to point out one or two plays you didn't like but ignore the dozens of other plays that went well.

How did you feel about the go balls to Diggs and Davis that resulted in touchdowns? 

How did you feel about the Bills offense establishing the run effectively?

How did you feel about the switch to a three-man rush with Milano spying Mahomes that stymied the Chiefs offense in the 4th quarter?

How did you feel about the playcall that resulted in a game-sealing Mahomes interception?

How did you feel about holding the explosive Chiefs offense to 20 points?

If you make a "things I like" and "things I didn't like" list, which side would have more line items?


 

3 minutes ago, Bills2022 said:

I am still not sold on McDermott. I did not think we were not ready to play in the first half yesterday.  We have more talent than KC and everyone else in the NFL, but we need to play complete games. We struggle in the first half against good teams. 

 

If you're still not sold on the winningest coach in Bills history -- who has coached the Bills to the playoffs in 4 out of 5 seasons, has them at 5-1, with a top two offense and top two defense, has instilled a winning culture that is the envy of the league, and has the Bills positioned as Super Bowl favorites...well...

God bless.

The guy's not perfect. No coach is. But to still "not be sold on him" five years into his tenure here, when the Bills are as consistently good and successful as they are? That's wild to me.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Logic

[Billz4ever]

12 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

One thing I think they need to start doing is quit getting cute in the redzone/goaline offense.  It has bitten them in a couple games now. We could run the ball yesterday.  Run it right at them, repeatedly.

[Alphadawg7]

26 minutes ago, Logic said:

For being aggressive throughout the game and not falling back any conservative tendencies.

Good post until you’d said this.  This notion that gets posted around here that McD was previously conservative is just totally inaccurate.  He has been aggressive his entire tenure here.  But this conservative myth started his first year here just because he was a “defensive” coach before he even coached a single game.  Then it was falsely painted on him when he was working with a totally inept offensive roster.  
 

He has never been conservative…there are no conservative tendencies to fall back on.  This false myth just needs to go away.  
 

And this isn’t aimed at you, it’s a general post to the people who keep still bringing this myth up.  It’s an unfair criticism of McD given he’s easily been the most aggressive HC in Bills history, and it’s not even close.  He also has been one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL since becoming a HC.  

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Good post until you’d said this.  This notion that gets posted around here that McD was previously conservative is just totally inaccurate.  He has been aggressive his entire tenure here.  But this conservative myth started his first year here just because he was a “defensive” coach before he even coached a single game.  Then it was falsely painted on him when he was working with a totally inept offensive roster.  
 

He has never been conservative…there are no conservative tendencies to fall back on.  This false myth just needs to go away.  
 

And this isn’t aimed at you, it’s a general post to the people who keep still bringing this myth up.  It’s an unfair criticism of McD given he’s easily been the most aggressive HC in Bills history, and it’s not even close.  He also has been one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL since becoming a HC.  

I mostly agree with your overall point here.

The one exception I'll point out is that in the 2020 Chiefs games specifically, and at the end of the 2021 playoff game against the Chiefs -- McDermott got a bit conservative. Settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. The prevent defense travesty with 13 seconds on the clock rather than, say, pressing the Chiefs receivers or some other aggressive, dare-you-to-throw-it kind of tactic.

I agree that McDermott isn't -- and for the most part, hasn't been -- overly conservative. Against the Chiefs in the past, particularly the instances I mentioned, I thought he got a bit too conservative.

 

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

The players executed very well. The overall game plan was fine. The score was closer than it should have been.

I'd suggest that the score was closer than it should've been because McKenzie fumbled in the red zone on one occasion and tripped over his own feet in the end zone on another occasion, which are both player execution issues rather than coaching issues.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Logic

[Shaw66]

4 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Good post until you’d said this.  This notion that gets posted around here that McD was previously conservative is just totally inaccurate.  He has been aggressive his entire tenure here.  But this conservative myth started his first year here just because he was a “defensive” coach before he even coached a single game.  Then it was falsely painted on him when he was working with a totally inept offensive roster.  
 

He has never been conservative…there are no conservative tendencies to fall back on.  This false myth just needs to go away.  
 

And this isn’t aimed at you, it’s a general post to the people who keep still bringing this myth up.  It’s an unfair criticism of McD given he’s easily been the most aggressive HC in Bills history, and it’s not even close.  He also has been one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL since becoming a HC.  

Hey Dawg, is there some kind of measure of this that you're relying on?  My recollection is that in the early years his decision making was much more conservative.   Not that I cared; I think McDermott is always driven by what he thinks is the best way to win the game.   I think he's gotten more aggressive on decision making as his team has developed into a team that can handle adversity.   His defense, especially, seems to be really dependable late in games, and that allows him to take more chances offensively.   

 

 

[Real McClappy]

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

The players executed very well. The overall game plan was fine. The score was closer than it should have been.

98% of the Bills executed well.  The score was close as Isaiah did not execute easily costing us 10-14pts more points.

 

The coaching staff called a very solid game yesterday. 

[TheCockSportif]

7 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Good post until you’d said this.  This notion that gets posted around here that McD was previously conservative is just totally inaccurate.  He has been aggressive his entire tenure here.  But this conservative myth started his first year here just because he was a “defensive” coach before he even coached a single game.  Then it was falsely painted on him when he was working with a totally inept offensive roster.  
 

He has never been conservative…there are no conservative tendencies to fall back on.  This false myth just needs to go away.  
 

And this isn’t aimed at you, it’s a general post to the people who keep still bringing this myth up.  It’s an unfair criticism of McD given he’s easily been the most aggressive HC in Bills history, and it’s not even close.  He also has been one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL since becoming a HC.  

I don't think that there's anything wrong with saying that McD was conservative at all.  Year 1 he had TT and Fromm as his QBs, and many other gaps on the roster.  Year 2 he was breaking in a new QB.  Kinda same with Year 3.

 

Has he evolved alongside the team?  Definitely.

[JerseyBills]

This franchise got blessed with McD and Beane

 

Safe to say the best HC/GM duo in the game at this point 

 

The way they built this team and culture is nothing short of masterful 

[Logic]

I just want to point out one more coaching thing that I just read in Peter King's FMIA column:

Coming into this game, the Chiefs averaged 32 points per game They scored 20 yesterday.

Great defensive gameplan overall.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Logic

[JDHillFan]

Still waiting for a signature win. 

[Bills2022]

1 minute ago, JerseyBills said:

This franchise got blessed with McD and Beane

 

Safe to say the best HC/GM duo in the game at this point 

 

The way they built this team and culture is nothing short of masterful 

 

You can't be the best HC/GM duo if you haven't even made it the Super Bowl, let alone with the Super Bowl.  That title is reserved for guys who have won a championship. 

 

 

[BillyBilliams]

43 minutes ago, SCBills said:

There's a lot of scar tissue from 13 seconds that, justifiably, taints some of our views towards the coaching staff.. but it's time to let that go and recognize that we have a phenomenal staff in place, led by a top tier Head Coach. 

He allowed it to happen again.  Thank god that didn't cost the game.  Could you imagine if KC drives down the field and wins 27-24?  I would 100% be losing my ***** because those 3 points they negligently gave up.

[US Egg]

This thread becoming a bit negative like one after a loss isn’t uncommon after a win in here.

 

…...but after winning in K.C. less than 24 hrs. ago? 
 

🤪

[Bills2022]

1 minute ago, JDHillFan said:

Still waiting for a signature win. 

 

The only signature win when you have the best roster in football is the Super Bowl.  After 6 games we know 1 thing, the Bills are the best team in the NFL.  Anything less than a world championship will be a huge failure.  

[Real McClappy]

1 minute ago, BillyBilliams said:

He allowed it to happen again.  Thank god that didn't cost the game.  Could you imagine if KC drives down the field and wins 27-24?  I would 100% be losing my ***** because those 3 points they negligently gave up.

What is the % on hitting a 62 yard FG?

[BillyBilliams]

Just now, Real McNasty said:

What is the % on hitting a 62 yard FG?

Doesn't really matter.  They made another mistake and allowed KC to score with 12 seconds left in their own end of the field by giving up chunk plays.

[Alphadawg7]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Hey Dawg, is there some kind of measure of this that you're relying on?  My recollection is that in the early years his decision making was much more conservative.   Not that I cared; I think McDermott is always driven by what he thinks is the best way to win the game.   I think he's gotten more aggressive on decision making as his team has developed into a team that can handle adversity.   His defense, especially, seems to be really dependable late in games, and that allows him to take more chances offensively.   

 

 

He got a “conservative” label by default for being a defensive coach.  People wanted him fired before his first game.  
 

He came in and played to the strengths of the team and masked its weakness as best he could to take a miserably average roster into the playoffs.  During that season, while the 6th seed, he sat his 2 time pro bowl QB for a lowly drafted noodle arm QB.  That’s a bold move and aggressive move to try and improve the team rather than stick with what was working at that moment.  
 

Fans would never punt, never kick a FG, never do any smart football decisions.  But McD with a weak roster was winning us games compared to losing us games like all the previous regimes.  Yet because he was a defensive coach, they said he is conservative because this bias was already there and over looked what McD was working with.  
 

As soon as Josh Allen came the next season, the aggressive nature of McD was easily spotted.  We were a team with a raw rookie QB and terrible receivers and yet still going for it on fourth down, still trying to throw deep.  And he has never looked back.  We have been one of the most aggressive teams on fourth down since Allen came on to the scene.  
 

In Allens 2nd season, the first 10-12 games Allen was the worst deep ball thrower in the NFL.  At one point he was like 1 out of 50 on completions deep or something like that.  But we kept throwing deep anyway, he didn’t care, he still was aggressive in our approach.  
 

I was on here arguing and defending McD against conservative criticisms almost his entire tenure here.  
 

The problem is, when you start off with a bias view of an assumption he must be conservative if he was a defensive coach then all you do is look for confirmation bias to support that until it’s decisively proven wrong.  and that’s what a LOT of people did with him.  Then you get people just repeating this inaccurate narrative that he’s too conservative and others start to believe it too if it keeps getting repeated.  
 

But if you come in with no bias either way, it’s easier to take what you see on the field (and understand the “why” on what you are seeing) and form a thesis or opinion based on what he is showing you week to week.  And he has just not ever been a “conservative” coach IMHO.
 

 

12 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

I don't think that there's anything wrong with saying that McD was conservative at all.  Year 1 he had TT and Fromm as his QBs, and many other gaps on the roster.  Year 2 he was breaking in a new QB.  Kinda same with Year 3.

 

Has he evolved alongside the team?  Definitely.

But if you were paying attention those first three years it’s pretty easy to see he wasn't conservative.  

[TheCockSportif]

5 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

He got a “conservative” label by default for being a defensive coach.  People wanted him fired before his first game.  
 

He came in and played to the strengths of the team and masked its weakness as best he could to take a miserably average roster into the playoffs.  During that season, while the 6th seed, he sat his 2 time pro bowl QB for a lowly drafted noodle arm QB.  That’s a bold move and aggressive move to try and improve the team rather than stick with what was working at that moment.  
 

Fans would never punt, never kick a FG, never do any smart football decisions.  But McD with a weak roster was winning us games compared to losing us games like all the previous regimes.  Yet because he was a defensive coach, they said he is conservative because this bias was already there and over looked what McD was working with.  
 

As soon as Josh Allen came the next season, the aggressive nature of McD was easily spotted.  We were a team with a raw rookie QB and terrible receivers and yet still going for it on fourth down, still trying to throw deep.  And he has never looked back.  We have been one of the most aggressive teams on fourth down since Allen came on to the scene.  
 

In Allens 2nd season, the first 10-12 games Allen was the worst deep ball thrower in the NFL.  At one point he was like 1 out of 50 on completions deep or something like that.  But we kept throwing deep anyway, he didn’t care, he still was aggressive in our approach.  
 

I was on here arguing and defending McD against conservative criticisms almost his entire tenure here.  
 

The problem is, when you start off with a bias view of an assumption he must be conservative if he was a defensive coach then all you do is look for confirmation bias to support that until it’s decisively proven wrong.  and that’s what a LOT of people did with him.  Then you get people just repeating this inaccurate narrative that he’s too conservative and others start to believe it too if it keeps getting repeated.  
 

But if you come in with no bias either way, it’s easier to take what you see on the field (and understand the “why” on what you are seeing) and form a thesis or opinion based on what he is showing you week to week.  And he has just not ever been a “conservative” coach IMHO.
 

 

But if you were paying attention those first three years it’s pretty easy to see he wasn't conservative.  

But why does it matter if I perceive him as one who was conservative?  It shouldn't.  He is the spearhead of building a winning culture, regardless of how he got to where the Bills are right now.

 

[hemma]

If not for McDermott,  we’d probably be stumbling along every year at 7-9/8-8/9-7.

 

Anybody that wants to get rid of McDermott is a damned fool.