Let's hear it for Coach McDermott

[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.