The "McDermott Handicap" and hopefully a solution

[Brand J]

1 hour ago, BillsFan130 said:

I want McDermott gone at the end of the year but he deserves credit for this win.

 

Bills got a break by the refs which helped them for sure.

But How many times have the bills been on the wrong side of a bad call Which resulted in a loss?

Has to go both ways here

Bills weren’t on the wrong side of a bad call in this one, nor did they get a break. The much maligned call was the correct one, no matter how much complaining the Chiefs are doing. 

[Don Otreply]

22 minutes ago, section122 said:

 

Watching the replay and toney commits serious opi.  He ran straight into 2 defenders and that's what caused Kelce to be so open.

 

 

I know that Toney committed a penalty.  Are you suggesting there is another reason?  My post was meant to convey that McD cant even catch a break even when he wins.

It’s as if you didn’t read my post? I acknowledged that the D closed out the game with the second chance they got, which was all within the rules of the game, some here seem to pretend that the penalty on KC had zero bearing on the outcome. Likely just a misunderstanding between our posts intent, it’s all good, we won, that’s what counts. 
 

GO BILLS!!!

[mrags]

2 hours ago, peterpan said:

The McDermott Handicap - thats what I call it now.  Its the number of points McDermott will cost the team with about 4 mins left at half and the end of the game.  I really think its -5.5 or-6.5 points!!!!  Its becoming ridiculous how awkward this team plays in those situations.  We tend to leave points on the board before every half, or gift the other team an opportunity to score!  We blow two minute drills constantly, cant ever get a stop etc.

 

If you were an odds maker what would your McDermott Handicap be?

 

Against the Eagles we played so conservative, using 2 TOs on defense, then taking a knee with 20 seconds and one (but could have been 3) timeouts left.  All you need is a FG but you chose overtime?!?!?!

 

Then against the chiefs - completely different situation.  We get a 1st down due to penalty, with 2:13 left in the game on the 25ish yard line.  RUN THE BALL is the obvious choice......  No, 3 straight pass!!  Huh!?!  We have this defensive coach who lost the game being too conservative last week.  He should be wetting his pants for the opportunity to run it 3 times and kick the FG.  But then its all passes!?!?!  And before you say the swing pass is like a long handoff blah blah blah - the chiefs blew that play up 3-4 times that game.  It didn't work once.  and was super awkward, our staff has no feel for the game.  No inclination of whats working, whats not, and no situational awareness of any kind..  

 

On defense, again no feel.  Its either full out prevent defense, or all out blitz.  Over and over and over again.  Dude, find a happy medium.  Maybe, i don't know, don't call the same all out blitz ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY?!?!?  The show all out bitz and then all out blitz.  Eventually these teams beat the all out blitz and score - We lost the Broncos game with that one.  We could try, maybe, disguising a blitz?  Or Blitzing every other play??  

 

Which leads me to....

 

McDermott has no feel for these situations.  He is like that super socially awkward guy, who never knows what to say in a group.  Everyone knows someone like that....and that's the football equivalent to McDermott.  Post game McD said he watched every single 2 minute drill in every nfl game in the last 6 years, trying to find tendencies.  Wow man, love the dedication, but that's sad.  Thats like an awkward guy watching every episode of Friends trying to get less socially awkward.  Just sad.

 

 

Watching Michigan this year gave me an idea.  Harbaugh is their head coach, but was suspended for a number of games.  Harbaugh was allowed to coach during the week, but couldnt be on the sidelines for gameday.  So one of their assistants was "Acting" head coach for those games.  Thats what we need - we need to hire a "Game Day" coach who would relive McD of Head Coach decisions on gameday.  Someone who has a feel for the game, situational football and what's working that day at that moment.   Someone who wont abandon the run for 2-3 quarters at a time.  Someone who knows when to play conservative and when to be aggressive.  I think McDermott would benefit A LOT from a guy like that. 

You hit it with bad situational awareness. Like you said he should have been creaming in his pants to run it and didn’t. Maybe it was Brady. Maybe it was McD. Either way it’s on McD to make sure that’s what the call is there. I get that it was a high % play to Diggs that didn’t go well. But then you’re in a hole and need to pass. Should have been a run on first down. Or at least an RPO where Allen can diagnose what’s best based on the defensive looks. 
 

I said it in an other thread. We won and I give him credit for it. It felt really good and we were the better team all game. But man it kinda felt lucky too with how things played out at the end of the game. 
 

I’ve been saying it for a while now. This season will all come down to Allen. Can he rise up and win despite the defense and his HC stealing away games. Sucks that it has to be all on him. But it does. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

When you’re saying things like ‘run the ball is the obvious choice’ you don’t think the defense is thinking the same thing as you? lol

 

You need a td at any cost there…running the ball for a 1 yard gain does nothing good.  There was no situation where we could’ve iced the clock and kicked a fg 

 

you can criticize McDermott for plenty of other games but I really think y’all are reaching here 

7 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

It’s as if you didn’t read my post? I acknowledged that the D closed out the game with the second chance they got, which was all within the rules of the game, some here seem to pretend that the penalty on KC had zero bearing on the outcome. Likely just a misunderstanding between our posts intent, it’s all good, we won, that’s what counts. 
 

GO BILLS!!!

It’s probably a philosophical thing…to me that’s essentially a presnap penalty so this cool lateral td play never even happened.  I wouldn’t refer to the stop we got as a ‘second chance’ at all personally 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Generic_Bills_Fan

[BillsFan130]

15 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

Bills weren’t on the wrong side of a bad call in this one, nor did they get a break. The much maligned call was the correct one, no matter how much complaining the Chiefs are doing. 

For sure I agree 

[harmonkillebrew]

He got lucky last night. Tried to piss the game away again, but got bailed out.

 

Not kicking a FG before the end of the 1st half.

Horrible clock management and play calls to close out the game. 

We were set up to salvage defeat from the jaws of victory again.

I have no confidence in this coaching staff or team to win close games. 

[Teddy KGB]

23 minutes ago, JerseyBills said:

We could win the sb and ppl will still complain and want McD fired.. 

 

What’s the point of this comment ?   Have you not watched Mcclappy blow the chiefs playoff game, the bengals backup OL game, and the 10 games where Josh Allen saved his ass on some hero ball moment.   
 

if he ever won a SB, he wouldn’t have this 💩💩💩stigma around him 

 

Non Bills fans all over think he should be toast before Allen’s whole career is wasted 

[entropyrules]

35 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Actually they have worked a lot...how can you have watched Bills games and not seen them picking up a bunch of first downs using them or gaining 7-8 yards on first downs or even moving the chains with like a 12-15 yard gain? It's the "free access" part of the ARPO plays they run.

sorry i totally disagree.....since you seem to know more than I can you provide a % of plays that were greater than 3 yards using that same swing/screen pass they used against KC versus the same number used overall for this season...it could simply be confirmation bias on my part where I only recall the failed plays. Note that i am not talking about swing passes to  single back (mainly Cook) out in the flat. I am referring to those where they have at least two and sometime three blockers set up at the line of scrimmage where Diggs or say Harty are getting the ball.

[Big Turk]

3 minutes ago, entropyrules said:

sorry i totally disagree.....since you seem to know more than I can you provide a % of plays that were greater than 3 yards using that same swing/screen pass they used against KC versus the same number used overall for this season...it could simply be confirmation bias on my part where I only recall the failed plays. Note that i am not talking about swing passes to  single back (mainly Cook) out in the flat. I am referring to those where they have at least two and sometime three blockers set up at the line of scrimmage where Diggs or say Harty are getting the ball.

 

No I can't because I am not going to go back and watch every game where they run that play because you can't remember what you have watched during the season.  That's your work to do if you want to correct that false narrative you have in your mind.

[Draconator]

There is some really nice comedy gold here

[peterpan]

17 minutes ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

When you’re saying things like ‘run the ball is the obvious choice’ you don’t think the defense is thinking the same thing as you? lol

 

You need a td at any cost there…running the ball for a 1 yard gain does nothing good.  There was no situation where we could’ve iced the clock and kicked a fg 

 

Obviously the Defense is expecting a run.  You still can run the ball.  That's what 99% of teams would do and there is a reason for it. 

 

No you don't NEED a TD - what you need is a First Down, because there WAS a situation where we could eat the entire clock.  With ONE first down.  Then you kick the FG from inside the 20 as time expires.  Never give the Chiefs the ball back. 

 

Not to mention, our run game was great last night.  Our passing game was lacking.  Going with our strength at that moment would have been going to the run.  Especially when you have Josh Allen who can do a QB lead or Draw or Sweep. I'm not against passing it there at some point, but 3 pass is ridiculous in that specific situation and with how the game played out all night. 

 

Again no awareness from this staff. 

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, peterpan said:

Why so serious?  Im not even being hard on McD.  Im just saying he costs us points repeatedly and a solution might be to hire a game day coach to help him out. 

 

I think every fanbase in the NFL has a similar opinion of their coach.  It's always easier when you get 24 hours to sleep on it to come up with "all the things you would have done different in the moment" but far harder when you are actually in the moment. Fans also don't even know what they don't know when it comes to what goes into those decisions many times.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Big Turk

[Nextmanup]

Funny this topic comes up.  Sean McDermott, simply by being the HC of this team, will cost us 1.5 to 3 losses per season. 

 

Other coaches are worth WINS.

 

He is good for a few losses you wouldn't have had.

 

I truly believe that.

 

 

[peterpan]

56 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Actually they have worked a lot...how can you have watched Bills games and not seen them picking up a bunch of first downs using them or gaining 7-8 yards on first downs or even moving the chains with like a 12-15 yard gain? It's the "free access" part of the ARPO plays they run.

Im speaking specifically to how well they [didnt] work in this game.  Not how well they may have worked in other games.  

 

Thats kinda my point.  McD needs to get a feel for the game, each game is different.  Sometimes Diggs is unstoppable.  Sometimes he is a ghost.  Sometimes we cant run the ball, other times our running game is the best option.  

 

McD/the staff should have known the screens were blown up a few times earlier in the game, and not tried the square peg round hole thing.

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

I think every fanbase in the NFL has a similar opinion of their coach.  It's always easier when you get 24 hours to sleep on it to come up with "all the things you would have done different in the moment" but far harder when you are actually in the moment. Fans also don't even know what they don't know when it comes to what goes into those decisions many times.

Maybe in some tough decisions.  But 1st and 10 at the 25 with 2:13 left and to not call a single running play?  Thats like pop warner leveling DUH!!!

 

 

MCD is so awkward, he seemingly cant differentiate between different in game scenarios.  "Last week vrs Philly i wasn't aggressive and we lost.  this week I be aggressive and win!!"  when the situations dont call for the same football. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by peterpan

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

3 hours ago, Teddy KGB said:

Mcchoker gotta go 

 

Toney ain’t gonna save his ass every week 

I am sour on McDermott too, but he had a solid defensive game plan and held the Chiefs to 17 points. You gotta give credit where it’s due. 

Edited December 11, 2023 by ChronicAndKnuckles

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

3 minutes ago, peterpan said:

Obviously the Defense is expecting a run.  You still can run the ball.  That's what 99% of teams would do and there is a reason for it. 

 

No you don't NEED a TD - what you need is a First Down, because there WAS a situation where we could eat the entire clock.  With ONE first down.  Then you kick the FG from inside the 20 as time expires.  Never give the Chiefs the ball back. 

 

Not to mention, our run game was great last night.  Our passing game was lacking.  Going with our strength at that moment would have been going to the run.  Especially when you have Josh Allen who can do a QB lead or Draw or Sweep. I'm not against passing it there at some point, but 3 pass is ridiculous in that specific situation and with how the game played out all night. 

 

Again no awareness from this staff. 

99% is a MASSIVE exaggeration.  Not to mention the chiefs had two timeouts to call on the other side of the two minute warning.  Then what do you do run twice?  Great you went obvious run when the defense was expecting it, obvious run when the defense was expecting it, obvious pass on third down. And then all the armchair OCs complain anyway because you did a predictable run run pass series 

 

first down…touchdown…same argument…you call your best plays to get the first.  A run or two that get stuffed do absolutely nothing for you with kc having two timeouts and the two minute warning 

 

if we ran once or twice and got stuffed there y’all would’ve complained McDermott tried to game the clock to leave kc no time rather than score because he didn’t trust his defense.  

[schoolhouserock]

34 minutes ago, harmonkillebrew said:

He got lucky last night. Tried to piss the game away again, but got bailed out.

 

Not kicking a FG before the end of the 1st half.

Horrible clock management and play calls to close out the game. 

We were set up to salvage defeat from the jaws of victory again.

I have no confidence in this coaching staff or team to win close games. 

Are you referring to the offensive play calls on the Bills’ final drive?

[NI Bills Fan]

3 hours ago, peterpan said:

 

 

 

Watching Michigan this year gave me an idea.  Harbaugh is their head coach, but was suspended for a number of games.  Harbaugh was allowed to coach during the week, but couldnt be on the sidelines for gameday.  So one of their assistants was "Acting" head coach for those games.  Thats what we need - we need to hire a "Game Day" coach who would relive McD of Head Coach decisions on gameday.  Someone who has a feel for the game, situational football and what's working that day at that moment.   Someone who wont abandon the run for 2-3 quarters at a time.  Someone who knows when to play conservative and when to be aggressive.  I think McDermott would benefit A LOT from a guy like that. 

 

I think we already did this:

 

https://buffalobills.com/team/coaches-roster/marc-lubick

 

He doesn't appear to be offering much in the way of help to McDermott in key situations/decision making.

Edited December 11, 2023 by NI Bills Fan

[Low Positive]

Some of you people need to buy some of this. Just head on down to your local Hills

 

[JerseyBills]

This is AWESOME 

 

[section122]

1 hour ago, Don Otreply said:

It’s as if you didn’t read my post? I acknowledged that the D closed out the game with the second chance they got, which was all within the rules of the game, some here seem to pretend that the penalty on KC had zero bearing on the outcome. Likely just a misunderstanding between our posts intent, it’s all good, we won, that’s what counts. 
 

GO BILLS!!!

 

It was indeed a misunderstanding I wasn't sure if you were being sarcastic or not.  No worries!

 

As you said, the d closed out a game (finally!) and I think they should get their due.  Not an asinine thread about the "McD handicap" (the coach with the best win % in team history) so perhaps I was a little sensitive lol.

[Royale with Cheese]

3 hours ago, section122 said:

Even when he wins....

 

On the road at the Super Bowl champs house in front of a national audience.

 

I don’t like a lot of things about McDermott but some people are just vile towards him.  Its such a childish act.

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, peterpan said:

Im speaking specifically to how well they [didnt] work in this game.  Not how well they may have worked in other games.  

 

Thats kinda my point.  McD needs to get a feel for the game, each game is different.  Sometimes Diggs is unstoppable.  Sometimes he is a ghost.  Sometimes we cant run the ball, other times our running game is the best option.  

 

McD/the staff should have known the screens were blown up a few times earlier in the game, and not tried the square peg round hole thing.

Maybe in some tough decisions.  But 1st and 10 at the 25 with 2:13 left and to not call a single running play?  Thats like pop warner leveling DUH!!!

 

 

MCD is so awkward, he seemingly cant differentiate between different in game scenarios.  "Last week vrs Philly i wasn't aggressive and we lost.  this week I be aggressive and win!!"  when the situations dont call for the same football. 

 

Did you ever consider the plays are being run to set up something like this later in the game?  As I said...most fans don't even know what they don't know. That is about as open as you'll ever be in the NFL. Precisely because the entire D bit on the screen to Diggs they had run multiple times prior.  An extra split second and that is a TD...

 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Big Turk

[Royale with Cheese]

5 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Did you ever consider the plays are being run to set up something like this later in the game?  As I said...most fans don't even know what they don't know. That is about as open as you'll ever be in the NFL. Precisely because the entire D bit on the screen to Diggs they had run multiple times prior.  An extra split second and that is a TD...

 

 

 

100%.  They don't have a clue and then determine what was wrong lol.

 

I knew this play was coming but didn't know when we missed it because we are watching the broadcast view.

Very similar to our first TD to Davis against the Dolphins.

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

100%.  They don't have a clue and then determine what was wrong lol.

 

I knew this play was coming but didn't know when we missed it because we are watching the broadcast view.

Very similar to our first TD to Davis against the Dolphins.

if you didn't see how open davis was on broadcast them cutting to him throwing a temper tantrum on the sideline should have been an indication lol

[Royale with Cheese]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

if you didn't see how open davis was on broadcast them cutting to him throwing a temper tantrum on the sideline should have been an indication lol

 

I followed where Allen threw the ball.  I didn't see the cutting to Davis because I was helping my son with his homework and would take my eyes off the screen when the play was over.  

[GoBills808]

Just now, Royale with Cheese said:

 

I followed where Allen threw the ball.  I didn't see the cutting to Davis because I was helping my son with his homework and would take my eyes off the screen when the play was over.  

slacker

[Royale with Cheese]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

slacker

 

Did you know that the snow that used in Wizard of Oz was asbestos?  

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Did you know that the snow that used in Wizard of Oz was asbestos?  

i didnt know theatre class gave homework

[Royale with Cheese]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

i didnt know theatre class gave homework

 

Did I ever tell you I once auditioned for a McDonald's and Wrigley's gum commercial?  I didn't get it, or even a call back but I was there.

[Augie]

4 hours ago, section122 said:

Even when he wins....

 

 

I can’t take the name callers seriously. It feels like elementary school around here with some folks. 

[Einstein]

30 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Did you ever consider the plays are being run to set up something like this later in the game?  As I said...most fans don't even know what they don't know. That is about as open as you'll ever be in the NFL. Precisely because the entire D bit on the screen to Diggs they had run multiple times prior.  An extra split second and that is a TD...

 

I’m skeptical.

 

If they were setting that up all game, why did Allen never look his direction.

[GoBills808]

9 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Did I ever tell you I once auditioned for a McDonald's and Wrigley's gum commercial?  I didn't get it, or even a call back but I was there.

i believe you, thats very impressive

[The Firebaugh Kid]

We were going insane watching it....after the illegal contact/first down with just over 2 minutes left, they called three straight pass plays. If they end up losing I think that sequence is used to validate the firing of Sean McDermott. You have to force the other team to use their timeouts while simultaneously moving the ball and trying to get the first downs. 

[LABILLBACKER]

47 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

 

Did you know that the snow that used in Wizard of Oz was asbestos?  

That's why the Emerald City had a dome.

[Einstein]

1 hour ago, Royale with Cheese said:

On the road at the Super Bowl champs house in front of a national audience.

 

I don’t like a lot of things about McDermott but some people are just vile towards him.  Its such a childish act.

 

The McD hate is out of control.

 

That being said, it’s hard not to consider that the only reason his defense didn’t fail AGAIN in crunch time is because the opponent lined up incorrectly.

 

I’ve been having a hard time today reconciling that with the glee of the win.

[DCofNC]

4 hours ago, Dopey said:

That first pass was a short screen pass right in the hands of Diggs. He just dropped it. Blame him, if anyone. He catches a short screen pass and we get to the 2 minute warning. After a while some of you HAVE to realize players are making mistakes. It’s so lazy to keep blaming coaches and give players a pass. 

As a coach, it’s your job to put the players in the best position to succeed, by throwing the ball, you know, any thing that doesn’t go right, you out the team in a hole by not getting to the 2 minute warning.  If you are going to go for a pass there, it needs to be to take advantage of the Chiefs having everyone in the middle of the field, punish them and go for the end zone.  Going for an extended handoff is not smart.  That’s on Brady.  At very least they should have run the ball outside with Cook and hope for something to happen, let it get to 2 mins OR force KC to waste a time out.  They accomplished none of it and THEN ran two more passing plays, unit less than 20 seconds of clock, giving KC the ball back with entirely too much time.  This was poor game management and if you can’t see it, there’s really no hope for you.

[peterpan]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

 

Did you ever consider the plays are being run to set up something like this later in the game?  As I said...most fans don't even know what they don't know. That is about as open as you'll ever be in the NFL. Precisely because the entire D bit on the screen to Diggs they had run multiple times prior.  An extra split second and that is a TD...

 

 

Yes I was well aware of the fake they ran.  And it was surprising considering how hard the Chiefs had been crashing on the screen all game.

 

I also am well aware that josh has the option to hand it inside to cook on those plays and did that throughout the game too.  

 

And all things considered I still think it was a stupid risky call in this game at that time.  

So no one else has put up what their guess at the MCd Handicap number should be?  -2.5?? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[section122]

55 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I can’t take the name callers seriously. It feels like elementary school around here with some folks. 

 

The worst is that they think they are so clever.  Thank you for putting into words exactly what has bothered me about it, it is so childish.  What adult calls someone names?

 

8 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

The McD hate is out of control.

 

That being said, it’s hard not to consider that the only reason his defense didn’t fail AGAIN in crunch time is because the opponent lined up incorrectly.

 

I’ve been having a hard time today reconciling that with the glee of the win.

 

Well that and it was an illegal pick play that wasn't called.  

 

I do understand your trepidation though.  The Bills survived this one and sometimes that's all it is.  Think about before the game with the hand wringing that the Bills couldn't win 1 score games, the d couldn't make a stop. The Bills always do something stupid in crunch time. Etc...

 

That penalty didn't happen on 4th down.  The Bills won a 1 score game on the road in a huge spot against the super bowl champs.  This wasn't getting away with 1 like the Giants game.  The defense earned that stop.  The opposition did something stupid and it cost them.  Hopefully you can enjoy that part of it! 

[section122]

2 minutes ago, peterpan said:

So no one else has put up what their guess at the MCd Handicap number should be?  -2.5?? Anyone? Bueller?

 

 

McD has the 23rd best winning percentage as a HC of all time.  If you limit it to people who coached at least 100 games or in the Super Bowl era he moves to 17th best win % for both of those demarcations.

 

He has the 5th best win % of current NFL coaches.

 

He isn't perfect but no HC is. 

 

There is no handicap with him as HC.