WGR Discussing McD's job security

[Virgil]

Was listening to WGR yesterday and someone called into ask what Schoop and Bulldog would need to see happen for McD to get fired after this season.  There answer and reasoning honestly surprised me, and also seemed like a course correction from prior years from them.

 

They both stated that the Bills switching to the new stadium next year should prevent McD from being fired under most circumstances, even missing the playoffs.  They both stated that a catastrophic PR issue or the entire team falling off a cliff could change things, but that's about it.

 

I know we have a thread about McD every year,  and even I've been thinking about this more since last years playoff exit.  To me, if we get knocked out of the playoffs again and the defense is the main reason why (giving up 25+ points again), then I think it's time to move on from McD.  I'm not a McD hater by any means.  I will always be grateful for the culture he's brought to this team and the winning we've since pulling us from the drought.  However, if our D (his specialty) fails us again, then I feel very confident to say that McD has taken us as far as he can as a coach.  It doesn't mean he's a bad coach, just means he's not a Superbowl caliber coach.  I know McD would get hired almost immediately by another team that is looking to recreate the Buffalo success and we would be taking a chance on anyone else.  But I also believe we would have our choice of HC candidates.  

 

I guess I'm just at the point where these playoffs losses haven't been talent related so much as they've been outcoached and outschemed.  We put so much focus on the defensive roster over the years, especially this year, that it's time to put up or shut up.  If not, then we are just defining insanity by running it back.

[SectionC3]

He took out Baltimore last year and was a couple of pretty lousy calls away from taking down KC.  I haven’t been the biggest McD proponent over the years, but he brings stability and a high degree of competence.  I thought the Ty Dunne article might do him in, but it only made him better and stronger.  It would have to be a disaster for him to get canned.  (Disaster includes, for example, a broken relationship with 17.)

[Ethan in Cleveland]

SuperBowl or bust for me. Honestly if he got outcoached in the SuperBowl I'd move on too. He should have been let go after 13 seconds and if Hamlin hadn't died he should have been fired after the Bengals playoff loss. 

Why would a new stadium have anything to do with the GM or HC decision? That makes no logical sense either way. 

Beane has given him every tool to work with. Josh is at the apex of his career and there are precious few years left of his elite play. 

Reality is if they make the playoffs and lose again he isn't going to get fired. We are stuck with him. Only a catastrophic season would make Pegula move on.

[Virgil]

Just now, SectionC3 said:

He took out Baltimore last year and was a couple of pretty lousy calls away from taking down KC.  I haven’t been the biggest McD proponent over the years, but he brings stability and a high degree of competence.  I thought the Ty Dunne article might do him in, but it only made him better and stronger.  It would have to be a disaster for him to get canned.  (Disaster includes, for example, a broken relationship with 17.)

 

I'm not arguing with any of that.  We just seem to be on the other end of these "Calls" or random plays too much.

 

Let me ask you this.  If we got the 1 seed and lost to KC at home in the AFC championship this year, 38-35 because we couldn't get a stop, sack, or turnover.  Would you want to keep McD?  For me, I know that's a great season, but I'd be ready to try something different.  

[blitzboy54]

6 minutes ago, Virgil said:

Was listening to WGR yesterday and someone called into ask what Schoop and Bulldog would need to see happen for McD to get fired after this season.  There answer and reasoning honestly surprised me, and also seemed like a course correction from prior years from them.

 

They both stated that the Bills switching to the new stadium next year should prevent McD from being fired under most circumstances, even missing the playoffs.  They both stated that a catastrophic PR issue or the entire team falling off a cliff could change things, but that's about it.

 

I know we have a thread about McD every year,  and even I've been thinking about this more since last years playoff exit.  To me, if we get knocked out of the playoffs again and the defense is the main reason why (giving up 25+ points again), then I think it's time to move on from McD.  I'm not a McD hater by any means.  I will always be grateful for the culture he's brought to this team and the winning we've since pulling us from the drought.  However, if our D (his specialty) fails us again, then I feel very confident to say that McD has taken us as far as he can as a coach.  It doesn't mean he's a bad coach, just means he's not a Superbowl caliber coach.  I know McD would get hired almost immediately by another team that is looking to recreate the Buffalo success and we would be taking a chance on anyone else.  But I also believe we would have our choice of HC candidates.  

 

I guess I'm just at the point where these playoffs losses haven't been talent related so much as they've been outcoached and outschemed.  We put so much focus on the defensive roster over the years, especially this year, that it's time to put up or shut up.  If not, then we are just defining insanity by running it back.

 

Add to that Ross Tuckers point that we never get the one seed because he loses too many games he should win. Denver MNF being the worst example. 

 

I don't think they would move on. I do think we would have had a least a conf championship or 2 under a different coach. I also believe we could do a lot worse. 

 

For me we are potentially living a different kind of 7-9, not good enough to get us over the top but not bad enough to fire. 

[corta765]

His time in the hour glass is running but to me he has through 2026-27 outside of some incredibly bizzare or awful implosion. Beane really spent to improve the defense with what resources he had so finally the D can maybe do its job come playoff time. Last years playoffs with Benford out really missed up the secondary and the depth was not nearly as strong so I do not fully get on McD's defense for that. I actually think in 2023 he legit coached well vs KC given the injuries on D and the gameplan was very specific if you were going to beat KC which they almost did and came down to a few narrow misses. BUT 2020-2022 is all on him and at some point the excuses are out, the defense needs to step up for how good the offense has been in elimination minus the CIN game.

[shane nelson]

Every coach is always under the microscope and as BP says "You are only as good as your record says you are ". One of the Bills strengths under Terry Pegula is stability.  I don't see McD being fired unless their record is poor or we dont make the playoffs.    

[SoonerBillsFan]

He has through nextseason,but if he can't get to a superbowl by the end of the 1st season in the new stadium...  he needs to go.

[Scott7975]

The only thing I put on McD is the 13 seconds catastrophe. No coach should have allowed that to happen. Pretty big thing but McD is one of the best coaches in the league.

Edited 2 hours ago by Scott7975

[Cheektowaga Chad]

To me it really depends on how the defense plays this season 

 

If it's more of the same, beats bad QBs, gets destroyed by good ones 

 

You have to seriously think about moving on

 

Last season legitimately gave me hope about his coaching as previously I've wanted him gone since the Houston playoff game

[jwhit34]

Probably as close to 0% chance of this happening and for good reason:

• Start with who is better. I can think of 4 probably for sure: Reid, McVay, Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell.
• Then maybe most would say John Harbaugh and Sean Payton, though McDermott has as good or a better track record over the past 10 years. Both of them have Super Bowl wins over 10 years ago, but how relevant is that? I'd say push to slightly better.
• There would be a couple, like Dan Campbell and maybe Sirianni, that some would favor but I think those are a push at best.

Common thread with all of the above? They aren't going to be available probably ever. 

 

So if you could upgrade that would be good. Otherwise you're taking a shot with a hot coordinator or a retread or a college coach and hoping for a better result. All of those would be a crapshoot. 

 

The Bills are arguably the 2nd or 3rd most successful team in the past 6 years (KC, Philly). McDermott and Beane are going nowhere and that is the right thing.

[Charles Romes]

If you are looking to give him a pass look to the Tre white in his prime injury which had a devastating impact on three seasons. There are only a handful of true lockdown CBs in the league at any time and he was one of them. If you have one, you build much of your defense around him. You don’t see too many teams win it all losing a top 5 player at a key position. 

[RobbRiddick]

McD is a great coach, no doubt. And great coaches are hard to find, like top franchise QBs. If he did leave the Bills and walked into a job with a perennial loser like the Jets or Browns I think he'd turn them around pretty quickly. You could say he lucked into having Josh as his QB but let's not forget he got the Bills to the playoffs in year 1 when Josh was still in college.

 

Our problem is if they did fire him for only achieving the status quo again, we could end up with a guy much worse and then they'll be kicking themselves that they cut ties with him. Part of this comes from having a 17 year playoff drought. If we were a team with a stronger history of winning maybe they'd be more likely to pull the pin but I feel like the Bills as an organisation see themselves as the geeky high school virgin who lucked into getting a hot girlfriend and is too scared to dump her even when she starts to become a pain in the a$$

[Captain Hindsight]

I have it on very good authority,  that McDermott is absolutely loved by Terry Pegula He isn't going anywhere.

[Virgil]

6 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

Probably as close to 0% chance of this happening and for good reason:

• Start with who is better. I can think of 4 probably for sure: Reid, McVay, Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell.
• Then maybe most would say John Harbaugh and Sean Payton, though McDermott has as good or a better track record over the past 10 years. Both of them have Super Bowl wins over 10 years ago, but how relevant is that? I'd say push to slightly better.
• There would be a couple, like Dan Campbell and maybe Sirianni, that some would favor but I think those are a push at best.

Common thread with all of the above? They aren't going to be available probably ever. 

 

So if you could upgrade that would be good. Otherwise you're taking a shot with a hot coordinator or a retread or a college coach and hoping for a better result. All of those would be a crapshoot. 

 

The Bills are arguably the 2nd or 3rd most successful team in the past 6 years (KC, Philly). McDermott and Beane are going nowhere and that is the right thing.

 

Your reasoning is why I have been good with keeping McD until now.  However, I think I've reached the point where we would have to try anything different if the outcome remains the same.  Could we take a step back with someone unproven?  Yes.  But we would also know that we can't take a step forward with McD, so you have to rip that band aid.  

[SectionC3]

It all depends.  Context is important.  If it’s like the divisional round loss to KC, which was a masterpiece by McD given the injuries, then yes.  If our 1s get creamed by their 2s because Mahomes, Rice, etc. are out, then maybe it falls into the “disaster” category.  

[Logic]

Nick Wright's comments really hit me this morning.

He showed a list of the 30 QBs in NFL history with 6+ playoff wins. 

29 of them have appeared in a Super Bowl. 1 has not, and it's Josh Allen.

He also showed the list of head coaches with 6+ playoff wins to never make a Super Bowl. It's just McDermott and Chuck Knox. That's it.

I have to be honest...it gave me pause. It made me think. I'm not sure how many more "lose to the Chiefs by 3 points in a divisional round or AFCCG" game I can take. At some point, as hard as it is to contemplate, a head coach change would have to be considered.

The problem, as I see it, is I'm not so sure I have faith in Pegula and co to pick an upgrade at head coach, let alone one that gets along as synergetically with Brandon Beane. 

I'm firmly somewhere in between "one or two more years of playoff exits in KC should mean the axe for McD" and "Be careful what you wish for, look at the Sabres".

Ugh.

[Mikie2times]

13 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

Probably as close to 0% chance of this happening and for good reason:

• Start with who is better. I can think of 4 probably for sure: Reid, McVay, Shanahan and Kevin O'Connell.
• Then maybe most would say John Harbaugh and Sean Payton, though McDermott has as good or a better track record over the past 10 years. Both of them have Super Bowl wins over 10 years ago, but how relevant is that? I'd say push to slightly better.
• There would be a couple, like Dan Campbell and maybe Sirianni, that some would favor but I think those are a push at best.

Common thread with all of the above? They aren't going to be available probably ever. 

 

So if you could upgrade that would be good. Otherwise you're taking a shot with a hot coordinator or a retread or a college coach and hoping for a better result. All of those would be a crapshoot. 

 

The Bills are arguably the 2nd or 3rd most successful team in the past 6 years (KC, Philly). McDermott and Beane are going nowhere and that is the right thing.

People think this is the question at hand but it really isn't. If prolonged success / consistency are most important you, McDermott isn't going to be beat. The question is can he elevate us to a Super Bowl. Nobody knows that. Lesser coaches have elevated teams to a Super Bowl. Doug Pederson is an example, but history is littered with them. In such a move you aren't targeting better. You're targeting different. Then you're counting on your MVP quarterback to bring the consistency and longer term winning. Which he will. 

 

Either way, McD isn't going anywhere. Super Bowl or not, probably ever. It would take something off the radar. 

[HappyDays]

I just want all the defensive investments from this offseason to mean something when it matters. If it's same old same old in the playoffs this year, then what was the point? With all that investment and a defensive head coach, we really should expect a top 5 defense.

[Albany,n.y.]

Who do you think would be better than McDermott?  Remember 2 things: 1) McDermott is the only coach with no prior NFL(AFL) coaching experience who has ever been successful in Buffalo.  2)No coach has ever won another Super Bowl with a different team.  

 

So unless you can come up with a candidate who has HC experience who has never won a Super Bowl, you're likely getting a guy who is a downgrade from McDermott.  Just about anyone you come up with is a crap-shoot.  

 

I prefer to stick with McDermott as long as he has the locker room.  The only way I would fire him would be if he lost the players, something that has not happened yet.  

 

You fire McDermott, you might just end up with someone  like this guy: