McDermott decision making

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, BillsFan130 said:

They did give him the ball and they got stuffed twice in a row because the whole world knew they were running it, especially on 1st down.

 

Not going to nitpick too much as it's impossible to be perfect as a play caller. But I just think a play action in that situation should have been a no brainer, and it goes back to to the root of Joe Brady does not use play action nearly enough

 

They didn't run it twice. First down was a swing pass to Cook in the flat for 2. They then ran it on 2nd and 8. Which was a perfectly reasonable call and you are resulting by believing it was a mistake. The Dolphins just made a play. Their guys get paid too.

2 hours ago, chris heff said:

Before the play, I said to my wife that they should go right at one of those guys. I don’t believe that is second guessing. Are you disagreeing that the prevailing philosophy of OC is to go at a guy coming in cold because of injury? Is that what you’re finding nonsensical?

 

I'm finding nonsensical moaning about handing it off to Cook when the whole first half and all of last week that is our most effective means of moving the football. The reason it is that is because he is our best weapon aside from Allen. 

[BillsFan130]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

They didn't run it twice. First down was a swing pass to Cook in the flat for 2. They then ran it on 2nd and 8. Which was a perfectly reasonable call and you are resulting by believing it was a mistake. The Dolphins just made a play. Their guys get paid too.

My apologies, you're right as yes it was a swing pass.

 

Running 2nd and long into a crowded box will never be a reasonable call in my books though when Josh Allen is your QB and you're playing the worst secondary in the NFL 

[QLBillsFan]

5 hours ago, djp14150 said:

Assuming it woukd be ruled incomplete….

 

that play was at Buffalo 41. They challenge and win, dolphins likely go for it. If that was on their own 30, he challenges and they punt.

Thats fine. So they go for it.. Bills stop them massive momentum swing. If they make it so be it. 

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

My apologies, you're right as yes it was a swing pass.

 

Running 2nd and long into a crowded box will never be a reasonable call in my books though when Josh Allen is your QB and you're playing the worst secondary in the NFL 

 

But James Cook is also your running back. And the most explosive weapon on your team. 

 

Again, I wish the team wasn't built in such a way where the most explosive weapon was a back not a receiver. But it is what it is. Brady has to call plays for the guys he has not the guys he wishes he had.

[HappyDays]

10 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

I don’t know if the Hill catch would have been overturned it was very close . He bobbled it but I’m not sure if the foot wasn’t still on the ground when he got reposition. It was also incredibly early in the game so McDermott might have thought it was too close and too early to take that chance of losing one 

 

I agree, I'm surprised there has been so much uproar about that non-challenge. During the game watching the slow motion replay back it looked to me like his first foot was still touching the ground when he regained possession. Then I looked in the live game thread and everyone was saying he obviously didn't complete the catch? In any case that is not a call you feel confident they are going to overturn. They stick with the original ruling on the field if it isn't clear and obvious.

 

Edited September 20 by HappyDays

[BillsFan130]

6 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

But James Cook is also your running back. And the most explosive weapon on your team. 

 

Again, I wish the team wasn't built in such a way where the most explosive weapon was a back not a receiver. But it is what it is. Brady has to call plays for the guys he has not the guys he wishes he had.

I hear your point. But sometimes you just got to put the game in Josh Allen's hands. (See the ravens game)

 

Even on the Hawes TD. Nothing was really open. Just a special player making an amazing play.

 

Josh Allen is a unicorn who can make things happen even if WRs aren't open right off the bat

 

 

Edited September 20 by BillsFan130

[chris heff]

12 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

They didn't run it twice. First down was a swing pass to Cook in the flat for 2. They then ran it on 2nd and 8. Which was a perfectly reasonable call and you are resulting by believing it was a mistake. The Dolphins just made a play. Their guys get paid too.

 

I'm finding nonsensical moaning about handing it off to Cook when the whole first half and all of last week that is our most effective means of moving the football. The reason it is that is because he is our best weapon aside from Allen. 

So the fact that two DBs, on an all ready depleted secondary are injured, replaced and one replacement is an undrafted free agent, who has limited to no experience, which may be exploited, in your estimation is nonsense? 

[Lafromboise]

10 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

The only person in the organization that is not held accountable for lack of improvement is McDermott. 

It's not going to change until Josh is fed up losing in the playoffs. 

We just need to accept it. 

Love All the mixed signals you got 

[GunnerBill]

18 minutes ago, chris heff said:

So the fact that two DBs, on an all ready depleted secondary are injured, replaced and one replacement is an undrafted free agent, who has limited to no experience, which may be exploited, in your estimation is nonsense? 

 

Complaining about giving the ball to James Cook is what is nonsense. I am not telling you James Cook run was the only option in that spot. What I am saying is complaining about that being the call when it is the thing working best in the Bills offense right now is nonsensical. In the red area think players not plays, that's the rule. The Bills best players are Allen and Cook. 

[GunnerBill]

31 minutes ago, BillsFan130 said:

I hear your point. But sometimes you just got to put the game in Josh Allen's hands. (See the ravens game)

 

Even on the Hawes TD. Nothing was really open. Just a special player making an amazing play.

 

Josh Allen is a unicorn who can make things happen even if WRs aren't open right off the bat

 

For sure he is. But after Josh the next best thing the Bills have is James Cook (and by a distance). Calling a play for Cook there is never something that deserves the level of critcism some want to throw Brady's way. 

 

Indeed later in the game they called Josh's number in the deeper red area the play was a bust, they got lucky with the unnecessary roughness and then instead of getting cute with a 2nd opportunity they gave the ball to James Cook - touchdown. The kid had 16 last year. He has 4 already this. In terms of things we know work for the Buffalo Bills in the redzone giving the ball to James Cook is right up there with get Josh on the move. 

[GunnerBill]

9 hours ago, Low Positive said:

You mean two plays before the missed FG when Jones went out for a play? I just checked. It was Shavers out there wide to the left and Moore in the slot. Just to defend Brady a bit, at that point in the game Cook was getting 9 yards pretty much every time he touched the ball. 

 

And he is our best skill position player by a mile. In the redzone call plays for your best players. Could they have thrown it? Sure. Is running James Cook down there when he is our most reliable weapon ever a major mistake? No.

[ColoradoBills]

1 hour ago, BillsFan130 said:

 

Even on the Hawes TD. Nothing was really open. Just a special player making an amazing play.

 

That looked like a called option play for Josh to run and have the option to Hawes.

[BobbyC81]

15 hours ago, billvernsays said:

I hear you but QB slides are a little different IMO. He had the ball up the field the spot was at least a yard off from reality, I think at that point in the game getting to 3rd and inches (at least) was the right move but why don’t our reporters even ask the questions to him? 
 

He's big an accountability for everyone else it seems. 

Why do some of you keep talking about McD not having accountability?

 

Do you ever watch a post game interview?  When they lose or even if they don’t but there was a play/call/timeout that is questioned, the first thing he says is “It’s on me.  I’m the head coach.”

[ExiledInIllinois]

16 hours ago, gonzo1105 said:

I don’t know if the Hill catch would have been overturned it was very close . He bobbled it but I’m not sure if the foot wasn’t still on the ground when he got reposition. It was also incredibly early in the game so McDermott might have thought it was too close and too early to take that chance of losing one 

Only a first half timeout.  Expendable.

[HIT BY SPIKES]

22 hours ago, billvernsays said:

By not having a (good) process in place to challenge plays e.g. Tyreek’s Bobble, Josh Allen’s 1st down against the Ravens, we are at a big disadvantage especially when we play better teams/coaches. 
 

I see those 2 non challenges as big mistakes on Sean Mc and without timely mistakes from D Henry and The Dolphins we could easily be 1-2 vs 3-0.
 

Tonight I have McDermotts actions directly leading to 11 points for the dolphins (challenge would have put them 4th and 4 on the 1st drive - 7 points , and the bizarre time outs at the end of the half allowed Miami to go for a TD when they were content running the clock to keep Josh off the field - 4 extra points) Without that gift of the roughing the kicker penalty we could’ve easily lost last night because of these decisions. 
 

Does this concern anyone else or am I missing something? 

 

I am concerned.

 

I expect your post and my reply to be met by the usual regressive "circling of the wagons".

 

I appreciate we are a much much better team since Sean McCollapsy's arrival however when it comes to winning the BIG one, I don't see him as an asset in that pursuit.

 

His decision-making is a concern.

 

So too was the performance of HIS Defence last year and to a lessor extent this year given the fact we have poured a tremendous amount of draft capital and salary cap into that side of the ball.

 

An elite gifted franchise QB hides a lot of warts until it doesn't.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 20 by HIT BY SPIKES

[chris heff]

9 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

And he is our best skill position player by a mile. In the redzone call plays for your best players. Could they have thrown it? Sure. Is running James Cook down there when he is our most reliable weapon ever a major mistake? No.

Josh Allen is the Bills best skill position by a mile, your opinion is that in that situation you take the ball out of his hands and give it to Cook and any one who thinks otherwise, is thinking nonsense. Josh Allen is a first ballot HOFer, James Cook is a good running back that benefits from playing in an offense with Allen. Defenses can’t just focus on the run, if they do Allen will kill them. Allen’s presence opens things up for Cook. If the Bills score there and go up two TDs on Miami the rest of the game is goes differently. 

[Billzgobowlin]

Would McDermott be wrong on waisting a challenge when we need them later.  Part of challenging is understanding the necessity in the moment of the game. Momentum shifts and crucial plays.

[GunnerBill]

5 minutes ago, chris heff said:

Josh Allen is the Bills best skill position by a mile, your opinion is that in that situation you take the ball out of his hands and give it to Cook and any one who thinks otherwise, is thinking nonsense. Josh Allen is a first ballot HOFer, James Cook is a good running back that benefits from playing in an offense with Allen. Defenses can’t just focus on the run, if they do Allen will kill them. Allen’s presence opens things up for Cook. If the Bills score there and go up two TDs on Miami the rest of the game is goes differently. 

 

For sure Josh is the best player. Cook is the second best player (and he is better than just "good" that is established by now) there is a significant gap after them. I wouldn't have hated on them rolling Josh out there. I can't hate on them giving Cook the ball there. Either of those play calls were totally reasonable. The Dolphins made a play. It happens. It is resulting to claim it was a stupid play call.

[Bob in STL]

21 hours ago, billvernsays said:

By not having a (good) process in place to challenge plays e.g. Tyreek’s Bobble, Josh Allen’s 1st down against the Ravens, we are at a big disadvantage especially when we play better teams/coaches. 
 

I see those 2 non challenges as big mistakes on Sean Mc and without timely mistakes from D Henry and The Dolphins we could easily be 1-2 vs 3-0.
 

Tonight I have McDermotts actions directly leading to 11 points for the dolphins (challenge would have put them 4th and 4 on the 1st drive - 7 points , and the bizarre time outs at the end of the half allowed Miami to go for a TD when they were content running the clock to keep Josh off the field - 4 extra points) Without that gift of the roughing the kicker penalty we could’ve easily lost last night because of these decisions. 
 

Does this concern anyone else or am I missing something? 

You are missing something.   Every team in almost every game can find a play or two and say "what if".    Most of the games in the NFL come down to a few plays.  The Bills will not win games by 42 - 7 every week.   That is not happening.  

 

Every team makes "timely mistakes" or gets a break, its what you do afterwards that matters.  

 

The reality is that McDermott has coached his team good enough to be 3-0 right now.   Criticizing wins is a luxury that only good teams have.  

[CircleTheWagons99]

Has replay assist ever happened for the Bills?  I see it when it favors the other team but I dont remember it assisting the Bills. I may be wrong but...