NOW is Bobby Babich's seat hot?

[Fleezoid]

I can't remember the last time our defense was dominant. If the Bills are blowing out a team, it's because the offense is lighting up the scoreboard, not the defense shutting down the opponent. Opponents have been staying in games because they can consistently move the ball. Very consistently. 

[Mister Defense]

7 minutes ago, MJS said:

What if I told you that the defense actually played pretty decently against the Saints?

 

- Under 300 yards of offense allowed

- Only 109 passing yards, 3.5 yards per pass

- Allowed 5 conversions on 15 attempts on 3rd and 4th down (33%)

- 1 Interception, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble

 

Yeah, the rushing yards allowed were not great, but the overall production and defense was not bad.

 

 

Yup, I know the stats, but you watched the game like I did, and maybe twice like I did.

 

Until the defense started to make a few timely splash plays, stops, and very late in the game, watching the game, it certainly looked like the barn doors were swinging wide open for the saints. I had no confidence they could stop the pass or run in any sort of consistent manner.

 

Didn't most Bills fans watching think roughly the same thing I did?

 

Definitely not something I wanted to see, in fact, my basic Bills' fan instincts shield me a little from these thoughts--I want a championship. But when those barn doors keep smashing you in the face, it wakes you up.

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 04:35 PM by Mister Defense

[ProcessTruster]

nah... 

 

now..  if and when Milano, Ed, Hoecht and Max are on the field and they still can't stop anyone, then maybe you have an issue.  IMHO.  

[BeastMaster]

McDermott won't do anything unless he feels heat for his own job. That's when he uses his coaches as scapegoats and sacrifices them.

 

But the concern is real, and it might take a few brutal losses to actually put pressure on McDermott to act

 

As others have said...with the team winning, he isn't going to do anything...even though we all see that there is some real issues and that this unit seems worse than last season. 

 

[BuffaloBillyG]

Bobby Babich is by all accounts and outstanding coach. If you look at the position groups he's coached over the years, he's really done well. In his pressers he seems intelligent. Good knowledge. 

 

I think his biggest issue is he just isn't a natural play caller. And that's ok. Not everyone is good at everything (except Josh Allen). 

 

I wouldn't mind keeping him on as the DC but having McDermott take back over the play calls. Experience matters when you have Super Bowl hopes 

[TFBillsfan]

21 minutes ago, Augie said:

We have a LOT of younger guys playing, and we are missing some of our best players on defense. 

 

Like judging a draft too soon, I’d like to see how this defense finishes the year before getting too excited. 

True, but we’re talking about Sanders, Walker and Bishop being the younger players. We have a plethra of experience players on D who have continued struggling with tackling and being out of position. Was really frustrating is this isn’t a new scheme so it’s concerning that’s it’s an ongoing problem with gap assignments, poor tackling with an ineffective pass rush. 
 

IMO, the Bills substitute defensively way too much on the DL and we rely too heavily on straight bull rushing which isn’t a strength for many on our DL. 

[todd]

People are always looking for something to B word about, often with zero context. 

[FireChans]

To the OP, I think his seat is hot in the way that McD make take over playcalling.

 

not sure he’s in danger of being fired.

 

McD was taking over play calling from Leslie Frazier when the defense was playing much better.

[Charles Romes]

Wish Sean would just take over the play calling. Too many cooks in the kitchen. 

[Simon]

17 minutes ago, Low Positive said:

This would be a valid discussion if the team were losing. Teams don't fire coaches after wins that were not good enough.

 

I'm usually on board with you in this sort of debate, but I think this is absolutely a valid discussion at this point.

At no point in McD's tenure have we ever seen a defense this unprepared, disorganized and confused. Teams are taking advantage of that on a regular basis and there is a point where it has to be addressed one way or another.

It's early enough in the season where you could make a change at DC and still have enough time to get your ducks in a row before the stretch run.

There's also the option of having Sean just take over, but that creates it's own set of problems when your HC is distracted from game management on Sundays.

At the least, I would hope that McD takes a far more proactive role during the week to see if he can address the significant problems with preparation and attention to detail while leaving Babich to call the game on Sunday. Then if the same problems with incoherence continue, you maybe consider making a more significant change.

[Fleezoid]

3 minutes ago, Bleeding Bills Blue said:

 

Also going on 120 minutes plus of not allowing a single play greater than 20 yards.  

 

That's a good stat, but you need 10 yards for a 1st down. Not trying to be flippant. Just speaking to what the comment below mentions. 

 

11 minutes ago, JP51 said:

I think Babich seat is not hot... I think it should be hot... lots of talk about defensive improvement... yet watching this Defense is like watching a gut wrenching slow death most of the times... he doesnt have it... like Dorsey didnt have it... bring in a defensive mind... question about mid year does it help... I dont know thats a heavy lift, it did when we booted Dorsey...  but if this continues they need to rethink who is co-ordinator.

 

 

[dickleyjones]

lol "dreadful"

 

okaaaaay

[ddaryl]

2 minutes ago, jethro_tull said:

League rank of 31st , 25th and 30th against run yards, rushing touchdowns and yards per rush attempt are glaring issues that we are winning despite of.  

If the team could improve on those issues we would be a dynasty.  

Equally troubling is that these issues are nothing new......

And those are the stats that come home to roost against top playoff teams.

I said it during training camp and I'll say it again, we have to see what the Bills D looks like during the 2nd half of the season and down the stretch. AND Like most I'm hoping getting past the bye and having a healthy D makes a difference... but NO i feel we are walking the exact same path we have walked before. 

I do not like what I have been seeing as a whole so far regarding how the D is playing as a unit. There has been some great individual efforts, but no consistency. If things do not improve I forsee another embarassing exit from the playoffs.

[hellofellowbillsfans]

24 minutes ago, Ray Finkel said:

Whoever the DC is McDermott has his hands involved.  Too conservative of a D to get to the promised land.

this is such a horribly outdated talking point. everyone is still harping on that playoff loss to the Bengals where leslie frazier was calling the D.

 

this is not a conservative defense anymore, and it hasn't been in more than two years. just because guys aren't making plays consistently doesn't mean it's conservative.

 

man i swear most of y'all are holding onto opinions about McD from like 2019.

[Mister Defense]

On 9/30/2025 at 12:24 PM, Mikie2times said:

2020 Just give it time we will figure it out.

2021  McD knows what he's doing, we will fix this.

2022 We can't help if Von got hurt

2023 How can we be good in the playoffs with half the defense hurt

2024 We just don't have the horses, let witch Beane sort this out

2025 We will really turn this around once we get healthy and more experience

 

I know it's logical to think our young guys will get better and our guys who are suspended will help. But do I have any expectation of avoiding a full on postseason breakdown that can only be saved by Josh Allen? Absolutely f'n not. Shame on you if you do at this point.

 

But the way this defense looks, we should definitely not just be worried about a post season breakdown.

 

Have watched a lot of games this year, and this looks like one of the worst defenses in the NFL now--worse than last year.

 

To me, that fact, and no progression, will mean Babich may be done very soon.

 

But I hope I am wrong, and that he turns it around this week, and going forward, and never looks back.  Just not  betting on that, based on the evidence.

 

Edited yesterday at 11:54 AM by Mister Defense

[BuffaloMatt]

17 minutes ago, MJS said:

What if I told you that the defense actually played pretty decently against the Saints?

 

- Under 300 yards of offense allowed

- Only 109 passing yards, 3.5 yards per pass

- Allowed 5 conversions on 15 attempts on 3rd and 4th down (33%)

- 1 Interception, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble

 

Yeah, the rushing yards allowed were not great, but the overall production and defense was not bad.

 

Also only gave up 19 points. Typical McDermott type numbers. Give up more on ground then air. Break don't bend, etc.  

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Just now, Fleezoid said:

 

That's a good stat, but you need 10 yards for a 1st down. Not trying to be flippant. Just speaking to what the comment below mentions. 

 

 

 

True... but the last 3 games they're averaging 16.6 points allowed, 17.3 first downs, 103 passing yards, 139.6 rushing yards, 242.6 total yards, and 1 takeaway per game.  

 

Are any of those averages likely to win a game?  No.  They've also trailed all of 4 minutes during the 3 game stretch.  

[RkFast]

20 minutes ago, BananaB said:

Babich is just McDs puppet. 

 

The second in command has to report to and take instruction from the first in command?

 

Thats an amazing find...you really might be on to something there. 

[dorquemada]

41 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

Well, after three more games, after I posted an OP asking if Babich was on the hot seat, just before the Jets game, I am definitely moving very quickly now to thinking this dreadful defensive performance we have seen to start the year is now very likely the result of some awful coaching. I want to see where Bills’ fans on here stand now, three weeks later.

 

While I am not 100% convinced that Babich is the fundamental problem as I was completely convinced with dorsey, after almost 1/4 of the season now is in the books the needle is definitely moving rapidly in that direction. 90% maybe? It has been almost a shocking defensive collapse to begin the year.

 

 Do people think that this defense looks better than last year's and is improving weekly?:

 

--Do they think it is showing clear progress early in the season, with their weaknesses being fixed, smoothed out? And their strengths becoming more pronounced?

 

--Are there clear signs that most of the very weak aspects of the defense last year are better now--and getting better as this young season progresses?  For example, their overall 3rd down efficiency, their run defense, their tackling, the pass rush, the play calling?

 

--Is Babich making solid half time adjustments that improve things overall at the start of the 2nd half?

 

--And most importantly, do players look prepared, disciplined, confident and ready--and are they playing to their potential as individuals and as units?

 

 

To me the, and almost across the board, the answers are no. And too often, a resounding, hell no.  

 

In fact, the defense looks more consistently bad this year than last year, making teams like the dolphins and saints look unstoppable for the majority of those games. The dolphins and saints. At HOME  With tens of thousands of loud rabid fans making their life easier.

 

A friend said, well it's because Oliver has not been in there, and Milano, and the suspended guys too.  But that seems really off--the Bills in the past, and the other good teams, readily overcome those types of player losses.  Maybe they show some more gaps in their defense, but they almost never collapse.  And the startling consistency of the weaknesses of this year and last year throw cold water on that, to me. 

 

Watching the last two games, against teams that are not world beaters, and both AT HOME,  both opposing offenses seemed to get better and better against this defense as the games progressed, not worse.  It often seemed like the Bills had no answers, with gaping holes in the secondary, gaping holes against the run, big spacial voids all over the field, all game long, horrible tackling, players looking out of position consistently---and that lost, confused look we too often saw on the faces of offensive players as dorsey 'progressed' in his tenure--and especially in his last year: "What is going on out here? We have no asnwers," sums up those looks.

 

Yes, the Bills are 4-0, but this is not in any way a championship defense--they cannot rely on big splash plays to win games, at the end of games, on defense all year. And not on the road, and not against the top teams. Not consistently. That will not work. All of the team’s hopes for this season, and ours, will be dashed IF this type of defense is allowed to continue. 

 

To me, right now, this really looks like a very very poorly coached defense in almost all respects.  And if I see this, and if I am right, then McDermott knows it, but in a much more specific, detailed manner just how poorly Babich is leading this defense. And ditto for Brandon Beane--does Beane think with the players he provided that the defense should have these kinds of fundamental flaws in so many areas--again?  I would bet the answer is NO. This is why I am convinced that Babich's seat is extremely hot, burning.

 

Why did they look so different against the Jets, prepared, disciplined, tackling well, in position.... I think after awful weeks for the defense, like we saw against the Ravens, or in important games, like the Denver playoff game, McDermott has basically taken over for his young DC.

 

The Bills don't need a great defense to be champions this year, and maybe not even a very good one--just a good one. 

 

But, so far, this defense looks fundamentally flawed.  Awful even, and a great deal of the time.

 

I think Babich's seat is extraordinarily hot now.  A few more games, one?, like we have just seen and McDermott should take over. Our great offense was on a death march under dorsey. Before the season I said he would be gone by Halloween. That season they quiuckly were falling out of the playoff race, and almost there as the season regressed. Don Orlovsky said our offense, with Josh Allen leading it, had become ‘the easiest offense in the NFL to defend’.  But McDermott stepped in, and made the kind of dramatic change most thought he would not make.  Then, in one week, one, the offense looked like world beaters—again--and were that way for the rest of the season.  I think the same thing may very well be needed very soon with Babich. And  it could have the same effects.  They won’t be a great defense, not there yet, with the young players and changes, but I am convinced the defense will show the same kind of improvement that we saw when Brady took over the offense.

 

Even if you are not on board that Babich is the main problem, isn’t it hard  for you to imagine this defense not playing dramatically better with any high quaity defensive coordinator like Schwartz, Spagnuolo—or a McDermott coaching them? To me the answer here is hell yes.

 

 

 

Defense looks undisciplined And poorly schemed.  No we meant to not cover their WR1 over the deep middle,  we're trying to lull them into a sense of complacency THEN we'll cover him! They don't know what hit em!

[RkFast]

14 minutes ago, todd said:

People are always looking for something to B word about, often with zero context. 

 

The Bills are ranked 9th total defense (awful!!!!) and 2nd in passing (ATROCIOUS!!!) and....32nd in running (ok, thats bad). 

 

They havent been the 85 Bears no. But you would think the defense is getting blown off the field each week (they are not) and the team is 0-4 (they are not) the way some people are acting.  They are, in a word....average. Obviously room for improvement but lets calm down here.

Edited Tuesday at 04:53 PM by RkFast