If the Bills get bounced in the divisional round are we back on the fire everyone bandwagon?

[schoolhouserock]

I think McD has had one of his better seasons. There have been fewer baffling challenges, fewer press conference blunders, the team has been resilient, culture remains strong, and I think this defense has come a long, long way over the course of the season.
 

With the exception of Landon Jackson (primarily due to the injury - I still think he could ‘Fred Jackson’ one year and show up to camp actually looking like a professional athlete. He looks to me to have the body control of a teenager that just grew a foot.)… I am genuinely hopeful that the litany of 2025 defensive draft picks will turn into capable starters, if not more. Cole Bishop has made a welcome, but shocking leap in production.

 

So, begrudgingly, I have to say that no, I would not be back on the fire McD wagon. I have flip-flopped on this, however. It drives me nuts that this team ALWAYS drops at least two games to far inferior opponents EVERY season. Those 2+ games always cost the Bills in playoff seeding and have done just that again this season. This is what triggered me to hop back on the wagon mid-season (see Miami and Atlanta games… also Houston, but they were definitely not far inferior)

 

I think Beane should be feeling the heat. He HAS to get better at the receiver position. Whether it is himself, his current staff, or bringing in someone else specifically for assessing that position, he needs to improve. It is the largest gap between the potential opportunity on the field and what is currently available on the roster.

[GroteStreet]

1 hour ago, Lost said:

I think most posters here myself included expected a one and done playoff performance from the Bills this year but having gone into Jacksonville for the WC round and winning has changed things.  At this point I think it's fair to say the Bills, much like last year have exceeded expectations.   Last year was supposed to be our reset year, dumping some cap space and getting the team younger.  We were supposed to come into this season refreshed with a younger, more talented roster.   In retrospect however this has not been the case.   Things looked promising early on but by mid season some major deficiencies started popping up.  Our WR group has been markedly worse than even last year(that's a Beane problem).  Our play calling has been questionable at times on both sides of the ball often too simple and predictable(Brady and Babbich problems). More injuries with rookies and the team as a whole(Training staff problem?).   Very limited production from any of our 1st round picks from the last 4 years(another Beane problem).   Despite all that, we're once again playing in a divisional round playoff game and a win on Saturday would certainly blow away my expectations for this season considering how things were looking around week 12.   As the graphic below shows however only 4 teams have won playoff games 6 years straight and it's only the Bills who have no trophies to show for it(maybe that's a McDermott problem?).   

 

 

 

 

Since the win last week my opinion on Coaching and GM is pretty much solidified regardless of what happens from here on out.   

 

I've been on the Brady hate train for most of the season and still am to an extent.   I do understand however that maybe the simplistic predictable plays he calls are purely designed to cover up some of our deficiencies at WR position.   He called a decent game against Jacksonville so I commend him for that.   My personal preference is to have an OC that runs a pass first offense especially when we have the best QB of a generation at helm.   Chances are he will be gone next year regardless due to the sheer number of HC positions that have opened up.   

 

I expect Babbich may get fired this offseason.  Our D looked absolutely disastrous until mid season when McDermott took over the play calling.   I'm not sure if McDermott is still doing the defensive playcalling now or if he just talked some sense into Babbich but our D has looked very competent in the back half of the season and is even capable of winning games.   

 

Brandon Beane deserves the most scrutiny of the bunch and I wouldn't be upset if he got fired this season though I see zero chance of that happening.   After last years "reset" year, we were supposed to come into this season younger and more talented.   He mocked reporters for questioning his lack of addressing the the WR position properly but as we see now it's quite possible that his handling of that position may have heavily contributed to the Bills not being able to grab the #1 seed this season.   Thankfully James Cook, the one player Beane was most reluctant to re-sign stepped up and saved his behind by having a monster season and covering up for the lack of talent at other skill positions.  

 

I've been mostly satisfied with Sean McDermott this season and he'd be the last of the group I want to see go.   He's been a good leader and has kept the culture in tact here the last 7 seasons.   He's been able to rally his team when their backs are against the wall and led some remarkable late season turnarounds.   He does seem to have trouble getting his team mentally prepared for those gloss over games which seems to happen every year under him so that deserves some criticism.   

 

 

In summary what I would like to see happen is

 

McDermott > back for 2026

Beane > Back for 2026 only if we get AFCCG or beyond

Babbich > Fired

Brady > Hopefully gets HC gig somewhere else

I hope beans is gone regardless of what happens the rest of the playoffs.  

[Alphadawg7]

I have been full "Glengarry Glen Ross" all season - "The good news is you're fired.  The bad news is you all have 1 week to regain your jobs."  Top 3 opening scene in movie history and Baldwins best on screen moment ever.  In other words, everyone is fired but winning a SB saves your jobs kind of mindset.  

 

 

That being said, the OP stating what we did in Jax last week has changed some perspective for me.  That Jags team was no joke, and McD had the defense opportunistic and confusing for a red hot Trevor.  I mean we almost had 3 additional picks on top of the 2 we got.  And this is a team missing its first round rookie DB, its starting SS, the starting backup SS, its top FA signing, and Oliver all to injuries.  Jags were the highest scoring team in the NFL down the stretch in their 8 game winning streak and were winning by an average of 19 points per game.  That defense is fast and hard hitting too.  Then we saw our offense lose 2 WR's to torn ACLs in game, a WR room already missing its top WR FA signing of the offseason  We saw our run game get completely shut down taking our best player on the team not named Josh Allen completely out of the game.  The entire engine to our team - Allen - entered the game with a foot injury that will last the rest of the season, then was sent to concussion protocol, then hurt his hand to the point it was hard to tell if it was broken or not, and then had his knee folded in a way that would have ended mere mortals seasons.  But there he was standing tall plowing through a vicious free release hard hitting LB throwing darts to a guy we signed a mere weeks ago in the games biggest moment.  Just to follow it up with the most impressive tush push in history on 4th down.  

 

When you write that all out, it seems impossible to have won that game.  But we did.  As Josh Allen said, we didn't blink.  If we are going to blame McD for the losses, we need to credit him for the wins, and that was a tough a** win that even many of the biggest Allen believers and supporters in sports media didn't think we could win.  

 

Now we gotta go into the #1 seeds house, coming off a bye while we are on a short week, with only 3 WR's on the roster right now, still missing key players on defense, a banged up Josh Allen, in high altitude that fields the 3rd greatest defense in history at sacking the QB, has a shut down corner who can eliminate an entire side of the field, and has a SB winning HC known for being an offensive specialist.  We shouldn't win this game on paper.  If we do, McD status is 100% safe, and it honestly probably already is after the Jags win.  Previously, I thought it would not be the case, but the injuries are both elevating McD's status by winning and building in an excuse if he loses between the roster issues already even at full health combined with the current injury situation.  

 

Beane however not so cut and dry - I am a long time Beane guy, I think he is in many ways one of the best GM's in football.  He gets more crap than he deserves on certain topics where people rant without context.  BUT - the one area he can't hide from is that he has not been able to land impact players in the draft of free agency.  He has been excellent at finding quality starters, good depth, developmental guys, etc.  But outside Allen and Cook, there is now higher tier game impacting players on this roster on either side of the ball.  The only major FA we went after was Von, and he was really old, really over paid, and while he was delivering at first, the injury risk with his age showed up and sunk that investment.  Where Beane did shine, was getting Von to take a pay cut and not a restructure which mitigated the impact of that move some, but end of the day, it still left his cupboard a bit bare on the "game impacting" player we have lacked in key moments.  

 

Allen - Diggs - Cook.  2 draft picks, 1 trade.  Those are the 3 game changers he has found, and he gets credit for that.  But Allen was in 2018, Cook was drafted to be a complimentary pass catching player, who developed into more, and Diggs was 2020.  

 

The clear and obvious reason we could lose this week is we are not the best roster due to injuries, and if you take the QBs out of the equation, we are not the best roster across the other 52 players even when at full strength.  So all eyes will be on Beane this post season.  I do think he is going to get some grace given the injury situation is really bad.  And if we win this week, I think Beane starts to get pretty safe.  If we lose, I think its still likely he is back, but not as certain and may come down to how we lose.  If we lose by blowout like we don't belong on the field despite having the best player in the NFL, it will be more damning.  If we lose a close hard fought game given all the obstacles with short week, inuries, etc, then I think its less likely he is fired.

 

But make no mistake, as someone else said - Beane is going to need to demonstrate to the team an aggressive plan to get Allen help, which I am confident he will have given how aggressive he was at trade deadline.  And I think a big trade needs to happen personally rather than gamble on finding someone in the draft that could take 2-3 years to really develop into a premiere weapon, if they even do ever.  I mean look at MHJ - nothing is ever certain in the draft.

Edited January 16 by Alphadawg7

[JohnBonhamRocks]

A lot depends on how we lose, if that should come to pass. 

 

There are few scenarios where I see McDermott clapping elsewhere next season because he has done so much with so little this year. 
 

Beane, if we lose and it is clearly attributable to poor WR talent and inability to rush the passer… then I could see that happening, but even so I put that at a low chance, maybe 25%. 

[corta765]

Besides firing the trainer regardless of even a SB win the only person who needs to be worried is Brandon Beane. Outside SB appearance you can see he and McD are not on the same page and McDs comments about the WR spot ring quite loud of a difference in either philosphy and/or lack of meaningful action to properly address it. McD was hired before Beane and people forget the first draft in 2017 was McD with Whaley not Beane.

 

I truly believe if the Bills fail to crack a SB it is 50/50 Beane is fired and a new GM who has McDs approval to work with comes in. McD is not going any where regardless of anyone's opinion unless Josh says so or gives Terry the approval if he wants to and Terry through media channels has indicated zero desire to do so. The worst areas of the roster are a direct result of Beane's lack of action (WR) or inability to hit on difference makers enough (LB-DE). Additionally the Bills have run a pretty buttoned up operation for years and Beane's comments on WGR were something that invited unneeded attention that team has not wanted while also looking incredibly foolish. It is the type of comments that unless you win can bring you down from fan and media pressure given the hubris behind it. 

[Doc Brown]

I think McDermott is viewed in high regards by Pegula and I think the only way Beane is fired is if McDermott pushes for it.  There's been some passive aggressive shots he took at Beane during the press conferences this year so it's not unfathomable that it could happen. 

 

McD doesn't even have to ask for it directly.  He could just subtly suggest it by saying something like Beane was a great team member but he was more like the terrorist that drove United 93.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

36 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

It's not as easy as that. A new GM especially a good one who has been successful in this league may want to move on from McDermott and bring in his own HC.

good point.  That, or probably An extremely short leash.

[H2o]

I think Beane is more likely to end up on the unemployment line than McDermott. I don't know about you all, but it's almost like you can feel the friction between the two and I believe we have heard it in some of McDermott's comments about various things this year. 

 

With Beane, I think it's time. He's mismanaged too many resources and the cap in too many different ways. His drafts have been alright, but not great. We have gotten some quality talent out of his drafts. We have bought low on a few FA's that have truly paid off. But what he has done to surround Josh with talent these last two seasons has been almost criminal. Not only does the WR room need to be totally revamped, but the defense is going to go through some changes as well. Milano, AJE, the other Safety not named Bishop, Taron is possibly done here, Daquon is done, what do we do with Bernard, Shaq Thompson, depth CB's. There are a lot of questions that I don't know if I am comfortable with letting Beane figure out the answers to.  

 

I have had my moments where I have just been done with McDermott at different points this season. Just the seeming lack of preparation that showed up in some games and the gameplans we saw, I was disgusted. I feel like a lot of the issues we have seen this year have reared their ugly head before. Then, on the flip side of that coin, I feel like he has shown growth in other areas. If we would have lost to Jacksonville last week, I would have said to clean house. Unless there is a completely unprepared team that takes the field tomorrow, and some insane coaching gaffes along the way (maybe misuse or nonuse of challenges, or clock management again), that all come to a head in a loss, then I won't be on here with a pitchfork and torches. 

 

Babich needs to go no matter what. You can always see on TV (McDermott holding up the play sheet and talking into the mic) and tell by results on the field once McDermott takes over the defensive play calling. 

 

Brady, I kind of hope he gets an opportunity elsewhere, but I don't think he's as useless as Babich is on the defensive side. I want to see how he schemes for the Denver defense tomorrow before I answer completely on him. 

[UKBillFan]

I think I have more sympathy for Brady than most. The WR room limits the passing game and, in other cases, we've had a mix of missed receivers and drops. I'd be happy to have him back, and have the WR room rebuilt with a proper number one.

 

If the offense is really bad tomorrow I might reconsider!

Edited January 16 by UKBillFan

[uticaclub]

40 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

Where Beane did shine, was getting Von to take a pay cut and not a restructure which mitigated the impact of that move some, but end of the day, it still left his cupboard a bit bare on the "game impacting" player we have lacked in key moments.  

 

Von only took the pay cut because of his suspension

Edited January 16 by uticaclub

[benderbender]

If we get past Denver, I think everyone's job is safe. Unless we have a 12 sack AFCCG loss to Houston.

[Alphadawg7]

9 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

Von only took the pay cut because of his suspension

 

Whatever the reason was, the pay cut mitigated some of the damage the contract did when we went big on a senior citizen DE.  

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

1 hour ago, Virgil said:

2 - McD - What is your plan for the offensive coordinator.  If he's not willing to move on from Brady and potentially Special Teams (Punt coverage and return concerns), then maybe McD needs to do.

 

 

Moving on from Brady would be a mistake. It's what teams like the Browns and Jets do. We really want to give Allen his fourth OC in six years?

 

Why in the world would we move off a coordinator who in back-to-back seasons has called plays for the league MVP and rushing leader? 

 

Bills offense with Brady:

 

2025: 4th in ppg 4th in ypg

2024: 2nd in ppg 10th in ypg

 

This year Brady has dealt with not only not having a number one WR, but the Bills best passing weapon in Dalton Kincaid only played in 12 games, only 11 with Allen when we throw out the week 18 Jets game. The player who is supposed to make our passing game was only on the field for a career low 38% of the snaps this year down each consecutive season he has been in the league from 63% to 57% to 38%. 

 

Our best weapon in the passing game did not play at all in the three losses to the Flacons, Texans and Eagles. He missed the entire second half in the loss to the Dolphins I believe as well. So, Kincaid was available for 6 quarters in the total 20 quarters that added up to our 5 losses this year.

 

IMO, there is only one person who should be feeling the heat and that is Beane. 

 

Edited January 16 by Sammy Watkins' Rib

[uticaclub]

1 minute ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Whatever the reason was, the pay cut mitigated some of the damage the contract did when we went big on a senior citizen DE.  

He did save us around $8M that we couldn't have signed Curtis Samuel without; the $15M dead cap this year still stings

[Dan]

1 hour ago, Taro Nimbus said:

I swear I think there are some people here who want the Bills to lose just to fire McDermott 

I’ve stopped reading threads like this.   But I’m anxious about the game and can’t concentrate on work… 

 

But I agree!   Honestly, it would not surprise me at all to see the Bills win the Super Bowl… and the morning after..there’s at least 2 threads here ranking the best GMs and coaches to replace McBeane.

 

[Buffalo Boy]

1 hour ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

The graphic indicts the issue.  During this time it has never overlapped until the Bills started their run 2 years behind KC.

 

If you eliminate KC - who knocked the Bills out most years and won the SB - the Bills have 3 instead of KC.

 

It isn’t coaching as much as timing where both KC and Covid hurt our chances.

Hate this ubiquitous excuse. 

The Chiefs were always beatable as evidenced by the Arse whoopings they took in a couple of the SBs.

 

Josh was the only one who got up for those games. Over and over and over. 
 

McDs D and those rest of those teams always looked like they were in above their heads. 
 

Josh played FLAWLESS football in a game. He caused Belichick to come into the winning locker room and address him privately. Think about that! All time greatness recognized all time greatness. 
 

He walked off the field in “13 seconds”  an all time legend until it was squandered in a statistically almost impossible fashion. 
 

He walked off the field having Diggs and Kincaid having dropped ,more legendary, David Tyree level pass attempts.

 

He walked off the field having his lineman driven into him as he was about to throw the game winner. Not the safe check down but the game winner….. because Shooter FN Shoot.

 

So , please, not just you Rochester Fan, but all of you who continue throwing this false excuse around, stop.

 

The Bills lost those games because the Defense failed him in each and every game. Part of that failure falls on the Coach, part on the GM. None is attributable to the Chiefs being unbeatable. That is a cop out.

 

To be the best you have to beat the best. Josh could and still can. Yet again, the rest of his supporting cast does not look, to the objective eye, like it is up to the task.

 

 

 

[boater]

There is a very vocal minority that will drop a neutron bomb on One Bills Drive if there is anything less than a Super Bowl. The majority, the rest of us, are more circumspect and restrained--how could you not be that way when you look at all the failed retreads interviewing for HC today.

 

But that vocal minority is gonna squeal like a stuck pig. I don't look forward to it.

[hondo in seattle]

I wouldn't want to fire everyone but I would like to see some changes.  

 

I want Beane to either beef up his personnel department and/or change his evaluation process.  His very first draft pick was a homerun but his record since then has been less than SB-Quality.  And some of his FA acquisitions/contracts have been questionable.   (Needless to say, I also want Beane to fix the WR room during the offseason).  

 

I want McD to do something about the downfield passing game like, perhaps, hire a good pass game coordinator to help Joe out.  

[SoCal Deek]

What’s the harm in firing Beane? Seems like it sends a clear message to the players, the coaches, and the fans. 
 

Get ‘er done! 

[Kirby Jackson]

For me, nothing changes short of, AT LEAST, a Super Bowl appearance. We are in year 8 with Josh. I understand that they have the deck stacked. It’s no excuses for me. If they don’t get there this year, I want someone else buying the groceries and someone else making the dinner. The bar hasn’t moved. That was the bar entering the year, it’ll be the same bar on Sunday. 

Edited January 16 by Kirby Jackson