Why Beane Is Here, McD Got The Axe From My POV

[corta765]

Like everyone in the western hemisphere I was pretty stunned yesterday when McD caught the axe. I had forever thought he had more power then Beane as he was hired before him and it seemed so much of the team as an org surrounded him first. I had posted countless times this last year especially that I honestly though Beane would go before McD ever did and I didn't see either of them going. After having some time to sit and think on this from a very macro perspective I will layout why I believe McD is gone and why Beane is still here.

 

**Reader Note: I would have fired both of them. This is not me offering support to keeping Beane as much as why I believe he is still here. So again I would have fired both of them and I still believe Beane should go. Please do not yell at me lol**

 

The Case For Firing McD

For as sparkling a record as McD has had during the regular season, the team routinely failed in the brightest lights and his side of the ball was a direct result. Buffalo in the post-season went 0-3 in overtime, his defense which is his specialty allowed on average in each defeat 31.7 ppg, Buffalo never could break through against KC which he had a direct result in those losses (especially 13 seconds), when they didn't play KC the team still struggled on defense, and his team never could get the 1 seed as they every year would blow 1-2 games that were the difference in the seeding. This year the division as the loss in Miami cost the team the division crown due to tiebreakers with NE even with the same record. If you go to greater detail in each playoff loss their are coaching gaffees in nearly everyone that caused pause for question. The Texans loss in 2019 is probably the only game which coaching was not the issue and you could credit the defense for playing decent... except they blew a 16-0 lead. Here is a small list of blunders from 2020 on:

 

2020 AFC Title- Down 21-9 in a game which was a clear shootout McD elects to go for a FG instead a TD on 4th & 3 which still keeps it a two score game. His defense couldn't stop a beachball and no major players were hurt on D either that year

2021: 13 seconds enough said

2022: AFC Divisional Whether it was Frazier or Beane but the famous Tre White playing 7 yards off the WR when it is 3rd and 5 was one of many questionable defensive calls. On offense his OC was throwing deep bomb calls on 3rd and short.

2023: AFC Divisional At home finally against KC he decided this was the Disney moment for Damar on a fake punt. He is lucky that the ending is remembered far more for Bass kick then that.

2024: AFC Title Probably the one game of the last 6 years I would say he did not have anything massive coaching wise although the D again just failed to make stops

2025: AFC Divisional The entire end of the 1st half was just a massive question mark of coaching. Given the circumstances why the defense was not playing a prevent style D to keep the Broncos to a FG was beyond me. There is 22 seconds left your goal is keeping them in front of you the whole time and just go into half down 13-10 but with the ability to tie or take the lead out of the gate. Then instead of having Josh kneel your having him run (don't worry 17 was far more at fault here then coaching on said play) was even more mind numbing. What should have been a grand total of 3 pts scored by the Broncos was 10 pts instead because of coaching.

 

I imagine part of the discussion Beane had with Terry after this post season went something like:

 

"He has not been able to breakthrough KC for years in the post season and his defense routinely comes up small in the biggest game. Now without KC or BAL or CIN and one of their QBs we still can't breakthrough with similar coaching question marks again. He is supposed to be a defensive guru to help Josh yet the defense fails to bail out 17 when it matters. He has not had a game since 2019 where the defense in the final game of the year allowed less then 22 pts. For as much good as he has done it is time for new blood and a coach on the offensive side that can maximize Josh while we still have him in his prime. We have done years of rotating OCs and now we have the chance to adjust that part."

 

"Additionally his defense overall has been declining for years and ever since Frazier left it has become far more shaky as a unit in the regular season"

 

Now about the roster talent. Beane is responsible for choosing the talent for the roster, but virtually every coach in the NFL goes to their GM and says "here is my wish list of where we want help and what I prioritize at this point, go get it". Since Dorsey was fired in 2023 there has been a direct effort to be a running team and not nearly the dynamic passing team we saw 2020-23 which you can attribute to McD as a way to balance the team more and in a way help his defense as the offense is on the field more. In many ways this prioritization has been successful as the offensive line is superb, the run game has been great led by Cooks who has been dynamic, and the offense itself has been very productive. BUT productive does not mean great at the same time. Against very very good defenses or DCs the offense could be stunted if you could stop the run and press the WRs. I imagine McD was fine running the offense as it was with an everyone eats mantra as it worked great in 2024 both in terms of scoring but also helping a defense that was being revised not be on the field as much. As McD has said "complementary football". Those two off-season's the majority of resources went to players McD wanted for his defense. Poona Ford is an example of a defensive player who didn't work here that Beane got yet has been very productive and good since leaving. McD may have gambled that he could work with an everyone eats offense again in 2025 while Beane went to get more players he wanted for his defense. The NFL has been switching back to a more 4-3 style large LB look on defense as a way to slow down RBs and attack offenses. It is no secret McD has preferred smaller quicker guys at LB and a nickel style base. Beane escapes no criticism as he has failed to add true blue chip players on the defensive line despite the resources spent, but McD also shares criticism for the defense he runs and the player type he prefers.

 

I imagine when Terry pressed Beane on the lack of talent at certain areas the conversation went like this:

 

"I understand we have missed on picks and lack talent at certain positions currently. My job is to get the players Sean wanted for his defense even if I may have preferred other players. WR did not go as planned as Palmer got hurt & Coleman did not develop as we expected, but we still were productive and very good. The everyone eats mentality was something Sean liked as it helped his defense and because we run the ball so much it allowed resources to be spent on the O-line and to try and help his defense. I can fix the WR spot this offseason and with a new offensive minded head coach we can get back to passing the ball well while still having a good run game. Additionally we can find a new defensive coordinator who is more with the current trends who can maximize some of our higher picks better then Sean has. When our talent was at its peak on defense from 2019-22 which I did help bring together Sean still couldn't get the defensive line to go and we had issues against the run."

 

Beane Staying

 

I imagine this conversation was far shorter as Beane has been in Terry's ear for a long time now and I am sure explaining how close they are and coaching failures have prevented breaking through:

 

"Terry I drafted Josh Allen and helped have many offensives that have been the best in football. From 2019-2023 we had a very talented team with many pro bowl level players and deep rosters that league wide were respected. The failures to win those years can be pointed to coaching decisions and even when we had KC at home or no KC at all like this year we still couldn't win because Sean's defense couldn't do enough. I understand WR we need to truly address and I can fix that like I did in 2019/20 when I added Beasley, Brown, & Diggs of course. Bring in an offensive head coach so we can give Josh remaining best years stability year in year out with a more dynamic approach then Sean wanted and bring in an experienced DC with him who can maximize the talent we have on the defense better then Sean was doing. The training staff we can overhaul more this offseason and we should have more injury luck next year"