McDermott - Game Management - Improving for 2018

[mushypeaches]

I think that overall, we are pretty pleased with Sean McDermott's performance over the past year.  He's proven to be disciplined, organized, good with players, media, and team personnel.  No one can question that reaching the playoffs in 2017 was an amazing accomplishment, due in no small part to his leadership and actual competence as a head coach (which we almost forgot what that looked like).

 

But I never felt last year that he was that great at in-game management.  Yes, he had the team prepared most weeks - the game plans were well-structured, the players & coaches knew what they were doing, and it largely manifested on the field with fewer mistakes & turnovers, players were in the right spots, and the team at least looked better on a week-to-week basis, some stinker performances notwithstanding.

 

Having said all of these things, I don't yet see Sean McDermott as any more than an adequate game-day coach.  I see this most in the area of aggressiveness - going for it on 4th down, risky play calls & gadgets, in-game adjustments, clock management.  Too often, it felt like we were playing not to lose, instead of aggressively getting after it - dictating the flow of play, forcing the action, and making the other team prepare and respond to what we are doing, instead of the other way around.  Don't get me wrong, I like the overall direction of the team, but I want my coach to be more like a Sean Payton - Mike Tomlin - Bruce Arians.  Guys who aren't afraid to push the envelope and strategically try to play parts of the game differently.  These guys are good at forcing their coordinators to be innovative, and enabling creativity within their teams.  I'm not saying that everything they do is successful, but I like that they're on the AGGRESSIVE end of the spectrum.  

 

I know that our last buffoon of a head coach was aggressive, but I'm not including him in this discussion.  You also have to be intelligent and have a measure of self-control to qualify...

 

What I'm afraid of is that when things come to a point or when we face adversity or a rough season, that McDermott becomes more of a Ron Rivera, or a Marvin Lewis, or a Jim Caldwell.  These guys all were somewhat competent in their own way, but they were never going to out-coach the  good/great coaches, the true innovators.  Most of the time, they just rolled over, maybe because they didn't get enough "breaks" to win the game.  The point is that I want McDermott to coach in a way that we make our own breaks, that we push the envelope, that we try new things and make other teams respond to us, instead of always having to be the reacting team.

 

Can he take the next step?  Can he overcome his basic conservative nature?  Can he get the best of his coordinators and position coaches?

 

That's what I'll be watching for in 2018, regardless of the other big factors (like a new QB, overall talent, etc)

 

 

 

 

[MJS]

The Bills of last season were an incredibly talent deficient team that overachieved. You can only do so much with a team like that. I imagine this season will be similar.

 

Yes, McDermott can get better at game and clock management. I think he will. But getting more talent on the field will allow for more aggressive strategy, in my opinion.

Edited May 29, 2018 by MJS

[Juice_32]

Good post and I agree for the most part, in particular the piece about in-game management. He can definitely improve clock management and on challenges, etc.

 

I do think that his style of "playing not to lose" is something that for better or worse we will not see change all that much. He may be willing to take a few more chances if Allen proves himself to have the clutch gene, but for the most part McD's style will probably always be defense first, which can have the appearance of a play not to lose approach. 

 

He just comes off to me as the kind of coach who is willing to evaluate every detail, even if it's something he is responsible for. Hopefully he is up to the challenge of improving his responsibilities in 2018.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2018 by Juice_32

[Epstein's Mother]

 

Just as young QB's refer to how fast the pro game is versus college I tend to think that the game may appear to be moving very fast to a rookie head coach.  I think over time the game will "slow down" for McDermott and his real-time decision making will improve.

[Rochesterfan]

1 minute ago, MJS said:

The Bills of last season were an incredibly talent deficient team that overachieved. You can only do so much with a team like that. I imagine this season will be similar.

 

Yes, McDermott can get better at game and clock management. I think he will. But getting more talent on the field will allow for more aggressive strategy, in my opinion.

 

Agreed.  He was never going to be overly aggressive as a defensive minded HC with a weak passing offense and a more stable and talented defense.  People that want him to be more aggressive are going to be in for major disappointment.

 

I do not expect this year to be to much different unless the defense is even better and/or Daboll instills confidence with the offense and a QB that can make the plays when needed.  Once we get that - then he can afford to be more aggressive.  

 

Last year they were a miserable 2 of 15 on 4th downs, but people want them to go for it more?

 

Being aggressive is great when you have the right team built up - for the Bills last year - I think being conservative won them more games than if they had tried to be more aggressive.

 

That is not to say that he can not get better in many decisions, but each team and coaching style is different and you are going to see offensive minded coaches be more aggressive on offensive chances and defensive coaches be more conservative.

 

[BillsFan130]

You’re 100 percent correct in my opinion.

 

He was a good coach but his game management was awful.

 

I will give him a bit of a mulligan because it was his first year, but he needs to drastically improve on game management 

[JoeF]

He's mentioned this area a couple of times as one he wants to improve on.  I think it's in this recent interview on One Bills Live.    He's aware--that's the first step.

 

http://www.wgr550.com/media/audio-channel/05-15-sean-mcdermott-one-bills-live

Edited May 29, 2018 by JoeF

[blacklabel]

I can agree with most of what you're saying. It's not uncommon for a lot of first-time head coaches to struggle with game/clock management. As a coordinator, that wasn't part of his job. I'm sure he's picked up plenty of knowledge from the head coaches he's worked under but applying that knowledge in real time is a challenge he'll continue to work at, I'm sure. 

[Rochesterfan]

33 minutes ago, mushypeaches said:

I think that overall, we are pretty pleased with Sean McDermott's performance over the past year.  He's proven to be disciplined, organized, good with players, media, and team personnel.  No one can question that reaching the playoffs in 2017 was an amazing accomplishment, due in no small part to his leadership and actual competence as a head coach (which we almost forgot what that looked like).

 

But I never felt last year that he was that great at in-game management.  Yes, he had the team prepared most weeks - the game plans were well-structured, the players & coaches knew what they were doing, and it largely manifested on the field with fewer mistakes & turnovers, players were in the right spots, and the team at least looked better on a week-to-week basis, some stinker performances notwithstanding.

 

Having said all of these things, I don't yet see Sean McDermott as any more than an adequate game-day coach.  I see this most in the area of aggressiveness - going for it on 4th down, risky play calls & gadgets, in-game adjustments, clock management.  Too often, it felt like we were playing not to lose, instead of aggressively getting after it - dictating the flow of play, forcing the action, and making the other team prepare and respond to what we are doing, instead of the other way around.  Don't get me wrong, I like the overall direction of the team, but I want my coach to be more like a Sean Payton - Mike Tomlin - Bruce Arians.  Guys who aren't afraid to push the envelope and strategically try to play parts of the game differently.  These guys are good at forcing their coordinators to be innovative, and enabling creativity within their teams.  I'm not saying that everything they do is successful, but I like that they're on the AGGRESSIVE end of the spectrum.  

 

I know that our last buffoon of a head coach was aggressive, but I'm not including him in this discussion.  You also have to be intelligent and have a measure of self-control to qualify...

 

What I'm afraid of is that when things come to a point or when we face adversity or a rough season, that McDermott becomes more of a Ron Rivera, or a Marvin Lewis, or a Jim Caldwell.  These guys all were somewhat competent in their own way, but they were never going to out-coach the  good/great coaches, the true innovators.  Most of the time, they just rolled over, maybe because they didn't get enough "breaks" to win the game.  The point is that I want McDermott to coach in a way that we make our own breaks, that we push the envelope, that we try new things and make other teams respond to us, instead of always having to be the reacting team.

 

Can he take the next step?  Can he overcome his basic conservative nature?  Can he get the best of his coordinators and position coaches?

 

That's what I'll be watching for in 2018, regardless of the other big factors (like a new QB, overall talent, etc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure that Tomlin fits in that group - last year they attempted 8 4th down plays about half of what the Bills attempted with a significantly better offense.  Tomlin also does not strike me as a good game manager - He has by far one of the most talented and balanced teams, but seems to find many ways to lose because of how he handles the game.  He is always making poor in game decisions and has routinely been criticized for going conservative when they get a lead against teams like NE and that costing them the game.

 

Sean Payton and Arians are offense guys the same thing you see with McCarthy in GB and the entire staff in Philadelphia- those guys are aggressive and are offensive minded with strong offensive teams.

 

Ron Rivera was giving the moniker Riverboat because of how aggressive he was a few years ago when he had the correct mix of offense and defense. So I am not sure that he isn’t more along the line of the coach you are looking for McDermott to become.

 

Many of the more aggressive teams are lead by offensive guys and that makes a difference.  

 

I expect him him to get better at some things like Timeouts and challenges, but I expect little change in the defensive minded HC view on going for it versus punting because their strength is defense And defending the length of the field.

[White Linen]

We won't get much from him in pressers but when it comes to personal responsibility it's pretty clear he's all about accountability.  

 

The only concern I have is - I think game management is a bit more of an instinct vs something you learn.  I do believe you can get better with experience though so I'm glad he's spending time on getting better..  

[Jobot]

He was a rookie last year too don't forget.

 

He definitely struggled with the game management portion of things... Hell, I can't imagine a more stressful new job, that carries a steeper learning curve than an NFL head coach.

 

But I'm guessing he'll get better every year at this.  I'd imagine the game 'slows down' for coaches just like it does for the players over time.

[Shaw66]

You're not going to get aggressive game management out of McDermott.   That isn't his style or his philosophy.   

 

McDermott PREPARES.   His plan is to get everyone - including himself - ready for every situation and then perform in accordance with the preparation.  Prepare, prepare, prepare.   

 

When McDermott goes for it on fourth down, it will be because his preparation tells him that in certain circumstances it's the smart move.  He's not going to go for it because he wants to give his players a boost, or because he wants to insert the dagger.   I think that's  the right approach.   Take what the game is giving you.   If it's the second quarter and the game is giving you a field goal, take it.  Don't go for it because you think a TD will change momentum.   In the second quarter, all you're trying to do is pile up points, and if the game is giving you 3, take them.  It's not sexy, it's not what the fans want, but it wins.   

 

So, for example, I don't think you should expect to see the conservative game planning change, at least not until he has a powerful, dominating offense.  (Maybe if he has a dominating offense, he'll open up, but I doubt.) It was quite clear last season that McDermott wasn't going to open his offense until it was the fourth quarter and he was behind by more than a TD.   He's going to punt instead of asking his team to do something they aren't good at.  We saw it, and we saw that conservative approach work.   I don't think it will change. 

[John from Riverside]

Is this a real post?  Come on

[mushypeaches]

2 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

Is this a real post?  Come on

Can you elaborate on your remark? 

 

I don't think it's wrong to ask if our current coach has the ability to be more aggressive with his approach to game management

[MJS]

22 minutes ago, White Linen said:

We won't get much from him in pressers but when it comes to personal responsibility it's pretty clear he's all about accountability.  

 

The only concern I have is - I think game management is a bit more of an instinct vs something you learn.  I do believe you can get better with experience though so I'm glad he's spending time on getting better..  

 

Getting better at other coaching aspects allows you to focus on game management. If your head is spinning with all of your responsibilities, it doesn't matter if you have instinct or not.

[SoCal Deek]

1 hour ago, Epstein's Mother said:

 

Just as young QB's refer to how fast the pro game is versus college I tend to think that the game may appear to be moving very fast to a rookie head coach.  I think over time the game will "slow down" for McDermott and his real-time decision making will improve.

I'd be interested to get a coach's take on that element.  With the number of commercials during an NFL game, I've often wondered if there isn't actually a ton of time spent standing around on the sideline while they wait for the network to come back from a break.

[John from Riverside]

20 minutes ago, mushypeaches said:

Can you elaborate on your remark? 

 

I don't think it's wrong to ask if our current coach has the ability to be more aggressive with his approach to game management

Here is my elaboration

- 1st year head coach

- We let go nearly every high priced core player for draft picks so the team was devoid of talent

 

DESPITE all this.....this coaching staff found a way to win enough games to make its first playoffs in 17 years

 

They did pretty well given the circumstances.   What they were doing worked and they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

[Epstein's Mother]

3 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

I'd be interested to get a coach's take on that element.  With the number of commercials during an NFL game, I've often wondered if there isn't actually a ton of time spent standing around on the sideline while they wait for the network to come back from a break.

 

You may be right on this one but there may be an element of organized chaos with more than 1 person in your ear on the headset plus action on the sideline.  I think there are plenty of instances in games where there is ample time to make the right (or wrong) decision but there are also many real time decisions that have to be made.  I'm hoping that McDermott becomes one of those great game-day coaches because we've seen too many here that always found a way to be bad on Sundays.

[mushypeaches]

1 minute ago, John from Riverside said:

Here is my elaboration

- 1st year head coach

- We let go nearly every high priced core player for draft picks so the team was devoid of talent

 

DESPITE all this.....this coaching staff found a way to win enough games to make its first playoffs in 17 years

 

They did pretty well given the circumstances.   What they were doing worked and they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

 

Couldn't disagree more.  

 

The circumstances of the team have little correlation to McDermott's approach to game day management.  Yes, there are factors that would lean toward a more conservative approach, which you've noted, but I don't think the team's success in 2017 had much to do with McDermott's game management, and in many cases, they had success DESPITE some very questionable and probably overly conservative in-game decisions.  

 

Bill Belichick has won 5 SB's.  Does he get the benefit of the doubt for benching Malcolm Butler in the last one, even though that possibly cost his team the game?  He does not.  

 

My point is that McDermott has a lot to improve upon in this area and it will be a big factor in whether he can build a perennial playoff contender or whether we just saw his ceiling as a coach.

 

[Magox]

I think he did show that he had it in him to be aggressive.  There were a number of times I remember seeing that, having said that there were times when he appeared to be conservative.  To be honest with you, I think he is more on the aggressive side than conservative and I think he played to his personnel.  We didn't have a good offense and there were times that we took the conservative approach simply because we weren't that competent on the offensive side of the ball and he played the numbers.

 

Having said that, I do think he did have some questionable game decision moments and I do believe that is something that he can improve upon.  Let's be real, it was the first time he had ever been tasked to call a game, he never did it in college or at the pro level, so I do see him improving on that front.