Sullivan: Bills' McDermott choked away Super Bowl-caliber season

[Buffalo Boy]

19 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

They are not beating the snot out of him.  He is a very big guy and he will learn to slide more as he gets older.

  Try running full speed, having someone stick their shoulder into any part of your torso that you choose while they are running towards you, do a forward roll into a break fall and slide into some folding chairs ….. on your front lawn.

   Get up an do it again….. And again

    Have someone drop a three hundred pound side of beef on you as you fall down on your front lawn so it lands directly on top of you.

    This “ Josh is big so he can’t get hurt” BS is BS. 
    Hits in football add up. That is a fact!!!! The more he takes the sooner he retires.

 

[PromoTheRobot]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

McDermott was asked today about the final 13 seconds and he said he wishes the execution was different.

 

I don't think he would say that if the players did what they were supposed to do. Someone messed up.

Hard to envision what the plan was seeing that much open space, though.

Edited January 25, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[Coffeesforclosers]

1 minute ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

McDermott was asked today about the final 13 seconds and he said he wishes the execution was different.

 

I don't think he would say that if the players did what they were supposed to do. Someone messed up.

 

Maybe.  Still with all those TOs the D's intent should have been made clear to the players.  Still a bad look for him.

 

Speaking to a different issue, our DL rotation is designed to get pressures because pressures force incompletions and TOs.  This is solid thinking.  Bowles and TB showed that pressure works on Mahomes...IF you get him running BACKWARDS and IF you get a bunch of sacks too.  

 

Pressure that gets Mahomes running East-West isn't really pressure to him.  Elite QBs don't get inside their own heads until they're getting hit repeatedly.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Ok, hate admitting it but Jerry made some valid points. Not his worst article.

 

However, you just know he enjoyed writing it a bit too much. And he still has a top 3 most punchable face in the Tristate area.

[LABILLBACKER]

3 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

What are you talking about? Allen has gotten better every year. Yeah we have to beat KC, but Allen's career wasted? What are you talking about? 

Allen's career is hardly wasted but a huge opportunity to win a Lombardi this year just went down the toilet thanks to stupid coaching. We have probably 12-15 more cracks at it. The question is will McD stop being an idiot in game day management?

[Mat68]

Choke is a hard way of putting it.  The defense was gassed.  They play press, Hill very well could find a seem and that would have been a choke.  The year NE beat Kc same type of game.  New England won the toss and won that game too.  

[Livinginthepast]

How many people commenting on this post didn't even read the article because , "ooooh its bitter Jerry Sullivan" . If someone else had wrote it you would have at least read it and maybe agreed with its points but because its critical Jerry, the eternal pessimist, you skip it and criticize the messenger? I hate to tell you, he is right. Yes, its not anything stupendously original, his take is identical to what fans here said soon after the game on Sunday night. What I like about Sullivan is that he is one of the few media people who holds the franchise to account for its errors and says things that fans say. If anything we need more people like him to light a fire under these coaches and players.  Our media has too many people who sugarcoat their questions to coaches and are happy for the team to get their playoff participation medal. Jerry at least sticks his neck out there and asks some tough questions. The defense after the windy Pats game debacle should have been embarrassed by their efforts and I am glad that Jerry asked that question. Strange coincidence how they responded after that in the season.  On Sunday the Bills had 13 secs to force KC into the offseason and they blew it 100%. The special teams were ordered to do that stupid kickoff (if not then tell us McD , Whose decision was it?). Its simply non debatable that the defense that was called on those two plays with 13 seconds left was utterly moronic. You hadn't got to Mahomes ALL GAME but yet once again you rush 4? 4 exhausted lineman? who even at max speed at the start of the game would not get to Mahomes in time (especially not when he is forced to release the ball within 3-4 seconds). Why not rush 2 and clog up the passing lanes with more linebackers or DBs?  You don't at least have double teams on Kelce and Hill? You don't bump Kelce and Hill at the line? You don't take a holding penalty to eat clock? (and BTW I dont think the refs would have the cojones to call some intentional holding cheating penalty to put time back on there). Even in the OT you don't burn your timeout on their drive? why not? Had the Bills just conceded after they lost the coin toss?. What are you going to use those time outs for after the game? All of what happened in those 13 secs and after in OT just exemplified my worst fears about McD, which are that he is an excellent coach on many levels but some of his in game decisions show a lack of being able to think on his feet.  You would think that these end game scenarios are practiced over and over by NFL coaches so at least in that moment they DONT have to think under the pressure, they just know that in THIS particular situation you should do this particular defense in order to maximize your chances of success. That's what should have happened. Why didn't  Frazier and McD have multiple plans worked out for these late game scenarios before the game?? Instead we get some amateurish knee jerk vanilla prevent as if we were up by 4 PTS!! There simply isnt any excuse for losing like we did. The coaches should be putting players in their best position to WIN and on Sunday the coaches in the most crucial moments of the season, put a tired and hard working defensive team in the best position to FAIL. If it takes Jerry Sullivan and other media (who dont fear hurting the coaches and players feelings) and fans to call this out and force the team to get better then I welcome this 100%! 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 minute ago, ScottLaw said:

Nice, so he throws his players under the bus instead…. They were clearly instructed to protect the sidelines otherwise Kelce wouldn’t have been running wide open in the middle of the field. 

A lot of times DE's are instructed to bump a TE to prevent a free release. Sometimes they don't follow instructions.

Edited January 25, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[cgg716]

3 hours ago, oldmanfan said:

Have you looked at Brady?  Rogers?  Quit being clueless and so emotional.

He takes a lot of hits. Shorter prime. Big Ben like maybe 

[Scott7975]

OMG Just when I thought this week could not possibly get worse.  The Bills broke yet another record and forced me to agree with a Sully article.  FML.

3 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Did you watch the other QB? Mahomes is THE guy right now. Allen will have to put up more amazing performances to finally beat that guy. 

 

Mahomes and Allen are both THE guys.  You literally could not have asked either to play a better game.  They were both as good as it gets.

[Scott7975]

2 hours ago, Mark80 said:

So, if we won the coin toss would everyone be saying that Andy Reid choked away that game and be calling for heads?  Didn't think so.

 

It was choked away in regulation.  No team should be able to get into FG range with only 13 seconds of play.  Thats is a coaching choke job.  The coin toss had nothing to do with it as it should have never gotten to the coin toss.

[zow2]

1 hour ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

I’d say the majority of fans are slow playing it here. Acting like it’s a given that we will be back several times. I’m not sure where that silliness comes from. All your window does is shrink rapidly once you pay the QB. You have to cash in on one of these soon because you never know when you aren’t going back. I’m sick about Sunday because I’m not the guy that just “knows” we will be back. You have to enjoy the ride each time because it could be it at any time. We of all fan bases should understand that. Keep pissing away these chances and all of a sudden you wake up and you are the Phillip Rivers Chargers. We should have won the super bowl this year. That’s not something you get to say to often.

 

I agree.  I've been around a while and cringe when i see people matter-of-fact post "Allen will have a couple rings before it's all said and done".  I think it's a coping mechanism for some people.  That's just not how it works though.  He likely had one ring this year, but the game was horribly blown,...not his fault.  Mahomes might be wearing Josh's ring this year.  It hurts.  

 

The best thing the Bills can do is maintain continuity, and just keep kicking the can.  Even though people are pissed at McDermott right now, he is a respected coach in that locker-room.  We have a smart GM.  We have a franchise QB.  They will all learn from this, and even though cap restrictions will come into play and make things harder, they will keep reloading with some new guys and F/A vets.  Just maintain this continuity and give yourself a shot each season.  That's all we can do.  But 2021 was likely a ring lost, for sure.

 

 

[BillsVet]

3 hours ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

Coach McD seems to be an experiential learner. This past experience will serve him and the team well from that standpoint. I look at how he has improved in areas like challenges. The old Coach McD would have challenged that fumble by the Chiefs, that was a fumble, in hopes of getting a better spot. 
Look at how Coach McD adjust from the first NE game and then the rest of the season. Coach was in better control of his emotions since that game. 

My concern for Coach McD is his ability to keep the team engaged and together. To this point his greatest accomplishment has been the culture change. He needs to improve his game day coaching. Right now he seems a lot like Marv Levy, perfect coach Monday-Saturday but struggled on Sunday in the biggest moments. 

 

A board of directors doesn't hire a new CEO to learn on the job.  They need that hire to come in on day 1 ready to go.  This narrative people advance about a coach learning incrementally in his 1st 5 seasons is merely lowering expectations for a slow on the draw HC not mentally sharpe enough in-game.  

 

I'm no longer Sullivan's biggest fan, and aside from the comment about Hyde and Poyer's speed relative to (I'm guessing) Tyreek Hill, the article was 100% fair questioning the HC's inability to manage games at the most crucial junctures.

 

If McD's biggest accomplishment is "changing the culture" that phase of the rebuild is over now.  The focus now is on supporting Josh and improving everything around the QB.  Anything less and they'll be right back to being susceptible to another McD brain freeze in the 2022 playoffs.   

[JackKemp]

I would argue that this wasn't a Superbowl season. Things fell into place to potentially get to the Superbowl and even win it, but the season itself was not Superbowl caliber when you lose to the Steelers and Jacksonville. It also isn't one when you can't beat the hot teams at that point in the schedule. All of that pointed to not quite enough to beat the Chiefs in a playoff game. Can't just do it with a QB and an offense.

[Billsatlastin2018]

Forget about old, bitter Jerry! Go re watch the broadcast as BOTH Nance & Romo called out the correct call BEFORE it did not happen- the Squib Kick!!!

 

Because they knew, sure as shite, as many, many posters here did, on the 2nd Half thread, that TIME was the Chiefs ONLY enemy that needed to be defeated.
 

“McDermott was asked today about the final 13 seconds and he said he wishes the execution was different.”

 

100%!

 

HIS!👎🏻

Edited January 25, 2022 by Billsatlastin2018

[mannc]

53 minutes ago, Niagara Dude said:

Jerry is right,  Sean and Frazier choked this game away.  Even a high school coach would never allow the straight free releases off the line with zero resistance.  Had we had a more competent HC this team is playing in the AFC title game.  There is no defending the poor decisions made at the end of that game with 13 secs left.  Only people doing that are also crying about losing the coin toss & OT rules.  9 out of 10 HC'S / coordinators finish off that game.  When you watch the replays of those two long pass plays and its hard to question if we're not at a huge disadvatange with the coaching on this team. Just another thing outsiders can laugh at.  

 

I feel the worse for Josh Allen because pundits are saying how Mahomes is still the top guy and the fact is Allen played better but the team that wins gets the coverage.  

 

 

As for the kick off,  if you watched Bass this season when he is trying to place kick it and cover inside the 20 he takes almost no run up to the ball. For that kick- off Bass took a run up and put it way through the end zone,  so I doubt he was told to squid or place kick it and just ignored his HC. It seems more probable that Sean decided to play it safe and avoid another Music city miracle.

 

End of the day there is not one person who can defend the type of defence they decided to employ on those final two passes with 13 secs left.  When you look at where they had players positioned it is a freaking joke and you have to question what the hell were they thinking.

Shameful that McDermott didn’t fess up to ordering the deep kickoff…his post-game answer (“execution”) might lead one to believe that Bass screwed up.

[timekills17]

4 hours ago, QCity said:

Even Jerry is throwing a tantrum. I know, I know, you're not going to click on it (you will). 

 

Sullivan: Bills' McDermott choked away Super Bowl-caliber season

 

I'm not going to click it.

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Ok, I clicked it.  Doesn't matter anyway.

[Niagara Dude]

4 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Extremely fair and accurate accounting of the game, reflecting several key themes that have been ALL OVER this message board since the moment the game ended.

 

He has high praise of Allen, speaks of the folly of the current OT rule, and offers fair and accurate criticism of McDermott's playoff in-game management, which is not particularly strong.

 

He also correctly points out that the Pegulas will almost certainly not have any issues with McDermott...but perhaps someone should be asking if what McD brings to the table is enough to match Josh's promise.

 

I'm sure this won't stop an army of posters here from trashing Jerry and the column, despite never reading a word of it.

 

Such is the way of ignorance.

 

 

Sean is a great guy who has turned us into playoff team,  but is he another Marvin Lewis? If your happy just making the playoffs then fine but with now having a potential HOF QB on your team the goals need to be higher.  

 

I am very concerned,  losing that game the way we did just highlights the fact that he may not be a big game HC.  I like Sean and think he deserves another year.  I also think or at least I hope the Pegulas have outside consultants that advise them to ask Sean to replace Frazier.  I know he won't unless they ask him because he got fired himself by Andy Reid.  

 

I think everyone can agree were good on offensive side of the ball .   If we're going to improve we need to be better on the defensive side of the ball and not just putting up great stats against crappy teams.  

 

Everyone keeps asking how do we get better so we can beat KC,  my answer is upgrade the DC cordinator position. There are plenty of options available right now where we can upgrade the DC cordinator position.  It's been 3 straight years where out defence have given up leads in playoff games that resulted in losing games.  Even in our win late in the season against he Pats,  when you look closer if Josh Allen and our offence did not keep scoring on every possession the Pats could have easily tied that game late in the 4th because our defence could not get stops.  You need a defence to win a championship

[Niagara Dude]

4 minutes ago, mannc said:

Shameful that McDermott didn’t fess up to ordering the deep kickoff…his post-game answer (“execution”) might lead one to believe that Bass screwed up.

Dude unless Bass is stupid  I am sure he knows the difference and when you watch the replay he takes a big run up to the ball.  Second year players don't usually ignore their HC and his intent was clearly to kick it through the end zone. Sounds more like Sean did not want to be questioned about his decision and talked about execution.  Execution is if he kicks it out of bounds and they get the ball at the 40

[Chicken Boo]

4 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

What are you talking about? Allen has gotten better every year. Yeah we have to beat KC, but Allen's career wasted? What are you talking about? 

 

Green Bay wasted a large portion of Aaron Rodgers career.  Dan Marino has stated several times how he always thought he'd get another shot at winning a Super Bowl.  

 

 

After the playoff drought, no one should be taking this recent success for granted.  Nothing is promised in this league.