Let's hear it for Coach McDermott

[Logic]

It makes sense on this Victory Monday to reflect on the amazing plays we saw our players make on the football field yesterday. Josh Allen's hurdle and golden-armed rocket throws, Von Miller closing, Taron Johnson sealing the win with a pick..,.

It makes sense on this Victory Monday to reflect on the awesome job that our GM Brandon Beane has done in building this roster...the late round gems, the trade acquisitions, the brilliant free agent signings...

One thing I want to make sure doesn't get lost in the good feelings of this Victory Monday, though, is the credit that Coach McDermott deserves for yesterday's win. 

For making all the right "Go for it vs kick it" decisions. For being aggressive throughout the game and not falling back any conservative tendencies. For keeping his team composed after early adversity. For great clock management decisions at the end of the game. For having this team ready to beat a high quality opponent on the road.

Hell of a game, coach!

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

You're right.

 

McD did some seriously hard clapping yesterday.

 

I bet his hands are black and blue

[SCBills]

There's a lot of scar tissue from 13 seconds that, justifiably, taints some of our views towards the coaching staff.. but it's time to let that go and recognize that we have a phenomenal staff in place, led by a top tier Head Coach. 

[mushypeaches]

It's been encouraging watching him grow as a coach and embrace going against his more conservative, defense-oriented nature

 

Even though all of the decisions didn't necessarily work yesterday, they were still the right decisions.

 

Players see that - and they appreciate having an aggressive coach behind them

[NORWOODS FOOT]

1 minute ago, mushypeaches said:

It's been encouraging watching him grow as a coach and embrace going against his more conservative, defense-oriented nature

 

Even though all of the decisions didn't necessarily work yesterday, they were still the right decisions.

 

Players see that - and they appreciate having an aggressive coach behind them

Amen. He's growing. Can't ask for more than that. I respect the hell out of him.

[Big Turk]

I know they don't always work out but I LOVE McDermott putting his fate in the hands of Josh Allen when it's easier to kick the FG. I don't think we realize how rare that is for a defensive coach to be able to step out of that defensive mindset and be aggressive offensively on 4th downs repeatedly in key moments.

 

There would have been coaches from previous years that would have punted on the 4th and inches from the Bills 33 and hoped the D got the ball back for the offense one more time.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Big Turk

[NewEra]

This should be fun

 

Hats to our head coach.  I’m glad he’s our coach.  

[US Egg]

With JA, McD can go out of his comfort zone and afford to be a risk taker.

 

That said, it was a big win and McD and his staff did a solid job, no doubt.

Edited October 17, 2022 by I am the egg man

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, Big Turk said:

I know they don't always work out but I LOVE McDermott putting his fate in the hands of Josh Allen when it's easier to kick the FG. I don't think we realize how rare that is for a defensive coach to be able to step out of that defensive mindset and be aggressive offensively on 4th downs repeatedly in key moments.

 

There would have been coaches from previous years that would have punted on the 4th and inches from the Bills 33 and hoped the D got the ball back for the offense one more time.

But we’ve all read right here, that he is innately conservative and that will never change.

[BritBill]

End of thread.

[Logic]

1 minute ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches.

Yep, you're in the minority.

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by Logic

[Warcodered]

That wasted timeout at the start of the second half really came back to bite the Chiefs too.

[Logic]

3 minutes ago, Radar said:

Understand but if we lost the game I'm pretty sure we would be questioning the plays I mentioned.

And if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches. Having said all that I do like McDermott overall.

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

[SCBills]

7 minutes ago, Radar said:

Sorry but I may be in the minority who thinks they won in spite of bad calls by coaches. Not taking the field goal, going for it on fourth down on your own 45, and dumb trick lateral play with a yard for first and turning ball over. Glad we won a game I frankly thought we were the underdog in but I give credit to the players in this one not our coaches.

 

Not sure if it's the same sequence, but we went for it on 4th down and McKenzie is wide open and literally trips over his own feet for what should have been a semi-routine catch for a professional receiver. 

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

That wasted timeout at the start of the second half really came back to bite the Chiefs too.

That's right, and unless I missed it, Tirico and Collinsworth failed to comment on that point.  When the Chiefs took that timeout, the announcers commented that this was the kind of game where that timeout was important, and it was.  

 

Of course, the Bills were really humming, and if they'd needed a first down on that last possession, they would have gotten it. 

[Saxum]

6 minutes ago, Logic said:

And if my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

 

These days she may have been your uncle before the operation.

[Warcodered]

2 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

That's right, and unless I missed it, Tirico and Collinsworth failed to comment on that point.  When the Chiefs took that timeout, the announcers commented that this was the kind of game where that timeout was important, and it was.  

 

Of course, the Bills were really humming, and if they'd needed a first down on that last possession, they would have gotten it. 

It might have been more clear without the pick where the Chiefs would really have been managing the clock, they just kind of missed how that let us run out the clock.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Warcodered

[Logic]

Just now, Shaw66 said:

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

In most games, I would have taken the field goal, too.

For me, the Chiefs are simply one of those teams where field goals aren't going to get the job done. 

I also think that the players LOVE IT when you go for the touchdown instead of the field goal in that area of the field. It sends the message that you believe in them, and you're going to do everything you can to win the game.

Normally, most Sundays, I'm a "take the points" guy. Against the Chiefs...not so much.

As for the option play where McKenzie fumbled and the Chiefs recovered...I feel like that one is on the player who didn't execute -- in this case, McKenzie. We, as fans, didn't watch practice all week. Maybe they DID consistently execute it correctly. Maybe it went for big gainers a few times against the Bills defense in practice. We simply don't know.

We only saw the one instance of it being used in a game, where it DIDN'T work...and it's hard for me to blame the coaches for a play in which execution (particularly a dumb concentration error like the one McKenzie made) was to blame. Sometimes it's the X's and O's, sometimes it's the Willies and Joes. That looked like a Willie and Joe mistake to me.

[Jauronimo]

9 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

This is a great example of how much different the game looks to the coaches and players than it does to the fans.  I was okay on the 4th down decision, but I would have taken the field goal, and I don't think you ever should run a new, gadget-type play if you cannot execute it correctly.  Those things stick out in the fans' minds.  But to the coaches and players, they are just one of hundreds of plays and decisions, and they know that they aren't all going to work.  One or another not working doesn't matter; all that matters is that when you add up all the players, did you win or lose. 

 

The addition was clear yesterday:  The Bills won.  

A gadget play?  It was a pitch.  If McKenzie didn't forget he had arms and try to catch it with his face like a golden retriever it probably goes for a TD.