The decision that changed all the momentum

[Rocbillsfan1]

I haven’t really seen this discussed anywhere today on the board or on the radio. The single decision I think that changed the nature of the game was McDermott deciding to kick a 48 yard fg in the second half after the Eagles had just gone 3 and out. The Bills already had 1 fg blocked and conditions weren’t great. It only puts them up 13 if it goes in but if he misses puts them in excellent field position and could give the Eagles some life. It was a 50/50 call on making it. Of course Bass misses it and the Eagles jump out and score a TD and the game was never the same. The Bills continued to moe the ball on offense after that but that possession gave the Eagles confidence and a new life. I was angry that McDermott didn’t actually just punt and pin them deep and make them earn it. The Eagles offense has been sputtering to that point and I would have continued to make it hard on them.
 

I think McDermott honestly thought he was being aggressive which he thinks he needs to be. The way the game had been going until that point just didn’t call for it. It’s like he believes the offense needs points on all possessions or it’s a failure. I really wasn’t worried about not getting points there. It was at that moment that my stomached dropped and it was back to here we go again. I also brought up a similar decision in the Giants game when he decided to kick a long field goal late instead of running the ball 3 times and punting and making the Giants go the length of the field with no timeouts and under 60 seconds and was ridiculed by most posters then too. Making the 3 in the Giants game still made it a 1 possession game just like in this instance it’s still a 2 score game. The risk/reward just didn’t add up in either of these situations. No kicker is going to be perfect and I think probably one of the toughest positions to kick a field goal is when it’s a long field goal and you aren’t changing the possession # and potentially giving a big momentum swing to the other team if missed. No one is talking about this but this was the moment for me where it felt like the wheels that McDermott put into motion came off the track.
 

McDermott really shows in almost all situations to have the worst instincts I’ve ever seen. I can think of dozens of times throughout his tenure where I’d basically do the opposite of whatever he is thinking of doing in terms of game/clock mgmt. He’s basically the inverse Cramer of NFL coaches. 

[QB Bills]

You wanted him to punt it from the opposing 31 yard line?

 

I think we've found the one guy who thinks McDermott is too aggressive out there.

[Jay_Fixit]

I can honestly say this is the worst thread I’ve read today. And that’s saying a lot.

[Mikie2times]

1 minute ago, QB Bills said:

You wanted him to punt it from the opposing 31 yard line?

 

I think we've found the one guy who thinks McDermott is too aggressive out there.

Ya. That would be a historically bad decision. The weather was good enough for the Eagles to make a 90 yards field goal. At worst, any NFL kicker makes that 60% or more, the actual average is 70-75%. You have a real risk of a 11 yard net punt on a touchback. I don’t disagree that the game seemed to change at that point. But it’s also when the Eagles started hammering those stretch run to the outside. We had no answer for that and it allowed them to get in some rhythm. 

[Rocbillsfan1]

16 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

You wanted him to punt it from the opposing 31 yard line?

 

I think we've found the one guy who thinks McDermott is too aggressive out there.

No, think you’re missing my point. There are times when he needs to be more aggressive because he can hear all the criticism but there are times where this has led to him making bad decisions. He doesn’t have an internal compass on when and where to pick the correct spots on being aggressive. I know the Eagles made a 59 miracle fg. But without knowing that maybe it wasn’t a great idea to potentially give the Eagles good field position on a 50/50 kick that doesn’t really change the outcome of the game. By all means he should have been aggressive with 20 seconds and if we needed a 60 yarder then take it. In a weird way it’s like he doesn’t trust his offense still and doesn’t want empty possessions. Also if you keep playing good defense you make them punt get a first down or two and get in better range for a fg or potential touchdown. 

Edited November 28, 2023 by Rocbillsfan1

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

[Rocbillsfan1]

Again bass has been shaky on longer kicks. He already had a blocked kick and somehow you all had great confidence that he would make it? That’s crazy sounding to me. Also wasn’t a do or die time to kick one. The Eagles kicker has 0 pressure but that Bass miss led to the whole game changing from that point. 

Just now, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

Not really hindsight if I didn’t want to kick the fg. Just like I disagreed to kick the fg in the Giants game. 

Also I’ve disliked Mcdermott since the Colts snow game when he punted on 4th and 1 at the 36 in OT when the Bills needed to play for the win. It’s not just about being 100% aggressive all the time. It’s about knowing when to pick your spots and Mcdermott has never shown a good instinct for it.

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

1 minute ago, Rocbillsfan1 said:

Again bass has been shaky on longer kicks. He already had a blocked kick and somehow you all had great confidence that he would make it? That’s crazy sounding to me. Also wasn’t a do or die time to kick one. The Eagles kicker has 0 pressure but that Bass miss led to the whole game changing from that point. 

Not really hindsight if I didn’t want to kick the fg. Just like I disagreed to kick the fg in the Giants game. 

 

With a 17-7 lead with 10+ minutes left in the 3rd Quarter, against a good offense, your options are

 

1) 48 yard FG

2) Go for it on 4th and 10

3) Punt

 

Weather wasn't THAT bad. You 100% take the FG attempt. Anything else is hindsight nonsense. 

[QB Bills]

4 minutes ago, Rocbillsfan1 said:

No, think you’re missing my point. There are times when he needs to be more aggressive because he can hear all the criticism but there are times where this has led to him making bad decisions. He doesn’t have an internal compass on when and where to pick the correct spots on being aggressive. I know the Eagles made a 59 miracle fg. But without knowing that maybe it wasn’t a great idea to potentially give the Eagles good field position on a 50/50 kick that doesn’t really change the outcome of the game. By all means he should have been aggressive with 20 seconds and if needed a 60 harder then take it. In a weird way it’s like he doesn’t trust his offense still and doesn’t want empty possessions. Also if you keep playing good defense you make them punt get a first down or two and get in better range for a fg or potential touchdown. 

I see your point. And it does make sense to a certain extent. But a 48 yard field goal attempt for Bass..you have to think that's almost automatic even with the rain. 

 

The result of the play was a backbreaker but not the decision, imo.

[Rocbillsfan1]

I think he would have gone for it if it wasn’t 4th and 10. Idk about whether not being that bad, and Bass has been struggling, and just had a field goal blocked. Idk why you trust Bass there instead of your defense who has shut down the Eagles to that point.

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

Just now, Rocbillsfan1 said:

I think he would have gone for it if it wasn’t 4th and 10. Idk about whether not being that bad, and Bass has been struggling, and just had a field goal blocked. Idk why you trust Bass there instead of your defense who has shut down the Eagles to that point.

 

He made a 48 yard FG earlier in this very game

[Rocbillsfan1]

2 minutes ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

He made a 48 yard FG earlier in this very game

True but the team was losing at that point and not up 10 and controlling the game. Again not always against kicking it, it just depends on what the game is calling for at that time. If we are that worried about the Eagles offense why not pin them deep or go for it if you feel like you need lots of points.

6 minutes ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

He made a 48 yard FG earlier in this very game

Just the same thought on the Giants game too. Like yea I guess he could make it but you’re just giving the ball back to the Giants with more time and timeouts and not pinned deep. Sometimes you just don’t take the risk. 

[BillsFan130]

McDermott made a lot of awful decisions, but I don’t think that was one of them.

 

Your 5 million dollar kicker simply just has to make that kick.

[Rocbillsfan1]

1 minute ago, BillsFan130 said:

McDermott made a lot of awful decisions, but I don’t think that was one of them.

 

Your 5 million dollar kicker simply just has to make that kick.

Wish he did.

[BillsFan130]

Just now, Rocbillsfan1 said:

Wish he did.

Yep. But that’s on Bass, not McDermott 

[Rocbillsfan1]

He’s now 66% on 40 and out which is not good. Add in the other elements I’m talking about like crappy weather, a previous blocked kick and I’m not exactly super trustworthy of my kicker there to not give the home team momentum. 

[ToGoGo]

I had car problems this morning. If only McDermott rotated my tires this summer it wouldn’t have happened. 

[Rocbillsfan1]

Just now, ToGoGo said:

I had car problems this morning. If only McDermott rotated my tires this summer it wouldn’t have happened. 

McDermott is managing the car though. 

[Mike in Horseheads]

54 minutes ago, Rocbillsfan1 said:

I haven’t really seen this discussed anywhere today on the board or on the radio. The single decision I think that changed the nature of the game was McDermott deciding to kick a 48 yard fg in the second half after the Eagles had just gone 3 and out. The Bills already had 1 fg blocked and conditions weren’t great. It only puts them up 13 if it goes in but if he misses puts them in excellent field position and could give the Eagles some life. It was a 50/50 call on making it. Of course Bass misses it and the Eagles jump out and score a TD and the game was never the same. The Bills continued to moe the ball on offense after that but that possession gave the Eagles confidence and a new life. I was angry that McDermott didn’t actually just punt and pin them deep and make them earn it. The Eagles offense has been sputtering to that point and I would have continued to make it hard on them.
 

I think McDermott honestly thought he was being aggressive which he thinks he needs to be. The way the game had been going until that point just didn’t call for it. It’s like he believes the offense needs points on all possessions or it’s a failure. I really wasn’t worried about not getting points there. It was at that moment that my stomached dropped and it was back to here we go again. I also brought up a similar decision in the Giants game when he decided to kick a long field goal late instead of running the ball 3 times and punting and making the Giants go the length of the field with no timeouts and under 60 seconds and was ridiculed by most posters then too. Making the 3 in the Giants game still made it a 1 possession game just like in this instance it’s still a 2 score game. The risk/reward just didn’t add up in either of these situations. No kicker is going to be perfect and I think probably one of the toughest positions to kick a field goal is when it’s a long field goal and you aren’t changing the possession # and potentially giving a big momentum swing to the other team if missed. No one is talking about this but this was the moment for me where it felt like the wheels that McDermott put into motion came off the track.
 

McDermott really shows in almost all situations to have the worst instincts I’ve ever seen. I can think of dozens of times throughout his tenure where I’d basically do the opposite of whatever he is thinking of doing in terms of game/clock mgmt. He’s basically the inverse Cramer of NFL coaches. 

Another way to say you want McD fired. Don't be afraid just come out and say it like the others who think that way

[Reks Ryan]

Can you imagine the outrage if he actually called for a punt from the 31 yard line?   Holy Jesus that woulda been stupid.  
 

This is the thread that jumped the shark on McDermott criticism.  Pretty much shows that some fans are going to be against every decision that doesn’t work out perfectly.