Best coaching move of the game yesterday

[dave mcbride]

McDermott wisely calling time out when on the Bills’ final drive Brady had them lined up in shotgun in third and less than one at the NE 26 yard line with 2:41 left. I remember earlier in the season McDermott losing it when Dorsey did the same inside the one, which predictably resulted in a failure. The call there is ALWAYS to sneak it when you have Josh Allen and the tush push remains legal. My strong assumption is that McDermott saw them line up in shotgun and thought “what the actual f**k??” and called the TO. The Bills then reverted to the smart play, which of course worked. It’s those calls that can be the difference in a game.

Edited January 2 by dave mcbride

[dma0034]

I'll say that about the Eagles. Everyone knows when it's 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 what's coming. Bills earlier handed the ball off to Murray instead of doing the 1 yard QB sneak. No need to out think yourself

[MJS]

Yes, the Cover 1 guys mentioned that as well. Playcallers have a tendency to over think things sometimes. I remember that a lot with Daboll, Dorsey, and now Brady, too.

 

But I'm a firm believer in running things over and over until the defense proves they can stop it. If it is working, keep doing it. Good job by McDermott making that change.

[BuffaloBillyG]

3 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

McDermott wisely calling time out when on the Bills’ final drive Brady had them lined up in shotgun in third and less than one at the NE 26 yard line with 2:41 left. I remember earlier in the season McDermott losing it when Dorsey did the same inside the one, which predictably resulted in a failure. The call there is ALWAYS to sneak it when you have Josh Allen and the tush push remains legal. My strong assumption is that McDermott saw them line up in shotgun and thought “what the actual f**k??” and called the TO. The Bills then reverted to the smart play, which of course worked. It’s those calls that be the difference in a game.

But I thought it was bad when McDermott put his fingerprints on the offense? 

 

You are 100% correct though. Excellent situational awareness by Sean. That play was HUGE.

[Yobogoya!]

Yeah that was legit a great call!

 

Mcd when at last he calls a timeout to get the play right, and in fact does get the play right:

 

[RyanC883]

I’ll critique him when necessary and am still not sold on him as a championship coach, but that was a great job by McD.  No need to get “cute” there.  Also like thar he wanted more turnovers from the D (according to the sideline reporter), shows an aggressive style. 

[Stanley Lombardi]

Agreed--pulling them out of shotgun was first-class coaching at a crucial moment.

 

And, if I may, a modest proposal:

 

I nominate Sean McDermott for Coach Of The Week--an award which does not exist, but should. 

 

At the very least, Coach Of The Week would give message boards across the land something else to banter about.

[Ethan in Cleveland]

You are correct. 

Worst decision was not going for it on 4th and 1 after the Murray fail. 

[Dr. Who]

42 minutes ago, BuffaloBillyG said:

But I thought it was bad when McDermott put his fingerprints on the offense? 

 

You are 100% correct though. Excellent situational awareness by Sean. That play was HUGE.

So, McD should call time outs to stop his OC from making a foolish choice. His defensive TOs OTOH are usually a signal to the opposing OC that whatever he plans on doing, it's likely to result in points or at least a first down.

[TampaBillsJunkie]

46 minutes ago, dma0034 said:

I'll say that about the Eagles. Everyone knows when it's 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1 what's coming. Bills earlier handed the ball off to Murray instead of doing the 1 yard QB sneak. No need to out think yourself

Murray blew three drives yesterday and we lost points because of him. He looks out of steam and it would be nice to get Fournette back in there with Johnson and Cook.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

They’re getting really good at the tush push. 

[BADOLBILZ]

5 hours ago, dave mcbride said:

McDermott wisely calling time out when on the Bills’ final drive Brady had them lined up in shotgun in third and less than one at the NE 26 yard line with 2:41 left. I remember earlier in the season McDermott losing it when Dorsey did the same inside the one, which predictably resulted in a failure. The call there is ALWAYS to sneak it when you have Josh Allen and the tush push remains legal. My strong assumption is that McDermott saw them line up in shotgun and thought “what the actual f**k??” and called the TO. The Bills then reverted to the smart play, which of course worked. It’s those calls that be the difference in a game.

 

It was ridiculous that they even had to call that timeout..........it should have been a no-brainer to go to the tush push.  

 

Not only is the tush push easy money when you have a big QB..........you don't see pre-snap or holding calls on the offense on those plays.     How many times do we see flags ruin 3rd down conversions?  

 

I actually preferred the tush push on the play that sealed the game with the last first down as well.    They needed 2 yards so they went with a QB run play instead and then Allen gets smashed at the end.   Much safer on top of the pile than in the open field where defenders can get downhill and put a helmet into you. 

 

 

Edited January 2 by BADOLBILZ

[scuba guy]

The nice thing about what he did he walked right over to knox and talked to him about something 🤔. Making sure he knew what to do about where to line up and anyone coming around the corner.

Coach also talked to Josh.  Coach had a paper up against his face for that so I could not lip read what he said.

[Man with No Name]

ill tip my cap to McD but it was an obvious call, especially after we screwed up the other 3 and 1 with Murray up the middle. 

 

i think the bigger takeaway is that shows Brady is not a sound decision maker. He did it twice in one game. Sorry to say, but he should not get the job. 

 

If he is not feeling those obvious situations correctly, he most likely isn't doing it right throughout the game when there is a bit more nuance to what is and isn't the right call. 

[BADOLBILZ]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

They’re getting really good at the tush push. 

 

And they are going to need it if they are only going to pass for 150-200 yards per game and lean on the defense.

[WotAGuy]

McD screamed into his headset at Brady:

“Hitler went with the ground game when he invaded Poland - NOT the air game.”

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

Yes, the Cover 1 guys mentioned that as well. Playcallers have a tendency to over think things sometimes. I remember that a lot with Daboll, Dorsey, and now Brady, too.

 

But I'm a firm believer in running things over and over until the defense proves they can stop it. If it is working, keep doing it. Good job by McDermott making that change.

 

What I highlighted above may be true 10 times that when the play caller is an ex QB.  I could imagine Dorsey often thinking to himself, boy what I could have done if I had JA's skill set.  Let me live vicariously through him now and call the plays I always thought about, but I didn't have the skills to pull off.

 

Ex QB's are probably great QB coaches as Dorsey was with Daboll, but scare me as an OC.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Weren’t there a few moments yesterday it seemed like Josh was annoyed with the guy talking to him in his helmet?

[Buffalo03]

I feel overall, his game management has been a lot better in this 4 game win streak. It hasn't been perfect but it's been better

[Aussie Joe]

3 minutes ago, WotAGuy said:

McD screamed into his headset at Brady:

“Hitler went with the ground game when he invaded Poland - NOT the air game.”

Hitler might have won the game against Poland … but the lack of the air game was a factor at the away games against England and Russia … Cost them the Championship that season …