Playoff defense not just bad, next level awful

[st pete gogolak]

There isn’t any need for a “rebuild” next year.  The offense is going to come back intact (except maybe Morse as a cap casualty).  They will most likely add a WR in the first round.  It has the potential to be great.  Not good, great.  Yeah, lot’s of questions on D but there is no way next year should be a rebuilding year.

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, warrior9 said:

@NewEra

 

Should he just get over it? Or can you finally answer "What makes you think McDermott can get us to the Superbowl?"

He and everyone else that doesn’t want McD coaching this team should get over it.  Yes.  Why? Because he’s our coach whether you like it or not.  Maybe you should start a petition.  But no, you’ll just litter the forums with the same regurgitated whining for the next 7 months.  As if it accomplishes anything except quenching your thirst for something that isn’t happening until after next season.  

 

I don’t think McDermott is a finished product as a head coach-  we were 1 play away from beating kc.  I don’t think McDermott’s coaching was the reason we didn’t make it this year.   That said,  I’m not against firing him and hiring someone new, depending on who the replacement is obv.  I just don’t see what berating the decision to keep him over and over and over and over accomplishes.  What does it accomplish exactly?

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, BuffaloRebound said:

We need a more violent downhill defense.  Those are the defenses that perform in the playoffs.  Players are banged up and the film is out there after 18 or 19 games.  Undersized defenses that rely on confusing guys like Mahomes or even Burrow don’t hold up.  

 

It is why losing Bernard was so big. He has been the downhill guy in our defense all year. One of the key differences between McDermott and Frazier is how aggressive they are in the use of linebackers to attack rather than react. And then when it came to the crunch Sean was starved of those linebackers. 

[Warcodered]

6 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

It is why losing Bernard was so big. He has been the downhill guy in our defense all year. One of the key differences between McDermott and Frazier is how aggressive they are in the use of linebackers to attack rather than react. And then when it came to the crunch Sean was starved of those linebackers. 

It's tough to judge McDermott's defense in the Playoffs when it died in London, managed to find sparks going down the stretch through the season then got snuffed out right before we needed them most against the Chiefs. It did feel, and I say that because that's pretty much the limit of my understanding, that McDermott got stuck too long trying to get his scheme for the game to work with the broken pieces he had instead of adjusting to how things were working like he'd been doing a better job of down the stretch. Seemed like he might have finally done that more towards the end, but we ended up being ***** out of luck, plus it's Mahomes he's going to find a way sometimes.

Edited January 30 by Warcodered

[Governor]

7 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

There isn’t any need for a “rebuild” next year.  The offense is going to come back intact (except maybe Morse as a cap casualty).  They will most likely add a WR in the first round.  It has the potential to be great.  Not good, great.  Yeah, lot’s of questions on D but there is no way next year should be a rebuilding year.

They need 2 new starting safeties and 1 CB at the very least and then there’s the DL. Looks like an entire defensive rebuild to me.

Edited January 30 by Governor

[Best Williams Available]

I hope McBeane doesn’t see this or kiss a 1st round WR goodbye and hello DL/S.

[BillsFanForever19]

That will happen when you're down not only both your starting LB's, but playing with a 3rd String MLB who was on the couch 2 weeks prior (and rolled his ankle halfway through the game) and a backup OLB who went into the game less than 100%, went down after a few plays, and played through it bc we literally had no one else to replace him.

 

Down one of your starting CB's and your other starting CB playing at maybe 50% Seriously, I can't be the only one who saw him hobbling 5-10 yards behind his man to catch up on anything over 10-15 yards. Standing still trying to get Mahomes in the open field after the simplest of moves. Douglas was on the field, but he probably shouldn't have been.

 

Could the game plan have been better? Perhaps. But we were simply outmanned against an offense the caliber of the Chiefs in the Playoffs (who are a different team every year at this point than they are in the regular season).

 

Injuries on Defense, terrible Special Teams play (Martin had no business being on the field either), and a couple miscues on Offense are what cost us that game. The Chiefs are a dynasty. We can't expect to line up a mash unit against them and expect to win. Mason Rudolph and the Steelers are one thing. Mahomes and the Chiefs are something else entirely.

Edited January 30 by BillsFanForever19

[Nextmanup]

On 1/28/2024 at 1:26 PM, Mikie2times said:

I knew our defense in the playoffs was bad, but I didn't realize it was at this level of bad.

 

These are our DVOA rankings since 2020, which are all above average with 2021 and 2022 being elite. 

 

2020: 11th

2021: 2nd

2022: 1st

2023: 12th

 

This is EPA allowed in our playoff losses along with the EPA each of these teams posted in other playoff games that same year.  I included how that EPA ranked on the season for that team. 

 

Kansas City 2023: vs Buffalo, 11.85 EPA 5th best on the season

Other playoff games that year: Miami EPA 9.58, 7th best

 

Bengals 2022: vs Buffalo, 22.03 EPA, 3rd best on the season

Other Playoff games that year: KC 4.06 EPA 10th best, Ravens .7 EPA 16th best

 

Kansas City 2021: vs Buffalo, 32.62 EPA, 3rd best on the season

Other playoff games that year: Steelers 16.09 EPA, 9th best, Bengals 11.28 EPA 12th best

 

Kansas City 2020: Vs Buffalo, 30.34 1st best on the season

Other playoff games that year: Browns 19.09 EPA 9th best, Tampa Bay: -7.90 EPA 19th best

 

For context, Kansas City has not had an EPA in the 20's in a playoff game one time since 2020 but they have had 2 games vs us in the 30's.  The Bengals have not had a offensive EPA over 10 in any playoff game in the Burrow era but they had one in the 20's against us. It's not just that we underperform, it's that we allow historically excellent performances from these teams with a defense that rates either above average or far above average in the regular season. 

Gee, it almost sounds like in playoffs games, with it all on the line against the best teams and best coaches, McDermott gets out-coached in-game every time!

 

Watch!  We will beat up on Carolina next year in week FOUR and the Kool-Aid Crowd will declare McDermott an outstanding coach and tell us how lucky we are to have him.

 

It ain't about pounding bad teams in Week 4 folks!

 

It's about what you can do against KC, Cincinnati, or Baltimore in January.

 

It's almost like we are hitting an invisible ceiling of McDermott's coaching competence.

 

Hmmm.

 

🤔

 

 

[Rich Stadium Original]

Not sure if someone hasn't mentioned this in 7 pages of thread, but I think one of the big differences from the regular season to playoffs defense is the way the game is officiated in the playoffs.

It's obvious there is a lack of penalty flags in the playoffs..If you only had a mediocre pass rush in the regular season, you are not going to get to the quarterback due to all the holding going on.

 If you play a press coverage and man to man, your defenders are allowed to be very grabby and get away with a lot of holding.

The Bills play mostly a loose zone..occasionally a cover 2 with some man to man underneath, but rarely play press coverage. With a lack of pass rush, and receivers running free,  game outcomes are almost pre determined.

[TwistofFate]

The reason is simple.  Year after year this defensive unit limps into the playoffs destroyed by injuries. 

 

We are the oldest roster in the NFL. 

 

Tre has to go, poyer and Hyde as well.  It pains me to say it, but age and injuries have taken their toll. 

 

We need to upgrade safety, CB, and WRs more than anything imo and not particularly in that order.  

[Georgia Bill]

I'm not going to say all our problems on defense in the all important playoff games have been because of injuries, but you'd have to be a fool to suggest that was not a large part of the problem this year.  I've always chalked that up to lady luck - and felt like sooner or later we're going to be lucky and have the majority of our defensive starters healthy through the playoffs.  I'm starting to wonder though, is there something we're doing (or not doing) that is increasing the chances of injuries?  

[FireChans]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

Gee, it almost sounds like in playoffs games, with it all on the line against the best teams and best coaches, McDermott gets out-coached in-game every time!

 

Watch!  We will beat up on Carolina next year in week FOUR and the Kool-Aid Crowd will declare McDermott an outstanding coach and tell us how lucky we are to have him.

 

It ain't about pounding bad teams in Week 4 folks!

 

It's about what you can do against KC, Cincinnati, or Baltimore in January.

 

It's almost like we are hitting an invisible ceiling of McDermott's coaching competence.

 

Hmmm.

 

🤔

 

 

Yeah, all those times we lost to Baltimore in the playoffs lol.

[BillsFanForever19]

10 hours ago, NewEra said:

He and everyone else that doesn’t want McD coaching this team should get over it.  Yes.  Why? Because he’s our coach whether you like it or not.  Maybe you should start a petition.  But no, you’ll just litter the forums with the same regurgitated whining for the next 7 months.  As if it accomplishes anything except quenching your thirst for something that isn’t happening until after next season.  

 

I don’t think McDermott is a finished product as a head coach-  we were 1 play away from beating kc.  I don’t think McDermott’s coaching was the reason we didn’t make it this year.   That said,  I’m not against firing him and hiring someone new, depending on who the replacement is obv.  I just don’t see what berating the decision to keep him over and over and over and over accomplishes.  What does it accomplish exactly?

 

This is where I'm at. If they would have fired him, I wouldn't have been upset about it.

 

But it wasn't going to happen. Even when we were 6-6, they made sure to tell the media he wasn't going anywhere next season. After the 9/11 fiasco, they again told the media he wasn't going anywhere next season.

 

Anyone who thought that was going to change just because they lost to the Chiefs dynasty while being INSANELY injured - with the team prior to that going 6-0, winning the division, getting the 2nd season, and winning a home playoff game - following McDermott twice getting a vote of confidence when things were at their worst, wasn't living in reality.

 

Anyone who still is hoping or expecting it to happen after McDermott held his year ending presser in which he said he talked to Pegula and he still supports him as Head Coach of the team and Beane held his presser saying he wasn't making a change is just downright delusional. And that's probably the nicest way I can put it.

 

Like it or not, it just is what it is this season. We can spend the next calendar year whining about it or focus on the positives, hope for improvements in personnel, and better health - to the point that we're undeniable regardless of who we have on the Sidelines. I'm not going to be crying over spilled milk all offseason though.

Edited January 30 by BillsFanForever19

[Mister Defense]

On 1/28/2024 at 1:40 PM, Bermuda Triangle said:

Been told over and over on this forum that the offense has been at fault for playoff losses, including last week.  Guess those people probably won't respond in this thread.

 

They were playing their 4th and 5th linebackers, including a player all but retired a few weeks ago and not on the team.

 

Their secondary was just as banged up.  I am pretty sure Douglas would not have played if not a playoff game.

 

They were significantly short handed yet again this season, and this time, against the defending NFL champions.

 

To not acknowledge that is comically poor, negligent 'analysis'.  Invalidates all you say.

 

 

23 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

There isn’t any need for a “rebuild” next year.  The offense is going to come back intact (except maybe Morse as a cap casualty).  They will most likely add a WR in the first round.  It has the potential to be great.  Not good, great.  Yeah, lot’s of questions on D but there is no way next year should be a rebuilding year.

 

No way do they mess with this line next year!  To get rid of Morse would be extremely irresponsible for a team with some significant needs.  No way.

Edited January 30 by Mister Defense

[Bermuda Triangle]

2 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

 

They were playing their 4th and 5th linebackers, including a player all but retired a few weeks ago and not on the team.

 

Their secondary was just as banged up.  I am pretty sure Douglas would not have played if not a playoff game.

 

They were significantly short handed yet again this season, and this time, against the defending NFL champions.

 

To not acknowledge that is comically poor, negligent 'analysis'.  Invalidates all you say.

 

 

And what about the year before that, 2 years ago and 3 years ago? What were the excuses then?

 

DL was healthy against KC this season, right?  What was their excuse?

 

Comically poor post by you.

[Mister Defense]

No one was stopping Mahomes two years ago, and no one was stopping Allen.  Two very good defenses became almost irrelevant because of the generational talent at quarterback.

 

This year, the d line was trying to compensate for the dramatic injuries in the secondary and linebackers and came up short.

 

McDermott coached this defense into a top five defense this year, an almost miraculous achievement.  Don't let your irrational hate of him not allow you to see things as they actually are...

 

The good news is that Bean and the Pegulas also have enough sense to not let the haters influence them on McDermott in any way. 

 

Can you imagine if they were as hysterical and irrational as the haters!?

 

 

Edited January 30 by Mister Defense

[Gregg]

1 minute ago, Mister Defense said:

No one was stopping Mahomes two years ago, and no one was stopping Allen.  Two very good defenses became almost irrelevant because of the generational talent at quarterback.

 

This year, the d line was trying to compensate for the dramatic injuries in the secondary and linebackers and came up short.

 

McDermott coached this defense into a top five defense this year, an almost miraculous achievement.  Don't let your irrational hate of him not allow you to see things as they actually are...

 

The good news is that Bean and the Pegulas also have enough sense to not et the haters influence them on McDermott in any way. 

 

Can you imagine if they were as hysterical and irrational as the haters!?

 

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think Beane could fire McDermott even if he wanted to and vice versa. Only Terry has the power to make a change.

[st pete gogolak]

15 minutes ago, Mister Defense said:

No one was stopping Mahomes two years ago, and no one was stopping Allen.  Two very good defenses became almost irrelevant because of the generational talent at quarterback.

 

This year, the d line was trying to compensate for the dramatic injuries in the secondary and linebackers and came up short.

 

McDermott coached this defense into a top five defense this year, an almost miraculous achievement.  Don't let your irrational hate of him not allow you to see things as they actually are...

 

The good news is that Bean and the Pegulas also have enough sense to not let the haters influence them on McDermott in any way. 

 

Can you imagine if they were as hysterical and irrational as the haters!?

 

 

Re “no stopping Mahomes two years ago”.  Bengals D says hold my beer.