Great piece on McD by Tyler Dunne

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Also true. But that doesn't change the fact that the the "can't beat Kansas City" argument doesn't stand up. Hasn't beaten them in the playoffs is a fact. Can't beat them isn't.

im just saying

 

i mean if we are going to disregard literature based on rigorous standards of balance

[JohnNord]

14 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I'm a bit confused by this sentence.

 

McDermott has found a way to beat Kansas City.  We've played KC 9 times under McDermott, and he's won 5.

 

Unfortunately, 3 of the 4 losses, were in the playoffs, two of them by 6 points and 2 points.

I meant he hasn’t beaten Kansas City in the playoffs.  The only coaches who have are Bill Belichick (2018) and Zac Taylor (2021).
 

So while he hasn’t gotten to a Super Bowl yet, no AFC coaches have either besides those 2.  

[Beast]

McDermott deserves a lot of heat for 13 seconds. And I do mean a LOT.

 

But let’s also be honest about the rest. I hardly blame him for any playoff exit beside that one. Last year? He almost put together a gameplan that beat the Chiefs while being SEVERELY undermanned. To say he is a bad game manager, to me, was eliminated that day…in a loss none the less.

 

The bottom line is McDermott has been blessed with one of the great QB’s of our generation. But so has Andy Reid. Andy Reid is also a great coach. The Bills have always been just a hair behind the Chiefs who have 3 SB titles. That how close we are. Just a hair behind one of the great teams of all time.

 

I’m far from ready to say goodbye to McDermott. Even this season with a playoff exit. He has this team close in a clear transition year. The guy is pure class and one hell of a coach. And I’m not always easy on him. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Beast

[notwoz]

On 1/6/2025 at 4:08 PM, Rigotz said:

How much d*ck did Ty Dunne have to s*ck to get back in the good graces of McDermott & the Bills after his hit piece???

He's a blogger. That's what he does for a living.

[JohnNord]

1 minute ago, Beast said:

McDermott deserves a lot of heat for 13 seconds. And I do mean a LOT.

 

But let’s also be honest about the rest. I hardly blame him for any playoff exit beside that one. Last year? He almost put together a gameplan that beat the Chiefs while being SEVERELY undermanned. To say he is a bad game manager, to me, was eliminated that day…in a loss none the less.

 

The bottom line is McDermott has been blessed with on of the great QB’s of our generation. But so has Andy Reid. Andy Reid is also a great coach. The Bills have always been just a hair behind the Chiefs who have 3 SB titles. That how close we are. Just a hair behind one of the great teams of all time.

 

I’m far from ready to say goodbye to McDermott. Even this season with a playoff exit. He has this team close in a clear transition year. The guy is pure class and one hell of a coach. And I’m not always easy on him. 

There is a lot of pressure on McDermott this season IMO.  I don’t think he’s coaching for his job at all but he desperately wants to win a Super Bowl in Buffalo

[Beast]

5 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

There is a lot of pressure on McDermott this season IMO.  I don’t think he’s coaching for his job at all but he desperately wants to win a Super Bowl in Buffalo

I’ll say this. He has the worst defense he has ever had and his special teams are atrocious. And he has this team at 13-4.

 

People may not want to hear this with a playoff game coming up in a few days but this team needs work and I fully expect an even better version of the Bills next season with off-season upgrades.

 

I’d be willing to bet that if you pumped truth serum into McDermott and Beane they’d both say they didn’t expect to be in the position they are today.

 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by Beast

[GaryPinC]

6 hours ago, Call_Of_Ktulu said:

That’s unfortunate when there is a OC like Ben Johnson out there. I would think the Bills would be his top choice if the job becomes available. I like McD but if he doesn’t take this team to a SB with Allen he will go down as a bad HC. 

I wish so many here wouldn't think of it as McD needs to win this or win that...

 

What I want to see from McDermott is that he improves and tweaks his processes for the playoffs.  That he realizes what is good enough for the regular season isn't good enough for the playoffs and getting creative when needed as well as anticipating situations better.  For me, he is too stuck in his systems at times and tends to tighten up more under pressure and fall back on them.  Have better, more aggressive plans on how to vary your schemes to keep the best coaches in the league guessing.

 

D-line  HAS to get pressure on the QB, better have stunts and contingency plans if they are not.  This defense has had flaws all season, have multiple plans in the playoffs to account for that.

 

He did a great job against KC this year staying aggressive with the defense instead of prevent.  Definite growth.

 

LA Rams was 2 fails, the last minute (HC needs to be thinking ahead and dictating there).  His other one was not recognizing that McVey took away the run and bet that Josh wouldn't revert to hero Josh enough so he didn't spy him.  Took until late in the game when McD should have realized it sooner, instead he lamented after the game he would have liked to run it more.  Sure coach.  But go with what they are giving you a little sooner in the second half.  Modify your plans.

 

Let's hope firing the ST coach after the season isn't too late.

 

Playoff victories can come down to luck and a lot of other things as teams are more evenly matched.  I'm looking more at his decision making, creativity and decisiveness.  That's what's really needed to get us over the hump.

[JohnNord]

30 minutes ago, GaryPinC said:

I wish so many here wouldn't think of it as McD needs to win this or win that...

 

What I want to see from McDermott is that he improves and tweaks his processes for the playoffs.  That he realizes what is good enough for the regular season isn't good enough for the playoffs and getting creative when needed as well as anticipating situations better.  For me, he is too stuck in his systems at times and tends to tighten up more under pressure and fall back on them.  Have better, more aggressive plans on how to vary your schemes to keep the best coaches in the league guessing.

 

D-line  HAS to get pressure on the QB, better have stunts and contingency plans if they are not.  This defense has had flaws all season, have multiple plans in the playoffs to account for that.

 

He did a great job against KC this year staying aggressive with the defense instead of prevent.  Definite growth.

 

LA Rams was 2 fails, the last minute (HC needs to be thinking ahead and dictating there).  His other one was not recognizing that McVey took away the run and bet that Josh wouldn't revert to hero Josh enough so he didn't spy him.  Took until late in the game when McD should have realized it sooner, instead he lamented after the game he would have liked to run it more.  Sure coach.  But go with what they are giving you a little sooner in the second half.  Modify your plans.

 

Let's hope firing the ST coach after the season isn't too late.

 

Playoff victories can come down to luck and a lot of other things as teams are more evenly matched.  I'm looking more at his decision making, creativity and decisiveness.  That's what's really needed to get us over the hump.

I’d be surprised if Matthew Smiley is back as ST’s coach next season.  
 

Im not sure that the problem with the DL not getting pressure is related to McDermott and Babich, as much as just losing matchups.   You can to run a loop or stunt or blitz but if your players are losing their assignments there’s only so much you can do.  
 

We all knew the roster was limited in areas.  WR turned out better than expected.   Safety was about the same.  But DL underperformed.  
 

What McDermott can do is take more chances and be aggressive to compensate for the lack of talent