Is it time to move on from McDermott?

[Jrb1979]

9 hours ago, SoTier said:

 

 

Why are you going back to the 1970s?  The current free agency system started in 1993 and the salary cap started in 1994.  Prior to that time, the NFL had very limited free agency and no salary camp, so you are comparing apples to oranges.  

 

More importantly, results from contests in the past have absolutely no bearing on future results.  

You're right it has no bearing but at the same time it's something that rarely happens it's not something you can completely dismiss. 

 

Since you're the one who ignorantly claimed that any/some of the Drought era Bills HCs could have won the AFC if he had Josh Allen on his team, you have no room to characterize anybody else's post as "an uneducated comment".

 

 

 

Exactly.  Pegula is not firing McDermott until/unless the team fails to make the playoffs for multiple years without Allen being injured, and he's the one who makes the decision, not random fans on a MB.   Bills fans are not going to stop attending games, either, simply because they don't win a Super Bowl.  As long as the team makes the playoffs, the fans are will fill the new stadium. 

 

 

Another ignorant poster who doesn't understand that events in the past have no bearing on events in the future.

 

 

Who wouldn't?  The thing is, is that winning a Super Bowl is NOT guaranteed to any team and its fan base.

Nothing is guaranteed. At the same time they have never really gone all in like the Rams did when they won theirs.  This season is where IMO they should trade a bunch of 1sts for Garrett, sign Higgins and Holland. Push the money down the road and take a big shot. 

 

[Mikie2times]

On 2/15/2025 at 12:22 AM, SoTier said:

 

 

Why are you going back to the 1970s?  The current free agency system started in 1993 and the salary cap started in 1994.  Prior to that time, the NFL had very limited free agency and no salary camp, so you are comparing apples to oranges.  

 

More importantly, results from contests in the past have absolutely no bearing on future results.  

 

 

Since you're the one who ignorantly claimed that any/some of the Drought era Bills HCs could have won the AFC if he had Josh Allen on his team, you have no room to characterize anybody else's post as "an uneducated comment".

 

 

 

Exactly.  Pegula is not firing McDermott until/unless the team fails to make the playoffs for multiple years without Allen being injured, and he's the one who makes the decision, not random fans on a MB.   Bills fans are not going to stop attending games, either, simply because they don't win a Super Bowl.  As long as the team makes the playoffs, the fans are will fill the new stadium. 

 

 

Another ignorant poster who doesn't understand that events in the past have no bearing on events in the future.

 

 

Who wouldn't?  The thing is, is that winning a Super Bowl is NOT guaranteed to any team and its fan base.

The year prior to Sean (you know with that dumpster fire rex) we finished +21 in point differential and went 7-9. The following year we finished -57 in point differential and went 9-7. Good for Sean that his -57 point differential was enough to defeat the Pythagorean Theorem gods. I believe that team has one of the worst point differentials in NFL history to make the playoffs. Either way, if Dalton doesn't complete that pass it's just another drought era year. We finished 9-7 with Doug Marrone and Mike Mularkey, 9-7 just wasn't good enough those years. The following year we went 6-10 for a -105 point differential. We only had a -100 point differential 3 seasons in the entire drought era. He has a losing record without Josh Allen. 

 

So no, I don't think he is signifgantly better then a drought era coach. His floor is likely higher because he's so good on turnover differential but ultimately without Allen, he would have bounced around .500 football as most do. As the data says he would do. As many of our drought era coaches did. I think you perceive this as an insult to him, which it isn't. He's good enough to win a Super Bowl. Give some of those drought coaches an MVP QB and stacked roster and some of them would have been as well. As of now he only has the MVP QB and not the stacked roster and that's a factor in this as well. 

 

Edited Monday at 02:57 PM by Mikie2times

[Augie]

10 hours ago, SoTier said:

 

 

Why are you going back to the 1970s?  The current free agency system started in 1993 and the salary cap started in 1994.  Prior to that time, the NFL had very limited free agency and no salary camp, so you are comparing apples to oranges.  

 

More importantly, results from contests in the past have absolutely no bearing on future results.  

 

 

Since you're the one who ignorantly claimed that any/some of the Drought era Bills HCs could have won the AFC if he had Josh Allen on his team, you have no room to characterize anybody else's post as "an uneducated comment".

 

 

 

Exactly.  Pegula is not firing McDermott until/unless the team fails to make the playoffs for multiple years without Allen being injured, and he's the one who makes the decision, not random fans on a MB.   Bills fans are not going to stop attending games, either, simply because they don't win a Super Bowl.  As long as the team makes the playoffs, the fans are will fill the new stadium. 

 

 

Another ignorant poster who doesn't understand that events in the past have no bearing on events in the future.

 

 

Who wouldn't?  The thing is, is that winning a Super Bowl is NOT guaranteed to any team and its fan base.

 

I’m afraid you are wasting your keystrokes. Some people are determined to hate on the current regime. They want to hurry up and start hating on the next regime! 

[Jrb1979]

21 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I’m afraid you are wasting your keystrokes. Some people are determined to hate on the current regime. They want to hurry up and start hating on the next regime! 

I don't hate on this regime. They have done good things in terms of culture and winning. I'm all for keeping him a few more seasons. I'm also of the belief they aren't good enough to win a Super Bowl. 

 

I feel they are great for rebuilding a team and making them a playoff team. 

[Nihilarian]

52 minutes ago, Jrb1979 said:

I don't hate on this regime. They have done good things in terms of culture and winning. I'm all for keeping him a few more seasons. I'm also of the belief they aren't good enough to win a Super Bowl. 

 

I feel they are great for rebuilding a team and making them a playoff team. 

I think this regime is good enough to win an SB. Despite the injuries to the defense, Buffalo has come within three points in the last two seasons against the Chiefs dynasty. With one more ball bounce in Buffalo's way, they win both games. 

 

The Chiefs won home-field this season by the skin of their teeth game after game all season long and it showed all their faults. That AFC Championship game also showed the Buffalo Bills faults and it's not coaching. Starting a rookie at safety and because of another concussion to Benford... Elam stepped in and was targeted big-time by Mahomes. Plus, very little pressure on Mahomes. 

 

Plus, we all saw what a dominant pass rush by the front four defenders can do to that Chiefs O line. Just think, that Eagle's defense stunk last season 30th in points allowed AND lost six of their last seven games to end the season. Both the Eagle's OC & DC were replaced last off-season. Their GM brought in a bunch of good players. They managed to beat the Commanders and Rams, dunno if they would have beaten the Lions in Detroit though. 

 

The 2025 Buffalo Bills need a much better pass rush, upgrades in the secondary, and a separator at WR. Things to look forward to this offseason. Be excited! 

Edited Saturday at 05:42 PM by Nihilarian

[Jrb1979]

2 minutes ago, Nihilarian said:

I think this regime is good enough to win an SB. Despite the injuries to the defense, Buffalo has come within three points in the last two seasons against the Chiefs dynasty. With one more ball bounce in Buffalo's way, they win both games. 

 

The Chiefs won home-field this season by the skin of their teeth game after game all season long and it showed all their faults. That AFC Championship game also showed the Buffalo Bills faults and it's not coaching. Starting a rookie at safety and because of another concussion to Benford... Elam stepped in and was targeted big-time by Mahomes. Plus, very little pressure on Mahomes. 

 

Plus, we all saw what a dominant pass rush by the front four defenders can do to that Chiefs O line. Just think, that Eagle's defense stunk last season 30th in points allowed AND lost six of their last seven games to end the season. Both the Eagle's OC & DC were replaced last off-season. Their GM brought in a bunch of good players. They managed to beat the Commanders and Rams, dunno if they would have beaten the Lions in Detroit though. 

 

The 2025 Buffalo Bills need a much better pass rush, upgrades in the secondary, and a separator at WR. Things to look forward to this offseason. Be excited! 

That's fair. I do agree. 

 

At the same time if they do all that and still don't at least make it to the Super Bowl, it's time to move on. 

 

I do understand where most of you are coming from. This is the best run this organization has ever been on, McDermott and Beane always have this team in contention. With some luck maybe they will win a Super Bowl. 

 

[Straight Hucklebuck]

Last year at Highmark. 

 

When the Bills take the field for their season opener in 2026 Allen will be 30-years old.

 

McDermott will have had all of Allen’s 20’s, with his hand picked GM. 

[Rockpile233]

Is it Terry Pegula’s stellar track record with the Sabres that makes people so comfortable going back on the coaching search? Give McD a lifetime contract.

Edited Saturday at 06:02 PM by Rockpile233

[DrDawkinstein]

1 hour ago, Rockpile233 said:

Is it Terry Pegula’s stellar track record with the Sabres that makes people so comfortable going back on the coaching search? Give McD a lifetime contract.

 

Totally different situation.

 

Terry is a huge hockey fan. He bought the Sabres as a fan, to be part of his favorite sport. He was already an NHL insider, rubbing elbows with former players and coaches. He considers himself a "hockey guy". He is very involved with the hirings.

 

Terry does not know football. He bought the Bills as an investment, almost being forced into the purchase by WNY, having never been around the NFL. When the Pegulas came into OBD it was a major shock and eye-opener being part of a Trillion-dollar league. They knew immediately they were in over their heads. That is why he relied heavily on Russ and Whaley to hire the first coach (Rex), and why he hired an outside consulting group to advise on the next hire (McDermott).

 

His handling and role of the teams could not be more different.

 

If we moved on from McDermott, I'd expect that same consulting group to be tapped again.

[Gregg]

On 2/15/2025 at 2:10 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Totally different situation.

 

Terry is a huge hockey fan. He bought the Sabres as a fan, to be part of his favorite sport. He was already an NHL insider, rubbing elbows with former players and coaches. He considers himself a "hockey guy". He is very involved with the hirings.

 

Terry does not know football. He bought the Bills as an investment, almost being forced into the purchase by WNY, having never been around the NFL. When the Pegulas came into OBD it was a major shock and eye-opener being part of a Trillion-dollar league. They knew immediately they were in over their heads. That is why he relied heavily on Russ and Whaley to hire the first coach (Rex), and why he hired an outside consulting group to advise on the next hire (McDermott).

 

His handling and role of the teams could not be more different.

 

If we moved on from McDermott, I'd expect that same consulting group to be tapped again.

 

I always thought it was Kim who was the one leading the charge to purchase the Bills. I thought she grew up in WNY and has been a lifelong Bills fan.

[GunnerBill]

On 2/15/2025 at 7:10 PM, DrDawkinstein said:

 

That is why he relied heavily on Russ and Whaley to hire the first coach (Rex), and why he hired an outside consulting group to advise on the next hire (McDermott).

 

They didn't though. Whaley's was negotiating with Hue Jackson's agent the night before Rex was hired. Terry Pegula made that decision. 

[T.E.]

On 2/14/2025 at 10:21 AM, PromoTheRobot said:

 

So it takes balls to screw up a good thing?

 

People are convincing themselves that McDermott is all that's keeping us from winning it all, and that anyone we hire next will finish the job because we are so close, and there's no chance that a new head coach will set us back.  

 

 

Wasting the career of the most talented QB to ever play the position with this generation's version of Marty Schottenheimer is not a "good thing," in my opinion.

 

Guy coached not to lose to a ridiculous level for large portions of all three playoff games.

Edited Monday at 02:23 PM by T.E.

[Buffalo Boy]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:13 AM, Augie said:

 

I’m afraid you are wasting your keystrokes. Some people are determined to hate on the current regime. They want to hurry up and start hating on the next regime! 

It’s not hate. It resignation. 

[DrDawkinstein]

22 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

They didn't though. Whaley's was negotiating with Hue Jackson's agent the night before Rex was hired. Terry Pegula made that decision. 

 

Terry always makes the decision, ultimately. But he went with Rex after Russ convinced him, while Whaley wanted Hue. He still was working off advisement from other people and far less involved than he is with the Sabres.

55 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

I always thought it was Kim who was the one leading the charge to purchase the Bills. I thought she grew up in WNY and has been a lifelong Bills fan.

 

That was probably part of it. But Kim didnt spend decades around football already, like Terry did hockey. Kim didnt build Penn State a football stadium like Terry built them a hockey rink. She wasnt meeting with former players and execs before the purchase like Terry was with LaFonatine and others. The situations were very different.

[Don Otreply]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:13 AM, Augie said:

 

I’m afraid you are wasting your keystrokes. Some people are determined to hate on the current regime. They want to hurry up and start hating on the next regime! 

Humorously put, but accurately stated, 

 

Does Sean have his weaknesses? Sure does, but so do 31 coaches every season that don’t win it all, and that the conundrum, do these fans want one of those 31 other coaches who are likely no better or many notably worse than Sean?  
 

Gotta go, coffee is ready…

[PromoTheRobot]

33 minutes ago, T.E. said:

 

Guy coached not to lose to a ridiculous level for large portions of all three playoff games.

 

Oh, is that the narrative now? Playing not to lose? What happened that you didn't like? Ran when he should have passed? Passed when he should have ran? Went for it on 4th? Didn't go for it on 4th?

[Shaw66]

Is It Time To Move On From Allen?

 

I mean, really.  The guy's been in Buffalo for six or seven years now, hasn't won a Super Bowl.  He underthrew Kincaid on fourth down.  He blew the quarterback sneak.  He had Shakir wide open in the end zone a year ago.  He's shown he can't beat the Chiefs in the playoffs.  How many chances does get?  

 

There's a thread with a title that says Allen has five years left.  Well, if he can't win the big one, and if he only has five years left, what better time to trade him than after he's won his first MVP?

 

I mean, if McDermott and Allen BOTH have come this close to getting to the Super Bowl, and Allen has five years left playing and McDermott has 20 years left coaching, isn't McDermott the better bet to ride with?  

 

Okay, I'm joking. But really, McDermott has demonstrated that he is one of the top five coaches in the league.  He got to the playoffs with a no-name quarterback and a rag-tag roster, he had one rebuilding year, and he immediately returned to the playoffs.  This past season, clearly a transition year in personnel, he got to the AFC Championship game.  He'll have a better roster in 2025.  

 

Let's trade Allen for a boatload of picks - maybe get Garrett and the Browns' number 1 pick for the next four years.  The Browns will be terrible, and those picks will be worth a lot. 

 

 

[T.E.]

3 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

Oh, is that the narrative now? Playing not to lose? What happened that you didn't like? Ran when he should have passed? Passed when he should have ran? Went for it on 4th? Didn't go for it on 4th?

His first-half game plan against Denver is exactly what you'd do if your goal was to let an overmatched underdog stay within striking distance.

 

He completely conceded the entire second half against Baltimore because he wanted to sit on the lead and hope it would work out. Got bailed out by a miraculous forced fumble and a very uncharacteristic drop by one of the game's best players.

 

Was, again, way too conservative against KC because he was afraid of trying literally anything new on either side of the ball because there is always a chance it may not work (there's a parallel, huh?). 

 

He coaches terrified in most big moments, and I'm tired of pretending that his annual playoff failures are solely due to bad luck.

[PoundingDog]

I look it this way.

 

There are coaches so good that they themselves can elevate a team to play at a level beyond their capability. They do exist but very very few. Belichick is one. Andy Reid and McVay maybe 1/2 such a guy. Note they still need a HoF guy like Brady and Mahomes to build a dynasty but they can find a way to win in general with a capable roster.

 

The majority of the GOOD to GREAT coaches need a capable roster (Buffalo has one in my opinion), and some luck on injury and some infusion of unexpected talent popping up; all aligned to win it all. That's why in general it is so unpredictable in the past until ... we have these dynasties with NE and now KC.

 

We are one of the fortunate teams with a HoF QB in prime. Remember there are a lot of NFL teams with a HoF QB in the past and they won once in a while if you look into the history overall.

 

I don't think McDermott is in Belichick, Reid, and McVay category. Are we saying we MUST find the new Belichick/Reid/McVay now in order to win it all? What is the chance to land one? If you were Pegula, you had to access the likelihood to find a young Belichick within the next 2 coaching cycles while we still have Allen performing at HoF level, right?   

[PromoTheRobot]

6 minutes ago, T.E. said:

His first-half game plan against Denver is exactly what you'd do if your goal was to let an overmatched underdog stay within striking distance.

 

He completely conceded the entire second half against Baltimore because he wanted to sit on the lead and hope it would work out. Got bailed out by a miraculous forced fumble and a very uncharacteristic drop by one of the game's best players.

 

Was, again, way too conservative against KC because he was afraid of trying literally anything new on either side of the ball because there is always a chance it may not work (there's a parallel, huh?). 

 

He coaches terrified in most big moments, and I'm tired of pretending that his annual playoff failures are solely due to bad luck.

 

You should try watching games sober.