One of the Bills’ most successful head coaches in franchise history, McDermott now stares down a pivotal postseason
Vibes are high right now in Western New York following the Buffalo Bills’ huge road win against the Detroit Lions last Sunday. The Bills are now 12-3, having long-since clinched the franchise’s fifth-straight AFC East Division title.
This is also the fifth-straight division title for head coach Sean McDermott who has been at the helm since 2017. Despite his successes, there is an argument to be made that Sean McDermott has put the Bills into one of the worst situations any football team can find. Let me explain…
Yes, McDermott has a regular-season record of 84-44 since coming to One Bills Drive — and his record there is among the best in the NFL. Last weekend he became just the fifth coach in NFL history to have five straight seasons with 11 wins. Regular-season success is great and, all but all-time coaches make their money in the postseason — which is where McDermott has shown to be most vulnerable.
McDermott has yet to take the Bills to the Super Bowl, and has coached a team to just one AFC Championship game. For being a defensive minded head coach, McDermott’s defenses have allowed at least 27 points in the last three divisional round games.
Quarterback Josh Allen may be a freak who could be on his way to the 2024 NFL MVP award, but he can only do so much on offense as we saw against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14. Right now McDermott is no different than former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. Lewis had four straight seasons of 10-plus wins but never led a team to a playoff win.
McDermott has shown to be an imperfect coach especially in big moments. We saw the controversy with how he called the end of the game against the Houston Texans, and it popped up again against the Rams. We all know what has transpired against the Chiefs in the playoffs to this point, as well.
These blunders are wasting the prime of Josh Allen’s NFL career.
Beyond all that: Why does this put the Bills in an awkward situation? Well, because what is the team to do? Are they going to fire a head coach who’s able to get the most out of players selected in the later rounds of the draft and who is a confident leader of men?
The Bills currently have two brilliant-minded coordinators in Bobby Babich and Joe Brady. Brady has called game plans for an offense that’s scoring 30 points with ease. He’s certainly going to get some calls regarding head-coaching openings. Is One Bills Drive really going to let him walk out the door in place of a coach who continues to stall at speed bumps? Buffalo worked hard to make sure Babich stayed in house after being the teams’ linebacker coach, but it could be a matter of time (seasons not weeks) before he gets calls as well.
The Bills wound up lucky because a similar situation was in play when Brian Daboll walked out the door. Granted, he was handed a reality check that is life without Josh Allen, but history could repeat itself with the current coordinators.
At minimum, the 2024 NFL playoffs will mark a major point in McDermott’s tenure with the Buffalo Bills. This, despite the scores of people who claimed the Bills would contend for no more than third place in the AFC East. Yet now, expectations have changed and it’s Super Bowl or bust. Or is it?
What’s your breaking point for Sean McDermott if he continues to succeed in the regular season? Is the decision cut-and-dry depending on how things play off later in January?