Good afternoon, friends! First of all, a hearty welcome to all of our new subscribers. It is great to have you on-board at Go Long. I’m blown away by your generosity. Thank you for making this newsletter part of your life — we’ll always pursue stories like this that get to the heart of difficult questions to answer in pro football.
Secondly, if Advil is needed, hopefully there’s a CVS around the corner. I get it. Many of you have reached out to say just how much “13 Seconds” still stings. That being said, I figured we’d open up a discussion thread here for you all to vent and share your thoughts on all things Bills, Sean McDermott, Josh Allen, whatever you’d like when it comes to this team with a clear Super Bowl window open. I’ll also do my best to answer any questions you have.
If you haven’t had a chance to read our story, you can ding this button below. We’d love to have you join our community:
This was a great way to drive a Bills fan straight to a breakfast cocktail. Excellent reporting consistent with Go Long’s principle that fans deserve to know more about the league they pour money into.
People get so hung up on the Bills’ endless search for a QB that the void of competent leadership/coaching during The Drought becomes an afterthought. McDermott is the one who stopped the bleeding and put us on the path to sustainable success. That reality has been the most concerning aspect of every moment that’s elapsed since Gabe’s 4th TD…this guy’s demeanor and intelligence and leadership is our foundation. Seeing that foundation crack at the worst possible time brings the entire operation into question. The players quoted here only make that more concerning.
Ty really threw me for a loop with the Collins/Jackson and other coaching transition parallels. I quibble with PLENTY of McDermott’s in-game decision making, but I’ve never entertained the concept of moving him out. Truthfully though, the possibility exists that he has shortcomings placing a ceiling on where this franchise can go under his stewardship. I’m not there yet, but it’s on the table. I couldn’t say that before Josh took his final snap of the year.
The line about it being time to view the franchise through Josh’s prism rather than McDermott’s really put me on my ass. I am scarred by the days of Edwards and Losman, no doubt, but I am WAY more scared of going back to the days of Jauron and Rex. God help me if we wake up in 3, 6 or 10 years and find ourselves in a Green Bay situation, but maybe we do have to reconsider where the power truly lies and if this QB serves the coach or the other way around.
Personally I think it's time to let "it" go ~ 13 seconds ENOUGH !!! Look around the league ~ there are way too many teams that have coaching situations that I would never want to trade for ~ I think this 13 second obsession is getting to a point that has the potential to destroy everything that has been built by McDermott & Beane ~ stop the obsession & move on. There is so much more to look forward to ~ GO BILLS !
Did any of the people interviewed for the story expand more on McDermott’s communication style?
You mentioned that he communicates more through the media than internally. I’m all for sending a message publicly, but I’d want to know that was at least discussed privately before it goes public. I’d hate to be a player/coach thinking everything is fine and then gets blasted publicly.
Has it gotten worse the longer he’s been there? Is the message at least consistent internally and externally? Obviously communication was the root of all the problems within the article.
SQUIB IT!!! It's a no brainer!!! I'm not a Bills fan, but so disappointed not to see the greatest Wyoming Cowboy of all-time play in the AFC Championship game. And they would have won the SB without that debacle too. What a lost opportunity.
IMO “13 Seconds” is the worst heartbreak of all. “Wide right” was a missed kick - so it goes…. Music City Miracle ranks second to “13 seconds” because it too was a coaching blunder (to pooch kick). But “13 seconds” was colossal coaching blunder(s).
The those thirteen seconds were horrible, but was anyone else screaming at the TV for the Bills to take a time out in overtime after the Chiefs got past midfield. It was very obvious that the Chiefs had a lot of momentum and something was needed to break it.
I have had many concerns about McDermott over the years. It started with the Mahomes draft. Having him run the draft, as the incoming coach was, to me, a mistake. I blame the Bills organization for that. He was a defensive coordinator, what qualified him to make decisions that your GM would make ? It worked out, Josh Allen has turned into a stud, was that foresight, or luck,, that he is on the same level as Mahomes ?
As Tyler knows, I have a fantasy football "problem". I DVR the Bills games and watch them during the following week. Tremaine Edmonds is the worst LB I can remember watching. He cannot read plays, cannot shed blocks and cannot tackle, one on one. Name one "big play" he has made in his 4 years. Listening to the coaches, he is one of the reasons for their defense being ranked so highly. I feel that he gets the playing time and accolades, because of his draft position. Maybe not McDermitt's doing, but I had to vent, I hate Edmonds :)
My main problem now, is the way McDermitt did not take responsibility of any issues at the end of the KC game, until yesterday. He is the head coach. Even if he did everything right, he should take the blame. That is his job. If a player or coach did make a mistake and McDermitt called it perfect, it still is the coaches responsibility. Take the bullet for your team. Saying the problem was "Execution" , to me, is saying, "I called the right play, it wasn't my fault" I hope this does not cause a rift between him and the players/coaches.
Just have to say how amazing a performance that was from Josh Allen. They deserved to win. That guy is a true competitor. I hope he keeps getting better and better, it’s good for the league.
This was a great way to drive a Bills fan straight to a breakfast cocktail. Excellent reporting consistent with Go Long’s principle that fans deserve to know more about the league they pour money into.
People get so hung up on the Bills’ endless search for a QB that the void of competent leadership/coaching during The Drought becomes an afterthought. McDermott is the one who stopped the bleeding and put us on the path to sustainable success. That reality has been the most concerning aspect of every moment that’s elapsed since Gabe’s 4th TD…this guy’s demeanor and intelligence and leadership is our foundation. Seeing that foundation crack at the worst possible time brings the entire operation into question. The players quoted here only make that more concerning.
Ty really threw me for a loop with the Collins/Jackson and other coaching transition parallels. I quibble with PLENTY of McDermott’s in-game decision making, but I’ve never entertained the concept of moving him out. Truthfully though, the possibility exists that he has shortcomings placing a ceiling on where this franchise can go under his stewardship. I’m not there yet, but it’s on the table. I couldn’t say that before Josh took his final snap of the year.
The line about it being time to view the franchise through Josh’s prism rather than McDermott’s really put me on my ass. I am scarred by the days of Edwards and Losman, no doubt, but I am WAY more scared of going back to the days of Jauron and Rex. God help me if we wake up in 3, 6 or 10 years and find ourselves in a Green Bay situation, but maybe we do have to reconsider where the power truly lies and if this QB serves the coach or the other way around.
Personally I think it's time to let "it" go ~ 13 seconds ENOUGH !!! Look around the league ~ there are way too many teams that have coaching situations that I would never want to trade for ~ I think this 13 second obsession is getting to a point that has the potential to destroy everything that has been built by McDermott & Beane ~ stop the obsession & move on. There is so much more to look forward to ~ GO BILLS !
Did any of the people interviewed for the story expand more on McDermott’s communication style?
You mentioned that he communicates more through the media than internally. I’m all for sending a message publicly, but I’d want to know that was at least discussed privately before it goes public. I’d hate to be a player/coach thinking everything is fine and then gets blasted publicly.
Has it gotten worse the longer he’s been there? Is the message at least consistent internally and externally? Obviously communication was the root of all the problems within the article.
SQUIB IT!!! It's a no brainer!!! I'm not a Bills fan, but so disappointed not to see the greatest Wyoming Cowboy of all-time play in the AFC Championship game. And they would have won the SB without that debacle too. What a lost opportunity.
IMO “13 Seconds” is the worst heartbreak of all. “Wide right” was a missed kick - so it goes…. Music City Miracle ranks second to “13 seconds” because it too was a coaching blunder (to pooch kick). But “13 seconds” was colossal coaching blunder(s).
The those thirteen seconds were horrible, but was anyone else screaming at the TV for the Bills to take a time out in overtime after the Chiefs got past midfield. It was very obvious that the Chiefs had a lot of momentum and something was needed to break it.
I have had many concerns about McDermott over the years. It started with the Mahomes draft. Having him run the draft, as the incoming coach was, to me, a mistake. I blame the Bills organization for that. He was a defensive coordinator, what qualified him to make decisions that your GM would make ? It worked out, Josh Allen has turned into a stud, was that foresight, or luck,, that he is on the same level as Mahomes ?
As Tyler knows, I have a fantasy football "problem". I DVR the Bills games and watch them during the following week. Tremaine Edmonds is the worst LB I can remember watching. He cannot read plays, cannot shed blocks and cannot tackle, one on one. Name one "big play" he has made in his 4 years. Listening to the coaches, he is one of the reasons for their defense being ranked so highly. I feel that he gets the playing time and accolades, because of his draft position. Maybe not McDermitt's doing, but I had to vent, I hate Edmonds :)
My main problem now, is the way McDermitt did not take responsibility of any issues at the end of the KC game, until yesterday. He is the head coach. Even if he did everything right, he should take the blame. That is his job. If a player or coach did make a mistake and McDermitt called it perfect, it still is the coaches responsibility. Take the bullet for your team. Saying the problem was "Execution" , to me, is saying, "I called the right play, it wasn't my fault" I hope this does not cause a rift between him and the players/coaches.
Just have to say how amazing a performance that was from Josh Allen. They deserved to win. That guy is a true competitor. I hope he keeps getting better and better, it’s good for the league.