Disclaimer: I'm a Bengals fan who moved to Buffalo 10 years ago.
This is a great piece, Ty. I obviously have felt many kinds of football pain over my 40+ years following this team. Playoff losses are the worst. So close, yet so far away. People tend to forget the Bengals made the playoffs 7 times in 12 years in the 2000s... and lost the first game every single one. We all were pretty sure it HAD to be the coaching. Dalton and Palmer were solid with great skill talent around them, but Marvin Lewis could never win the Prime Time or Playoff games. Joey B and Zac Taylor sure have shown the opposite.
It's hard not to see the commonality with Sean. He seems like an awesome dude and a solid coach, but he's done just enough for his team to be very good... just not great. Then again, how many coaches can?!
Not only does McD invest heavily on defense every year both in the draft and financially, he does so at the expense of the offense. Beane and McDermott have over spent on the d line every year to no avail. Millions of dollars wasted and cap space used up with a dumb philosophy of playing 7 yards off the receivers. A quick release from the qb to a wide open receiver renders the d line useless. Not only that he has so many high paid d lineman but uses them sparingly, rotating them in and out of the game and having them play contain instead of rushing. The rotation and lack of use is supposed to keep the d line fresh for the fourth quarter. Not once in the McD era has a Bills defensive line ever dominated any one much less in the third quarter.
Ignoring the offensive talent and line is putting Josh in a no win situation of having to do everything. McD is following the same formula that was used in Carolina that severely shortened the qb’s career. Josh will have a short career also if he has to keep taking huge hits every game.
McD is a great guy but just like Marvin Lewis he will never get the Bills a Super Bowl. The players seemed to sense the gameplan was so bad and had no chance of working that they didn’t even seem to try. One of the worst showings in front of a pumped up sold out crowd I have ever seen as a Bills fan and I’ve seen a lot in 50 years of following them. The players followed McD’s cowardly leadership and failed miserably.
Good article. Once again a bit too over the top for me on McDermott. The core thing I agree with his he seems to clam up or get more conservative in the pressure playoff situations. He had proven to be the opposite (more aggressive) in the regular season however, and overall McDermott has done way more…..WAYYY more, good than bad for this franchise. We easily lose sight of the sheer levels of despair this franchise was in for almost two decades, and he pulled us/them out of it.
Good Article. Your frustration with the Bills is palpable. I can't say as I blame you. Their time is now. As the old song says: "Someday never comes."
I seriously doubt that Tua ever plays another snap. Three concussions last year? The Dolphins ought to do what the Packers did with Nick Collins and Sterling Sharp, medically disqualify him.
What about the decision to promote unproven Ken Dorsey to OC instead of conducting an external search? Will the reorganization now be Beane's decision alone or does ownership have football advisors?
Before the season, I wrote at length about last year's victorious, demon-exorcising playoff game that I got to watch in person. I also wrote that any time you attend a live sporting event—though particularly one with win-or-go-home stakes—you really put yourself out there: It's going to be glorious, or unbelievably painful.
I now have both experiences under my belt, and I'll tell you what, I will have to really think about attending one again. I'm sure that I will, but man, OP was the last place I wanted to be after that letdown. There were plenty of signs throughout the second half the season, but anyone who says they saw this specific result coming is lying.
Going to need to watch some uplifting Bills highlights to erase some of this from the memory jar. Go Bills, and Go Long.
You know, Ty, if you just changed a few names in this story and the comments that followed, it would very closely describe the Matt LaFluer era in Green Bay. How many other teams, as well?
Excellent article. The comparison to Martyball is perfect. The team gets high marks in stats and analytics during regular season but when it really matters McDermott fumbles every time. Supporting Allen is the key but McDermott’s defence first approach is destined to fail. I hope he can change but I have my doubts. Beane needs to be the one to put in the offence first plan
Great article! It’s going to be tough for the Bills to improve….not saying they can’t, but Allen, Miller and Diggs count a combined $78 million towards the cap in 2023…I truly believe the last three seasons were their best chance to win it all. You make a great point about Jacksonville being a team on the rise….and if the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers, which I heard they might be interested in doing, look out!
Disclaimer: I'm a Bengals fan who moved to Buffalo 10 years ago.
This is a great piece, Ty. I obviously have felt many kinds of football pain over my 40+ years following this team. Playoff losses are the worst. So close, yet so far away. People tend to forget the Bengals made the playoffs 7 times in 12 years in the 2000s... and lost the first game every single one. We all were pretty sure it HAD to be the coaching. Dalton and Palmer were solid with great skill talent around them, but Marvin Lewis could never win the Prime Time or Playoff games. Joey B and Zac Taylor sure have shown the opposite.
It's hard not to see the commonality with Sean. He seems like an awesome dude and a solid coach, but he's done just enough for his team to be very good... just not great. Then again, how many coaches can?!
Not only does McD invest heavily on defense every year both in the draft and financially, he does so at the expense of the offense. Beane and McDermott have over spent on the d line every year to no avail. Millions of dollars wasted and cap space used up with a dumb philosophy of playing 7 yards off the receivers. A quick release from the qb to a wide open receiver renders the d line useless. Not only that he has so many high paid d lineman but uses them sparingly, rotating them in and out of the game and having them play contain instead of rushing. The rotation and lack of use is supposed to keep the d line fresh for the fourth quarter. Not once in the McD era has a Bills defensive line ever dominated any one much less in the third quarter.
Ignoring the offensive talent and line is putting Josh in a no win situation of having to do everything. McD is following the same formula that was used in Carolina that severely shortened the qb’s career. Josh will have a short career also if he has to keep taking huge hits every game.
McD is a great guy but just like Marvin Lewis he will never get the Bills a Super Bowl. The players seemed to sense the gameplan was so bad and had no chance of working that they didn’t even seem to try. One of the worst showings in front of a pumped up sold out crowd I have ever seen as a Bills fan and I’ve seen a lot in 50 years of following them. The players followed McD’s cowardly leadership and failed miserably.
Good article. Once again a bit too over the top for me on McDermott. The core thing I agree with his he seems to clam up or get more conservative in the pressure playoff situations. He had proven to be the opposite (more aggressive) in the regular season however, and overall McDermott has done way more…..WAYYY more, good than bad for this franchise. We easily lose sight of the sheer levels of despair this franchise was in for almost two decades, and he pulled us/them out of it.
Good Article. Your frustration with the Bills is palpable. I can't say as I blame you. Their time is now. As the old song says: "Someday never comes."
I seriously doubt that Tua ever plays another snap. Three concussions last year? The Dolphins ought to do what the Packers did with Nick Collins and Sterling Sharp, medically disqualify him.
It is, after all, only a game.
What about the decision to promote unproven Ken Dorsey to OC instead of conducting an external search? Will the reorganization now be Beane's decision alone or does ownership have football advisors?
Before the season, I wrote at length about last year's victorious, demon-exorcising playoff game that I got to watch in person. I also wrote that any time you attend a live sporting event—though particularly one with win-or-go-home stakes—you really put yourself out there: It's going to be glorious, or unbelievably painful.
I now have both experiences under my belt, and I'll tell you what, I will have to really think about attending one again. I'm sure that I will, but man, OP was the last place I wanted to be after that letdown. There were plenty of signs throughout the second half the season, but anyone who says they saw this specific result coming is lying.
Going to need to watch some uplifting Bills highlights to erase some of this from the memory jar. Go Bills, and Go Long.
You know, Ty, if you just changed a few names in this story and the comments that followed, it would very closely describe the Matt LaFluer era in Green Bay. How many other teams, as well?
Excellent article. The comparison to Martyball is perfect. The team gets high marks in stats and analytics during regular season but when it really matters McDermott fumbles every time. Supporting Allen is the key but McDermott’s defence first approach is destined to fail. I hope he can change but I have my doubts. Beane needs to be the one to put in the offence first plan
Tyler adds incisive journalism to the NFL analysis that most other scribes do not....Thank you, Tyler....Regards, Daniel
Are the GS Warriors the best example of a team who has gotten over the Championship hump? Takes an aggressive owner and front office.
Great article! It’s going to be tough for the Bills to improve….not saying they can’t, but Allen, Miller and Diggs count a combined $78 million towards the cap in 2023…I truly believe the last three seasons were their best chance to win it all. You make a great point about Jacksonville being a team on the rise….and if the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers, which I heard they might be interested in doing, look out!
Wow, great article once again. My only hope is that McD and Beans read your article as well. Your points are valid
What is the realistic solution here? Payton? Sadly, seems like the current Seanball may the best we will ever experience. Regular season accolades.
Long overdue to respond to you all! Thanks for the patience, everyone. It's been a busy time.
Here we go...
Great work, Ty. I’m a big fan of McDermott, but this is getting old. Does he have what it takes to change?