Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
The Bills are at a critical inflection point. What’s their next move?
History repeated itself once again on Sunday night. For the third time in four years, the Bills’ season came to an end at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs — this time at home, erasing the only variable fans in Buffalo had prayed would change the fortunes of this rivalry.
It’s clear at this point that the status quo isn’t working. If the Bills want to break through and get over this hump then something needs to change. There’s an equal case to be made for staying the course and making small changes, or completely adjusting the focus of the team moving forward.
Today we offer our thoughts of where Buffalo should go from here so they don’t squander Josh Allen in his prime.
The Bills have gone as far as they can with Sean McDermott — James Dator
I know it sounds harsh, but the Bills have been winning in spite of Sean McDermott, not because of him. Offensively this team has been a mixed bag since Brian Daboll left for the Giants, and defensively — what is touted as McDermott’s core competency, the team has gotten worse under his leadership.
McDermott’s issues as head coach keep raising their head at the worst possible time. In the game against the Chiefs that came in his weird fake punt call that was a key factor in the loss. No, McDermott can’t make players execute. He can’t catch the ball for Stefon Diggs at a key moment — but when these moments keep happening, then it’s time to evaluate the team from the top down.
If the Bills want to take a step forward and compete in this modern NFL then they have to get younger. Not physically, but in thinking at their key coaching positions. Watching the Bills offense operate it’s too often rooted in old football, and looks slow compared to a lot of the top teams in the NFL. That’s inexcusable when you have a quarterback like Josh Allen under center, who can win as long as he has a little support around him.
This is a pivotal moment for the Bills. They’re in a horrific cap situation, currently slated to be $53M over the cap in 2024 — and will need to make some major personnel decisions. Stefon Diggs is likely to be a cap casualty thanks to his massive contract, as will Von Miller. The team is also slated to lose Gabe Davis to free agency, meaning the organization will need to find two top receivers.
These are the kind of decisions that have to be made with a smart offensive vision in place. One I’m not sure Joe Brady can execute on — or, at the very least, an offensive head coach in place to guide Brady’s hand.
Patience, not panic — Mark Schofield
Perhaps the most fascinating coaching decision in recent days comes to us from the Dallas Cowboys, and may prove instructive here.
The wheels were in motion for Jerry Jones to make a rash, panic move after the Cowboys’ stunning loss to the Green Bay Packers. Bill Belichick is out there and available, and Dallas looks like they have plateaued under Mike McCarthy. Clean house, bring in Belichick, and move forward with a new coach.
This was the very scenario many in the media were pointing to as early as Halloween.
But … it did not happen.
Instead, McCarthy will be back, and Jones is preaching progress and patience.
Sure, the Bills might benefit from some new voices in the room, but to supplement, and not take over. A new approach on defense, perhaps with a new defensive coordinator, might be a benefit. This organization has struggled — although to be fair, many have — against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Get a fresh set of ideas in the defensive coaching room.
Offensively? Start with an Allen restructure to help the financial side of things. Give Brady a full season to work with this offense and implement his vision. Add a receiver around Diggs, and this might be the perfect draft or even free agency class to do just that.
Bills fans are frustrated after Sunday, and with reason. Many are clamoring for wholesale changes, and perhaps that is the road they go down.
Because after all, Belichick is available …
Sean McDermott needs to learn to let go — Matt Warren
As a lifelong Bills fan, I’m not ignoring the success they’ve had over the last several years, but it’s clear that this group can’t break the AFC logjam. They’re 0-3 against the Chiefs in the playoffs along with a loss to the Bengals. Sean McDermott has just one AFC Championship Game appearance.
If you told me the Bills would move on from McDermott, I wouldn’t argue. I think he makes too many mistakes and now he’s the defensive playcaller, too. He has been able to hold Patrick Mahomes in check in the regular season, but in the playoffs, McDermott’s mentor Andy Reid has dialed up some of his best work against the Bills. Mahomes has played lights out.
Because I don’t think they’re going to fire him, McDermott is going to have to be a tiger who changes his stripes. He’s a huge fan of ball control to keep the other offense from scoring. It makes his defense look better. He wants to win conventionally scored games. I think the Bills should try and boat race people.
Stefon Diggs is on the wrong side of 30 and Gabe Davis is a free agent. The Bills need to add a highly drafted receiver to the mix to be their new alpha. The drop from Diggs on the perfect Josh Allen pass was the final indicator that the time has come. The trio of new guy, Diggs, and Khalil Shakir is a formidable wideout group alongside 2023 first-round TE Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox with James Cook coming out of the backfield.
Let Joe Brady or whoever you hire for the offensive coordinator job open the thing up and put the ball in the hand of your best player as much as possible. We’re going to score 38 points per game and you have to score more.
