The Buffalo Bills will end their 17-year playoff drought on Sunday when they take on the Jaguars, and head coach Sean McDermott deserves a lot of credit.
When the Buffalo Bills took the field for their first game against the New York Jets in September, very few expected this team to make the postseason. After a roller coaster campaign, the Bills clinched a playoff spot after Andy Dalton orchestrated a game-winning drive to take down the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bills entered the 2017 season with many critics believing they were tanking for their quarterback of the future. Newly hired general manager Brandon Beane made many changes this offseason. The Bills let their best corner in Stephon Gilmore walk to the division rival Patriots, and let go of their best two wide receivers in Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. Buffalo lacked any real playmakers on offense and were said to be a good pick to get the top selection in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Beane’s biggest move this offseason was to bring in Sean McDermott as new head coach. The 43-year old was previously the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers, and was a part of their 2015 Super Bowl run. McDermott had no previous coaching experience, and no one really knew what to expect from him. It is safe to say he has thrived with the Bills thus far.
Under McDermott, the Bills defense ranked seventh in takeaways this season, which has been a big reason for their success. The Bills overall defensive stats don’t rank among the best in the NFL. However, that’s largely due to a three-week stretch during the season which saw them lose three straight and give up an average of 45 points a game. If you take away those games, the Bills gave up an average of 16 points per game, good for second in the league.
McDermott was able to get the best out of his players every game, especially his rookies. The Bills rookie class shined, as first round pick Tre’Davious White had a spectacular season and was one of the best pure corners in the NFL.
The one black mark on McDermott’s first season in Buffalo was benching starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor for fifth-round rookie Nathan Peterman in a crucial game against the Chargers in Week 11. The Bills ended up losing, 54-24, dropping them to 5-5 on the year. McDermott ultimately fixed his mistake and made Taylor the starter down the stretch.
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There is no doubt Sean McVay’s season with the Rams has been impressive. Many believe he is a lock for NFL Coach of the Year. However, McDermott deserves consideration for the honor. He has done a spectacular job leading a team with limited playmakers to the playoffs, and a big reason that the Bills will be ending their 17-year playoff drought on Sunday.