Many questions have arisen following the Buffalo Bills’ unexpected elimination from the AFC Playoffs. Here are three questions for head coach Sean McDermott to address during his media availability at this week’s NFL Combine.
The NFL Combine allows media and fans to speak with head coaches for the first time since their season-ending press conferences. A few head coaches will not attend the activities in Indianapolis, but Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott is anticipated to go once more.
More than one month after the Bills’ sad postseason exit, McDermott is anticipated to address the team’s long-term aspirations. Here are three pressing questions that require clarification from the head coach:
Who will call the defensive plays?
After Leslie Frazier stepped down last offseason, McDermott took on multiple roles in 2023, including head coach, defensive coordinator, and playcaller. Under McDermott, the Bills placed eighth in overall defense (307.2) and fourth in scoring defense (18.3).
McDermott will take over the defensive coordinator title to former linebackers coach Bobby Babich. Will the 40-year-old Babich, who is new as a coordinator, have control over the defensive playbook? Will McDermott continue to make in-game calls, or will the newly hired DC be completely responsible?
Despite their success, the team’s attacking strategy will most certainly be tweaked. Brady had no opportunity to introduce any meaningful alterations to the strategy last season after being immediately appointed captain.
Quarterback Josh Allen, a three-time MVP finalist, will undoubtedly be the focal point, but will Brady open up and air it out more frequently? The Bills frequently relied heavily on the run game to generate long, clock-consuming possessions. One could argue that the conservative approach was costly against Kansas City.
Looking back, what finally kept the Bills from making the Super Bowl?
The Bills entered the playoffs with a five-game winning streak after capturing the AFC’s No. 2 seed. After defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, Buffalo lost 27-24 at home to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Kansas City scored on five of its first six possessions, including three touchdowns, with the only failure coming on a first-down kneel in the closing seconds of the first half.
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McDermott’s response will be informative. Will the head coach accept criticism for his defense’s failure to deliver in three consecutive divisional round losses? Or will he simply blame this year’s defeat on injuries, misfortune, and Kansas City’s dominance? McDermott will eventually have to figure out how to get past Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in the playoffs, especially since quarterback Josh Allen has been excellent in losses.
It’s tough to ignore the reality that the Chiefs offense, which appeared out of sync for much of the regular season, dominated the Bills at Orchard Park. Kansas City averaged 7.7 yards per play against Buffalo’s defense, which was without its top three linebackers due to injuries. The Bills failed to adjust as the Chiefs took advantage of the linebackers’ coverage.
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