The NFL schedule is always throwing curveballs, and this season is no different with the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills squaring off for the third straight year. The Texans absolutely owned Josh Allen in those first two matchups, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when you look at the Bills’ recent history, especially around their former head coach, Sean McDermott. We caught up with Matthew Bynum from Buffalo Ramblings to get the real lowdown before Sunday’s game.
The Playoff Wall That Couldn’t Be Climbed
Sean McDermott’s nine seasons as head coach for the Bills were stacked with success, but Bynum hit the nail on the head: it wasn’t enough. It feels harsh to say a coach “came up short” after nearly a decade and the best regular-season record over that span, but McDermott never led his team to an AFC Championship Game win, let alone a Super Bowl appearance or victory. That’s a small but mighty list of un-checked boxes. For all their regular-season dominance, when it mattered most, McDermott’s Bills just couldn’t seal the deal.
The Chiefs Problem and a Defensive Gamble
The biggest thorn in McDermott’s side? The Kansas City Chiefs. He built those Bills teams specifically to take down KC, but every single playoff matchup against them ended in a loss. And get this: Josh Allen was playing out of his mind most of the time! Bynum pointed out that McDermott was “never the best coach in playoff games against the Chiefs.” That’s a huge indictment. His defensive scheme, demanding individual and unit intelligence, also became a liability. He tried to blend “heady leaders” with “instinctual athletic freaks,” but too often, that defense, which was his baby, became the team’s “playoff Achilles heel.” Even with offensive failures in crucial final drives, a defensive-minded coach’s unit faltering in the biggest moments is tough to swallow.
“13 Seconds” and a Trauma-Filled Trend
Look, you don’t dump a guy with the best regular-season record unless things get real bad, unless missing out becomes a “trauma-filled trend.” And for the Bills, that trend has a name: “13 seconds.” Anyone who follows the sport immediately knows that gut-wrenching overtime loss against the Chiefs. That moment, among others, is tied directly to McDermott. Many thought he should have been gone right after that, but he got some serious leeway because, well, it was Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. Still, that trauma lingers, defining a legacy that, for all its regular-season glory, ultimately felt unfulfilled.
What’s next for the Bills trying to get over that hump? We’ll see how this season plays out, starting with the Texans. Meanwhile, back here in the Emerald City, our Seahawks just put up a solid W against the Patriots, 13-10! Big momentum early in the season, you love to see it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Battle Red Blog.
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