The 2017 season has come and gone for the Buffalo Bills and as a result the next few months are going to shape where the team goes in 2018. As we look ahead, let’s take a moment to also remember the success that 2017 brought with it and some of the individuals that helped end the 17-year playoff drought.
When looking at the 2017 Buffalo Bills, there are a handful of players that stick out on both sides of the ball. It’s these players that not only had successful individual seasons, but their individual success also directly led to the success of the overall team.
When looking to name team MVP’s for the 2017 season, it was decided that the following categories would be used; offense, defense, special teams and coaching. Each of those four categories contains individuals who helped push the Buffalo Bills this season. Sure, when the 2017 season began, we all had the Bills going to the playoffs. Then again, that’s how we began each of the the last 17 seasons as well.
After seeing who was named MVP in each of the four categories, be sure to comment below and let us know whether you agree or disagree with the selection. You can also hit us up on Twitter and let your voice be heard there.
Coaching Staff – Sean McDermott
When it comes to naming an MVP for the 2017 Buffalo Bills’ coaching staff, the clear cut winner is
Rick Dennison
Sean McDermott.
McDermott, in his first season with the Bills was able to build what appears to be a solid foundation for the coming seasons. Of course this foundation didn’t come without a few bumps in the road along the way. One of those bumps came when McDermott decided to bench Tyrod Taylor in favor of Nate Peterson (despite Buffalo’s winning record at the time). McDermott of course would return Taylor to the starting role on Buffalo’s run to the playoffs.
It’s that playoff run alone that would have been enough to give McDermott this honor. McDermott getting Buffalo into the playoffs was something that Rex Ryan, Doug Marrone, Chan Gailey, Perry Fewell, Dick Jauron, Mike Mularkey and Gregg Williams couldn’t manage to do in their time with the team from 2000-2016.
Playoffs aside, McDermott doesn’t appear to be the proverbial flash in a pan. Bills’ fans aren’t heading into the offseason wondering if Buffalo is going to regress next season, instead they are optimistic they will take the next step. This optimism comes from McDermott and is felt through the organization and the fan base.
Special Teams – Steven Hauschka
When the Bills picked up Hauschka ahead of the 2017 season, there were some mixed reviews among fans. Yes, Hauschka was going to be an improvement over having to deal with another season of Dan Carpenter (19/25 in 2016). However, Hauschka himself was coming off of a rough showing in 2016 with Seattle when he was barely over 80 percent on extra points (29/35).
In his first season with the Buffalo Bills, Hauschka delivered the goods in the kicking game. He was 29/33 in the field goal department, more importantly he was 15/15 from 40-yards or closer. Hauschka’s short-range perfection extended into the extra point game as well, where he was 29/29.
The kicking game in the NFL is a fairly thankless job. Most teams expect their kickers to make all of the kicks with little praise given when they do their jobs. On the other side, kickers that miss kicks are often hung out to dry by fans on a weekly basis. Hauschka’s performance in 2017 should have the Bills not concerned about their kicking game heading into the 2018 season.
Defensive MVP – Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde
The safety play on the Buffalo Bills in 2017 was a game-changer throughout the majority of the season. Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde were the heartbeat of the secondary and the Bills’ defensive unity. Between the two of them, Poyer and Hyde pulled down 10 interceptions this past season (they each had five). The rest of the Bills’ defense has eight interceptions combined.
Poyer also accounted for the only defensive TD (via an INT) of the season when he returned one of his five interceptions for a pick-six.
Interceptions aside, Poyer and Hyde were also tackling machines in 2017. Hyde was second on the team in solo tackles (65) and Poyer was third (63). Hyde finished the season with 72 total tackles and Poyer finished the season with 95 total tackles. The only player with more tackles was Preston Brown (84 solo and 144 total). Brown also happened to lead the NFL in total tackles, which put him into the conversation for 2017 Defensive MVP.
Hyde’s performance this season didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the league either. In the latter part of the season Hyde was named to the Pro Bowl team. One more stat that should be mentioned is the fact that the two of them combined to play in 31/32 possible games. Injuries are a huge part of the NFL and the fact that both managed to stay healthy this season was a big key to their success and Buffalo’s success.
Offensive MVP – LeSean McCoy
Well, we all knew that we were going to end up here, didn’t we?
LeSean McCoy was the driving force of the Buffalo Bills’ offense in 2017. Not only did McCoy manage to remain healthy for the majority of the season (played in 16 games and started all 16), but he was also productive all season long.
McCoy finished the season with 1,138 yards rushing and six rushing touchdowns. He also added 59 catches for 448 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McCoy’s 59 catches led the team in 2017 and it wasn’t even close. TE Charles Clay caught 49 balls this past season and then the next closest player was Deonte Thompson with 27 catches. McCoy’s 448 receiving-yards was also second-best on the team only to Clay.
McCoy’s ability to be a threat in both the running and the passing game made him a nightmare for teams to defend. Despite being banged up heading into the playoff game against Jacksonville, McCoy still played effectively in the Bills’ loss.
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Heading into 2018 one would have to imagine that McCoy will once again be one of the focal points of this offensive unit. While there will be questions as to who is throwing/handing him the ball, there shouldn’t be any questions about how often the ball will be going in his direction next season.