Buffalo Bills: Reviewing key coaching decisions in AFC Championship

Did Bills go for two too early in the game?

The final coaching decision came in the fourth quarter after the Buffalo Bills finally got into the end zone. At this point, the Chiefs had a sizeable lead being up 38-15 and a comeback at this point was unlikely.

Since the Bills were down 23 points, the Bills would need at least three touchdowns and convert two two-point conversions to tie the Kansas City Chiefs. Sean McDermott and the coaching staff elected to go for a two-point conversion on their first touchdown and failed to convert.

While it would have made sense to just take the extra point at that time, this was the right call to make for this team at this point for two reasons. The first is that while Tyler Bass had been perfect on field goal attempts, making all three at this point, he had missed an extra point earlier in the game.

This was certainly not a guarantee and if he were to miss, the Bills would have been in the same situation if they didn’t convert the two-point conversion.

The other reason it made sense to go for it at this point is the coaching staff knows they need to convert at least two. If they had waited to attempt it later in the game, there would have been even less time to try and make up those additional points.

However, by attempting it now the Bills were down 17 points, and knowing it is a three-score game they can change their play calling and play for two touchdowns and a field goal versus continuing to try for two-point conversions.

The decision-making of Sean McDermott is sure to be a talking point this offseason but they weren’t all necessarily bad on Sunday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.