Buffalo Bills vs. New Orleans Saints: 3 final pregame thoughts

Questionable game management

Sean McDermott has made his share of questionable calls over his Bills career. None of those calls are starker than the game-extending field goal attempts in the 2020 AFC Championship Game. But those decisions have appeared again this season. Most notably, last week against the Colts.

On 4th and 5 at the Indy 31 yard line, with the score of 24-7, McDermott decided to send out Tyler Bass for a 49-yard attempt in unfavorable weather conditions. At that point in the game, the Bills defense weren’t stopping a nose bleed, a combination conducive to fourth-down conversion attempts. But McDermott opted for the field goal instead.

When asked about the field goal attempt McDermott said, “If he makes that kick, which he normally does and he will going forward, we’re down two scores at that point.”

McDermott’s middling between aggressive and conservative has removed from the team any semblance of an identity. Are the Bills an aggressive team like they were in Nashville on Monday Night Football? Or are they a conservative team like they proved last week against the Colts? Unfortunately, the jury is still out.

One thing is for sure, the Bills don’t have all season to figure out their niche or nature in decision making. And Sean McDermott needs to make in-game decisions in the interest of winning the matchup before the Bills are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.