There is no doubt that the Buffalo Bills (5-5) are in trouble at this point in the season. Whether you believe it is coaching or the lack of production of the players on the field, something is not right with the Bills. Head coach Sean McDermott made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey this past week after the Bills lost their second consecutive primetime game against the Denver Broncos.
To Dorsey's credit, the loss to Denver was not his fault at the end of the game when there were 12 men on the field on a missed field goal by the Broncos. However, that does not excuse the poor performance by the offense since Week 5.
Now that Dorsey is gone, the Bills will roll with Joe Brady as the interim offensive coordinator for the remainder of the season. Now the next big factor to look at is McDermott and his security in Buffalo. There are fans that are calling for McDermott to be the next one that is handed the pink slip.
Since McDermott has been in Buffalo, the Bills have only missed the playoffs one time when Josh Allen was a rookie. He has led the Bills to three consecutive AFC East championships and has turned around the organization that didn't make the playoffs for 17 consecutive years before he arrived.
I'm not saying that McDermott is not weak in certain areas, but he has brought more stability to the Bills than they have had in a long time before hiring McDermott. Unless there is an epic collapse for the rest of the season, expect McDermott back on the sidelines next year in Buffalo.
Here are three reasons why Sean McDermott will be head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2024.
3.) Defense has shined despite injuries
In Week 4 and Week 5 of this season, the Bills lost three impactful players in Tre’Davious White, Matt Milano, and DaQuan Jones. Three of their best defensive players all went down which put the Bills in a hard position of trying to replace their presence for the rest of the season. Since that Week 5 matchup in London, the defense has surprisingly responded to the adversity better than most would have probably expected. Sure, they made Mac Jones look like the second coming of Tom Brady in their Week 7 loss but they ultimately have been playing great situational football.
While it may not look like that with the five overall losses, the offense has turned the ball over at times on their own side of the field which puts the opposing offense in a great position to score. Even then, the Buffalo defense has managed to hold them to three and get a takeaway themselves. Since Week 6, the defense is allowing just 20.8 points a game while the offense has only averaged 20.6 points a game in that stretch.
As a head coach, it is a bad look if you cannot master your side of the ball. McDermott is a defensive minded head coach and has helped improve this unit with the adversity that they have faced this season. In addition, the defense under McDermott’s tenure is always near the top of the league when it comes to overall defense.
2.) Contract extension this past offseason
Lets not forget the contract extension that both Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane received this past offseason. Both of them received contracts that go through the 2027 season. Meaning that up until then, McDermott will be paid by the Bills.
Again, unless an epic collapse occurs this season where it puts the Bills in a bad predicament, the Bills are not going to let go of McDermott after this season. The last head coach that the organization fired was Rex Ryan, two seasons into the five-year contract he received from the Bills in 2015. When a coach is fired, he will still be paid and the Bills have already been down the route.
Sure, McDermott has not taken that extra step in helping to elevate the team, but every year he has the Bills in the discussion as a Super Bowl team. This season is the first time since 2020 where the Bills are not in the discussion. Every team struggles at some point and considering what the Bills went through pre-McDermott, it is safe to say that it is better to fix these issues rather than trying to clean everything and start over.
1.) Continuity in the building with a star quarterback
The successful organizations in the NFL have stability at the important positions within the building. They have their general manager, head coach, and quarterback without disorganization. Up until this season, there has not been an issue at any of the positions. However, both McDermott and Allen are part of a “blame-o-meter” for the teams’ struggles this season.
There is no denying that. At the same time, continuity is crucial for an organization and the Bills have built it up since McDermott arrived. The team was cleaned up in McDermott’s first season and they still made the playoffs. Then they drafted their eventual franchise quarterback and have provided stability with him.
The issue that the Bills have been facing is the presence around Allen when it comes to calling the offensive plays. When Brian Daboll was the offensive coordinator, Allen was in the conversation as the MVP of the league with his dynamic abilities. Since his departure, it has been limited but there is only so much that McDermott can do as far as the development of Allen. The decision to fire Dorsey may have been a scapegoat move, but Dorsey was handed the keys to a powerful offense and it failed and shows no sign of life moving forward.
McDermott made the decision to change it up and give Joe Brady a chance, someone who has been around Allen this season and last season. Continuity makes all the difference for development. Go ask Baker Mayfield and his time in Cleveland when he was adjusting to a new head coach and offensive coordinator frequently.