Three Questions Bills Mafia Wants Sean McDermott to Answer at NFL Combine
The NFL Combine provides reporters and fans to hear from head coaches for the first time since their season-ending press conferences. A handful of head coaches won't attend the events in Indianapolis, but Buffalo Bills' boss Sean McDermott is expected to be there once again.
More than one full month after the Bills' disappointing postseason exit, McDermott will likely address the team's big picture plans moving forward. Here are three burning questions that require clarity from the head coach:
Who will call the plays on defense?
With Leslie Frazier stepping aside last offseason, McDermott pulled double duty in 2023 as a head coach that also served as the defensive coordinator and play caller. The Bills ranked ninth in overall defense (307.2) and fourth in scoring defense (18.3) under McDermott's direction.
In terms of the defensive coordinator title, McDermott is handing that over to former linebackers coach Bobby Babich. As a first-time coordinator, will the 40-year-old Babich have autonomy over the defensive playbook? Will McDermott continue to make the in-game calls or will that responsibility be solely entrusted to the newly-appointed DC?
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What elements will Joe Brady add to the offense in his first offseason as offensive coordinator? Will there be a shift in scheme or philosophy in 2024?
The offense received a noticeable jolt when Brady replaced Ken Dorsey mid season. The Bills eclipsed the 30-point mark in three of Brady's first four games as play caller. Buffalo gained at least 327 yards on offense on six of the last seven outings.
Despite the success, there will likely be tweaks made to the team's offensive approach. Instantly placed in the captain's chair, Brady had no time to implement any significant changes to scheme last season.
Quarterback Josh Allen, a three-time MVP finalist, will obviously remain the focal point, but will Brady open it up and air it out more often? There were plenty of instances where the Bills relied heavily on the run game in an attempt to generate long, clock-consuming possessions. One can argue that the conservative approach proved costly against Kansas City.
Looking back, what ultimately prevented the Bills from reaching the Super Bowl?
The Bills entered the playoffs on a five-game win streak after securing the No. 2 seed in the AFC. After handling the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, Buffalo dropped a 27-24 decision at home to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Kansas City scored on five of its first six possessions, including three touchdowns, with the lone failure coming on a first-down kneel down the final seconds first half.
McDermott's response will be telling. Will the head coach take any blame for his defense's failure to deliver in three straight divisional round losses? Or will he simply attribute this year's loss to injuries, misfortune and Kansas City's greatness? At some point, McDermott needs to find the answer to getting past Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid in the playoffs, especially when quarterback Josh Allen has been brilliant in losing efforts.
It's difficult to look past the fact that the Chiefs' offense, which appeared out-of-sync for much of the regular season, had its way with the Bills in Orchard Park. Kansas City averaged 7.7 yards per play against a Buffalo defense that was without its top-three linebackers due to injury. The Bills failed to adjust as the Chiefs routinely took advantage of the linebackers in coverage.
