Following a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night, the question arises, can Sean McDermott lead the Bills to a Super Bowl win?

McDermott’s 7th season as the head coach in buffalo came to a close Sunday in a fashion that Bills Mafia is all-too familiar with. The 27-24 loss marks the 3rd straight season that Buffalo has failed to make it past the divisional round. Since 2017, the first year of the head coach’s tenure, the Bills have clinched a playoff birth six times with 2018 being the only year the team fell short of the Wild Card round. In those 6 playoff runs, McDermott and company have only made an appearance in one conference championship game, in which their fate was met at the hands of Andy Reid and the KC Chiefs.

It stands to reason that the recent shortcomings in the playoffs could warrant a change in Buffalo. Many fans around the league have expressed their desire for the organization to cut ties with McDermott and begin the search for a new head coach.

Is firing McDermott the right move in Buffalo? My Answer? - No.

Since his hiring, Sean McDermott has led the team to a regular season record of 73-41, the fourth best record in the NFL over that time. In his first year, the Bills snapped a playoff drought that lasted 17 years, dating back to 1999. Moreover, since finding a franchise quarterback in Josh Allen, The Bills are the 2nd winningest team in the league with a 58-24 record (since 2019).

When comparing his 7 years to the same span prior to his arrival, in which the Bills racked up a 3rd worst in the league 55-73 record, you may start to question your rationale. As for the organization itself, their confidence in the current head coach is unwavering, it seems.

Sean McDermott has not been perfect. His conservative nature has been under scrutiny many times, along with his late game clock management, and most recently, the decision to run a fake punt in the 4th quarter against the chiefs. (that one hurts). However, the dual-role coach didn’t fail to impress me through the 2023 season.

Following the 2022-23 season, Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier made the decision to step back from his position, leaving the reigns to the defensive minded McDermott. Calling plays on defense was a familiar task for the former Eagles and Panthers DC, and with the uncertain future for Frazier, the change made enough sense for the Bills. Sean would also be inheriting a familiar group as Buffalo retained most of their defensive core during free agency, Tremaine Edmunds being the most, if not only notable player to find a home elsewhere.

And then disaster struck.. In a week 4 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, CB Tre’Davious White would suffer a torn Achilles, marking his 2nd season-ending injury in under 3 years. The Bills would go on to win the contest, but the worst was yet to come. The following week, LB Matt Milano would see the field for the final time in the 2023-24 season following a fractured leg, along with a knee injury. DT Daquon Jones, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle, would also be sidelined until his return in week 17. But the injuries didn’t stop there..

By the final game of the season, the Bills defense was without:

LB Matt Milano

LB Terrel Bernard

LB Baylon Spector

CB Christian Benford

CB Tre’Davious White

S Taylor Rapp

DT Jordan Phillips

All they had to do was beat the defending world champions.. No big deal, right?

Despite the injuries, McDermott’s defense allowed the 4th fewest points this season. On top of that, his 6-6 team came out of their week 13 bye with a, roughly, 14% chance to reach the postseason. The Bills came out of the regular season boasting an 11-6 record, and earned the 2 seed in the AFC.

As the story goes, Buffalo went on to lose to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to end what looked like a championship season. But blaming McDermott, who was unequivocally the best coach in the NFL for the past 7 weeks, is simply lazy. With the equivalent of a ball of yarn and 3 popsicle sticks, he put together a defense week after week that went out and won in the National Football League. He led a team that held the longest win streak of any team this season. So I ask you Bills Mafia, is this the guy you really want gone?..