Getty Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott looks on during a game against the New York Giants.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott is taking some heat for his defensive call on the game-winning touchdown scored by the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s 37-34 Week 12 overtime victory.
After the Bills scored a field goal on their first possession in overtime, the Eagles marched down the field and scored a touchdown on a Jalen Hurts quarterback draw from the 12-yard line. Hurts went nearly untouched on the play, which came as the Bills were running an aggressive Cover 0.
After the game, Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata said he “couldn’t believe” the Bills were caught in a defense that led to a walk-in touchdown for Hurts.
RG3 Accuses Sean McDermott of ‘Coaching Malpractice’
Speaking to reporters after the game, the veteran tackle said the Eagles offense knew immediately that they would score the game-clinching touchdown when they saw the Bills line up on defense.
“Jordan Mailata said on the game winning touchdown that he couldn’t believe the Bills gave them that look,” the NFL Network’s James Palmer shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. “That play is a staple within their offense and when they saw the safety move they all knew Jalen would score.”
McDermott, who took over as the team’s defensive coordinator after Leslie Frazier’s departure last offseason, came under fire for the play call. Former NFL quarterback turned analyst Robert Griffin III called it “coaching malpractice” to run a play call that left the Bills susceptible to the most effective play the Eagles run on offense.
Sean McDermott was asked how can this team respond after taking another ‘gut punch’ of a loss.
“Stand up.”
“The Bills got burned running Cover 0 against an Eagles Team that specializes in QB draw in crucial situations in the redzone. That’s coaching malpractice,” Griffin wrote on X.
Bills Wasted Superb Effort From Josh Allen
The Bills had held a 10-point lead on the Eagles in the fourth quarter before watching them storm back into the lead. The Bills regained the lead on a Josh Allen touchdown pass to Gabe Davis, but the Eagles tied the score on a 59-yard field goal and McDermott elected to take a knee with 20 seconds remaining rather than trying to push into field-goal range.
McDermott took more criticism for his decision to run out the clock before overtime, with many noting that the Bills won in a similar situation last season when the Detroit Lions kicked a late field goal but Allen connected with receiver Stefon Diggs on a deep pass to move into range for the game-winning field goal.
The loss wasted one of the best games this season from Allen, who threw for 339 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 81 yards and another two scores.
After the game, Allen shared some praise for the defending NFC champions, who moved to a league-best 10-1 with the win.
“They’re defending NFC champs for a reason,” Allen said, via The Associated Press. “They made plays tonight and they made enough to win the game.”
The loss dropped the Bills to 6-6 and in serious danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since Allen’s rookie season in 2018. They go into the bye week needing some help from the teams above them and awaiting a difficult stretch that will see them going on the road to take on the Kansas City Chiefs before returning home to face the Dallas Cowboys.