What’s next?
Looking at the Bills through the spectrum of other organizations, what’s next for McDermott is usually what a precursor is for simply landing a first extension with a team: Winning.
The Bills were in such depths of being a bad franchise, just making the playoffs twice in two seasons was a marvelous accomplishment. Now it’s time to break through that level, one cornerback Josh Norman recently spoke of.
“When you look at the whole entire league… who has the biggest change of franchise? Buffalo got to be at the top, without a doubt. That’s one of the reasons why I made my decision to come over here. [The Bills] are right here on the threshold of breaking through onto that next level. That is literally why I’m here, I feel like that’s something I can help,” Norman said.
There you have it, really. That’s the goal.
And McDermott does have some fantastic timing, at least. He did reach the playoffs, yes, and that’s key. But he went 0-6 against the Tom Brady Patriots and that’s the team who really beat up the image of some of McDermott’s predecessors … badly.
Now there’s a window of opportunity. No Brady… no problem? Not a given, but McDermott needs to prove his extension worthwhile by, at minimum, winning a division title for the first time since 1995, and advancing in the playoffs. A postseason win is just as much of a goal now as the division is without Brady. In doing that, he’d be put in “Marv Levy” territory… but four straight Super Bowl may never be accomplished again… ever.