Tag: Sean McDermott

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Rams in Week 14

3 keys to a Bills victory vs. the Rams in Week 14

The Buffalo Bills will play the Los Angeles Rams on the road at SoFi Stadium in Week 14.

The Bills (10-2) are looking to build on a seven-game win streak, while the Rams (6-6) have won five of their last seven after starting 1-4.

Buffalo opened as 4.5-point favorites on the road. The two teams haven’t met since the season opener in 2022 when the Bills beat the Super Bowl-defending Rams, 31-10.

Even though the Bills are favored, the Rams are one of the hotter teams in the NFL and are in a competitive race for the NFC West crown.

Buffalo  will need to execute their game plan to pick up their eleventh win of the year.

With that, here are three keys to a Bills win in Week 14:

Make them stop the run

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Last week, the Bills spammed the running game against the 49ers and it resulted in 220 rushing yards and 35 points on the board. It will be difficult to repeat that success again this week, but the Rams have shown they can be hurt on the ground.

Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley did whatever he pleased against them. He ran for 255 yards and two scores on 26 carries. And last week, the Saints’ Alvin Kamara put up 112 rushing yards on 23 carries.

The Bills are at their best when they are a threat both on the ground and through the air. With this game being played in a dome (SoFi Stadium), many will be looking for Josh Allen to put up numbers in the passing game after only 148 pass yards in last week’s snow game. But if the Bills are wise, they won’t abandon the run and they’ll make the Rams have to defend in the trenches on defense.

Contain Rams pass rush

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Despite the loss of Aaron Donald, the young defenders on the defensive line for the Rams have done a solid job in keeping their pass rush competitive. They have four d-linemen with at least 4.5 sacks: Jared Verse (4.5), Kobie Turner (5), Byron Young (6), Braden Fiske (6).

More specifically, Verse has shown improvement this year. According to Pro Football Focus, he is the 12th-most productive pass-rushing edge defender with a pass-rush grade of 82.4.

The Bills haven’t allowed a sack in either of their last two games against the Chiefs and 49ers. That was a big reason they were able to put up 30+ points against both Super Bowl representatives from last year. If the Bills offensive line continues its high level of play, Allen could be in for a big day.

Limit explosives from McVay’s offense

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It’s no secret that the Rams offense has the potential to go toe-to-toe with anyone on any given Sunday. Led by offensive-minded head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matt Stafford has a few premiere weapons to spread the ball around to.

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are one of the league’s best wide receiver duos, so the Bills’ secondary will have their hands full. The duo both found the field healthy together for the first time in Week 8 after missing much of the season.

Stafford has thrown for eight touchdowns on downfield passes (10+ yards) since Week 8, which is the third-most in the NFL in the span, and he has averaged 11.3 yards per attempt on those throws. The entire team has been lifted since Kupp and Nacua became healthy.

The running game was also effective for them last week as Kyren Williams ran for 104 yards and a touchdown on 6.9 yards per carry. The offense can beat you in many ways much like the Bills’ offense. It will be another test for Sean McDermott, Bobby Babich, and the Bills defense to limit their explosive plays and keep them in check.

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Bills at Rams: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 14

Bills at Rams: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 14

The Buffalo Bills will travel across the country to face the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 14.

For this cross-conference battle between Sean McDermott’s Bills (10-2) and Sean McVay’s Rams (6-6), it will be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference.

Here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Rams contest:

CB Taron Johnson vs. WR Cooper Kupp

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The battle in the slot will feature All-Pro caliber players who have been around the NFL for a while. Taron Johnson is in his eighth year and is coming off of his first-career All-Pro selection last year (second-team). Cooper Kupp is in his ninth year and has an All-Pro selection under his belt as well (first-team in 2021).

Kupp continues to see the majority of his snaps in the slot. According to Pro Football Focus, Kupp has seen 278 slot snaps and 151 wide snaps this year.

Johnson will have his hands full. Not only is Kupp still a reliable route runner and pass catcher, but he has the ultimate trust and chemistry with quarterback Matt Stafford. The two won a Super Bowl together in 2022 and connected for the go-ahead touchdown in that game. A few wins from either side of this matchup could make a big difference.

Bills offensive line vs. Rams defensive line

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Both the Bills offensive line and the Rams defensive line have had outstanding seasons to this point. Both have outperformed their expectations this year.

Heading into Week 14, both the Bills O-line and Rams D-line rank as the sixth-best unit on their respective side of the ball according to PFF.

Los Angeles has posted the league’s best quarterback pressure rate (39.8%) according to Next Gen Stats. Buffalo, on the other hand, has allowed the league’s fewest sacks this year (13), including zero over their last two games.

Something has to give. The battle in the trenches when the Bills have the ball will be one of the better matchups around the NFL and will play a big role in the outcome of the game.

RB James Cook vs. Rams front-seven

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If the Bills can get running back James Cook rolling on the ground like they did last week (107 yards on 7.6 yards per carry), then it will keep the Rams’ impressive pass rush honest. And, although the Rams can get after the quarterback, they have their holes in the run game.

They rank 21st in the NFL in defense rushing DVOA, while ranking 22nd in EPA/rush. On top of that, they allow the fifth-most yards after contact per rush (3.25), according to Next Gen Stats.

Buffalo and offensive coordinator Joe Brady have found a lot of success on the ground this year (4th in rush DVOA). If they can get going once again, it will be worrisome for Los Angeles.

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What Sean McDermott said about the Bills signing Micah Hyde

What Sean McDermott said about the Bills signing Micah Hyde

The Buffalo Bills have safety Micah Hyde back on board.

Ahead of facing the Los Angeles Rams (6-6) in Week 14, the 33-year-old signed on the dotted line in Buffalo this week. It was an expected move for a long time.

A fan favorite, Hyde’s happy to be back.

“This place is home and then walking back into this building, the excitement that I would have seeing people and also the excitement that they would have seeing me, it’s a match made in heaven, baby,” Hyde said.

Fans are equally excited… but after hearing what head coach Sean McDermott had to say, feelings will be tempered.

The coach explained that he thinks his defense is “in a good spot” in terms of the safety position. Hyde might not be doing much, at least not right away.

McDermott’s full thoughts on Hyde’s return can be found below:

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WATCH: Micah Hyde makes his return to Bills practice

WATCH: Micah Hyde makes his return to Bills practice

The Buffalo Bills brought back an old friend on Wednesday as they signed safety Micah Hyde to the practice squad.

Many Bills fans and media were thinking about a potential reunion in the back of their minds after general manager Brandon Beane alluded to keeping the door open way back in March. Now, it has finally happened, and the former team captain joins while the Bills are riding a seven-game win streak into Week 14.

Although head coach Sean McDermott has tempered expectations for the two-time All-Pro, the Bills are glad to have him back home for one final push.

Watch Hyde’s return to Bills practice on Thursday below:

One more time: Bills’ Sean McDermott, Josh Allen make snow angels on ESPN

One more time: Bills’ Sean McDermott, Josh Allen make snow angels on ESPN

The Buffalo Bills had more fun in the snow than the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium during their Week 13 matchup.

Sean McDermott and Josh Allen put that on full display after the final whistle.

The head coach and quarterback for the Bills ended up on camera during McDermott’s interview with ESPN, who were broadcasting the 35-10 win. During that, the Bills duo ended up doing a couple of snow angels on the field.

Before fully moving onto Buffalo’s upcoming Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, have one more look at that occasion from last week below:

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Joe Brady’s ability to adapt led to Bills offense onslaught in snow

Joe Brady’s ability to adapt led to Bills offense onslaught in snow

After the Buffalo Bills’ 35-10 beatdown of the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, the team is now 16-3 since Joe Brady was promoted to interim offensive coordinator after Week 10 last year.

Brady has changed the Bills’ offense to put his own flare on things. In return, the game has slowed down and simplified for Josh Allen.

No more sitting in shotgun for the majority of the game and spreading out five wide. No more relying on Allen to make things happen every other play.

Allen’s passing yards per game (224.3) is at its lowest since 2019. His rushing yards per game (27.8) is at its lowest since 2020. But most importantly, the team is off to its best start in decades at 10-2.

Brady’s approach has a direct impact on the 10-2 record. His playcalling style, although limiting to Allen’s statistics, has Allen with only five interceptions to this point. It’s on pace to be a career-low.

In return, the Bills are scoring points at the second-highest clip in the NFL (29.6 ppg). And, they are elite on offense all while keeping it simple.

Brady has made life the easiest for Allen that he’s seen thus far in his career. He’s spamming run plays until the defense stops it. He’s using motion pre-snap to uncover the defense. He’s using a sixth offensive linemen to make running easier. He’s going under center and using play action. Above all, he’s been willing to adjust and beat a team in a plethora of ways.

The Bills offense can shapeshift. And that’s exactly what they did in the Sunday night win.

According to the Buffalo Bills Notebook, the Bills were in shotgun for their first six plays in Week 13, and those plays resulted in just 12 yards. Brady decided to mix things up early. Over the Bills’ next 50 plays, Allen was under center for 38 of them.

On adjusting early, Brady said, “We knew it was going to be a weather condition game, but until you’re out there, every snow game is a little bit different.”

Until the Bills got out there in Week 13, they didn’t know just how bad the footing would be on the playing surface. After an early three-and-out, Bills players and personnel got on the same page and adjusted the game plan.

The shift in the offensive identity early on resulted in a season-high 220 rushing yards on their way to 35 points scored. James Cook averaged 7.6 yards per carry while Ray Davis averaged 5.7 per pop. The adjustment to playing under center was so effective that Allen and the starters were able to hit the bench early in the fourth.

That’s exactly what you want to see in an offense and a playcaller. First, the players’ talent and ability to be able to be used in different ways, and second, a coordinator’s trust and awareness to change things after just one failed drive.

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Baldy’s Breakdown: Bills stacking wins using NFL best turnover differential

Baldy’s Breakdown: Bills stacking wins using NFL best turnover differential

Sean McDermott’s Buffalo Bills have continuously beaten their opponents this year by winning the turnover battle, and Sunday night in Week 13 was no different.

The Bills (10-2) forced the San Francisco 49ers (5-7) to turn the ball over three times and had no turnovers of their own in the 35-10 victory.

The Bills lead the NFL in turnover differential at +17. They are second in the league for most takeaways (24) and second in the league with the fewest giveaways (7). They are also second in fumbles recovered (11).

Add all of these components together and you can get a good picture as to why the Bills are 10-2 on the year before even mentioning the team’s points scored and points allowed.

On Sunday, the Bills did what they have been doing all year: they forced their opponent to cough up the ball. Cornerback Christian Benford recovered a fumble forced by safety Taylor Rapp, Jalen Virgil recovered a fumble forced by Cole Bishop on special teams, and pass rusher Greg Rousseau recovered a Brock Purdy fumble.

“One reason the Bills have won seven in a row, and are running away with the AFC East again, is their ability to take the ball away,” said NFL Network and Fox Sports analyst Brian Baldinger in his post-game breakdown. “They are taking it away on average two times per game. You keep doing that, you keep winning.”

Their current turnover differential (+17) is much improved from the previous two years. In 2023, the Bills posted a +2 turnover differential, and in 2022 they broke even (0).

It’s not just the defense causing turnovers that is the reason for their leap over the past two years. A big reason for the improvement is the fact that the offense, and more specifically quarterback Josh Allen, is taking care of the ball.

Last year through 12 games, Allen already had 13 interceptions. This year, he has five.

The offense had zero turnovers in Week 13, and that now makes it six games out of twelve where the Bills have not given the ball away. Last year, the Bills only had three such games over the entire year.

McDermott expressed his pleasure with Allen and the offense taking care of the ball earlier this year, saying, “He’s done a tremendous, tremendous job… he really has, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the way we’ve protected the house on offense. His level of decision-making has increased this season and been very important to our team.”

Taking care of the ball always gives you a chance to win. Add on top of the league-leading turnover differential the fact that the Bills are second in the NFL in points per game, and you can see why they are one of the favorites to win the Lombardi Trophy.

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WATCH: Bills’ Sean McDermott locker room speech post-49ers win

WATCH: Bills’ Sean McDermott locker room speech post-49ers win

Bills coach Sean McDermott hit every nail on the head following his team’s win over the 49ers.

After a 35-10 final, McDermott went and shouted out the victory in the snow, the fifth-straight AFC East title, all the NFL records, and more.

What a great moment for McDermott and his players.

Check out McDermott’s post-game locker room breakdown in the clip below:

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Sean McDermott discusses celebrating in snow after Bills’ win vs. 49ers

Sean McDermott discusses celebrating in snow after Bills’ win vs. 49ers

In a 35-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers at home in Orchard Park, HC Sean McDermott’s record coming out of the bye week remained perfect and the Buffalo Bills looked the part of a playoff contender.

The team won its fifth straight AFC East crown as only the eighth team in NFL history to clinch a division title with five games still remaining in the regular season.

The club has scored 30 or more points in six straight games and won seven straight since total since early season back-to-back losses against Baltimore and Houston.

The Bills have punched their ticket to the postseason, and head coach Sean McDermott was feeling celebratory while being interviewed on the field after the victory by ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter.

When quarterback Josh Allen surprised him by trotting up and saying “coach of the year” into the microphone, McDermott replied, “I want to see an angel, a snow angel. C’mon. Let’s go.”

Allen happily obliged him, sharing a wholesome moment with his coach.

“He’s the one who got me to do it,” The QB said to the press postgame. “I was just trying to give him some flowers. He was live on TV and anytime coach asks you to do something you do it. I’m a good soldier. I’m not the biggest snow angel fan because you get cold down there. My toes are freezing right now. I’m just trying to get in the shower, but it was fun.”

McDermott made good on a halftime challenge made by backup tight end Zach Davidson.

“We were coming down the tunnel at halftime and Zach Davidson tapped me on the hip and said ‘Hey, if we win this game you got to do a snow angel.’ I said ‘Alright, you got it,'” The coach shared. “I guess I followed through on my promise.”

By clinching their division the Bills are now guaranteed a home game in the playoffs in Buffalo, though with McDermott and the team’s record coming off a bye week, another one might be in store, as could more home games in the postseason.

The players and coaching staff will next turn their focus to road matchups against the Rams and Lions, in pursuit of the No. 1 AFC playoff seed and first-round bye.

With the heartbreak, the Bills and their fans have experienced at home in the divisional round of the playoffs the last two seasons, McDermott knows all too well what a bye and a win to advance back to the AFC Championship would mean.

“I think this is this place that is starting to become a place around the NFL now that people come and they see this and they’re going, ‘I want to be a part of this.'”

Bills’ Josh Allen breaks down crazy touchdown with Amari Cooper

Bills’ Josh Allen breaks down crazy touchdown with Amari Cooper

The Buffalo Bills beat the San Francisco 49ers 35-10 on the nationally televised Sunday Night Football stage to improve to 10-2.

On a snowy night in Orchard Park, QB Josh Allen and the offense didn’t miss a beat, as he made good on making history in the game.

He even did something no quarterback in history has done before, scoring a receiving touchdown on a pass he originally threw.


Receiver Amari Cooper hauled in a one-handed catch while multiple Niners defenders wrapped around him when he pitched the ball back to Allen.

The QB put on his Superman cape and ran toward the left pylon before laying out to extend and get the ball in for the score as he flew through the air and landed sliding in the snow out of bounds.

“It’s got to be up there. I wish he got credited for something there, an assist or a passing touchdown,” Allen said of Cooper. “I just kind of chased the ball to be there and we made eye contact. … It was dope.”

Cooper noted he made the heads-up play instinctually in a think-fast moment. He saw Allen nearby and thought he wanted the ball.

“I was wondering what he was doing over there,” Cooper said. “I figured he was over there because he wanted the ball, so I gave it to him.”

It was a historical day for the Bills as they won their fifth straight AFC East crown becoming one of the only clubs ever to do so with five games remaining in the regular season.

Allen made more history as well passing Hall of Famer and Bills legend Jim Kelly’s franchise record of 244 total touchdowns with 247 of his own at only age 28.

He would finish 13 of 17 for 148 yards and two touchdowns passing to go with three rushes for 18 yards and a score, and zero catches for 7 yards with a TD.

He is organically making a strong case for MVP candidacy along the way, though his focus is on continuing to pursue and hopefully surpass Kansas City (11-1) for the AFC’s top seed come playoff time.

“It’s a good feeling. This one feels a little bit different this early in the season,” Allen said. “It’s going to be fun, I mean, to go out there and play free and play relaxed and play loose. I think that could be a dangerous team.”

He’ll have plenty of opportunities to do just that with road games against the Rams and Lions up next, followed by home games against the Patriots and Jets before a final road matchup with New England.

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