Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said he expects to be replaying the final 13 seconds of the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in his mind for years to come.
“I’ve watched it over and over in my head a million times,” McDermott said Tuesday. “I’ll continue to watch it in my mind and in my gut for years.”
Buffalo’s 42-36 overtime loss came after the Bills went ahead 36-33, and McDermott has been chastised for the decision not to use a grounded kickoff to start the clock late in the fourth quarter Sunday night. A touchback left the Chiefs with 13 seconds and all three timeouts, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes drove the team for a game-tying field goal to force overtime.
McDermott multiple times refused to throw any individual coach, player or unit under the bus for the kickoff or defensive errors that allowed Mahomes to move the ball 44 yards on two completions — enough for a successful field goal attempt that got the game to OT.
“It comes down to execution. We didn’t execute,” McDermott said.
He said the disappointment will be there for the team to learn from, but the biggest bother to him two days later was not living up to the team’s goal of being detailed in everything.
Changes are ahead and possibly soon for the Bills, with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll coveted as a prospective head coach and set for at least two second interviews — with the New York Giants and Chicago Bears.
Already, the Bills lost assistant general manager Joe Schoen to the Giants.
McDermott said quarterback Josh Allen would be consulted every step of the way if the Bills need to find a replacement for Daboll, adding “no decision will be made without Josh.”
Allen endorsed quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey on Monday.
–Field Level Media
