ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – There´s no nickname yet for Buffalo´s latest last-minute collapse. For a growing number of Bills fans, it´s one too many to occur under Sean McDermott.
Whether fair or not, frustration has set in among those who turned to social media, ready to turn the page on the seventh-year coach following a 37-34 overtime loss against the NFL-leading Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
It was an outing in which the Bills squandered a 10-point half-time lead, surrendered a tying 59-yard field goal with 20 seconds left, and then, after settling for a field goal in OT, were unable to prevent Jaylen Hurts from scampering into the end zone to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive.
The ending was far too predictable for a team whose losses have become easily identifiable.
There´s “13 Seconds,” reflecting the amount of time left in regulation for the Chiefs to set up a tying field goal in a 42-36 overtime win in a 2021 season playoff meeting.
There was the “Hail Murray,” named after Kyler Murray´s desperation touchdown heave to DeAndre Hopkins to seal Arizona´s 32-30 win in 2020.
And don´t forget this season´s “12 Men,” in which Denver´s Wil Lutz missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt before hitting his do-over from 36 yards as time expired after the Bills were flagged for too many men in the Broncos’ 24-22 win.
Each loss tarnishes what is McDermott´s otherwise strong resume that began with Buffalo ending a 17-year playoff drought during his first season in 2017. The Bills have qualified for the playoffs five of six times, and are three-time defending AFC East champs.
The only Bills coach to enjoy a better run was Hall of Famer Marv Levy, whose teams qualified for the playoffs eight times and lost four straight Super Bowl appearances during his tenure spanning 1986-97.
While some of the blame falls on McDermott, there remains plenty of good the coach has accomplished in keeping his team afloat – but barely – as Buffalo (6-6) enters a much-needed bye week.
In taking over the defensive play-calling duties, McDermott can be credited for keeping a patchwork unit competitive despite missing three key starters since Week 5.
It´s a unit that, before the loss to the Eagles, was allowing 19 points a game. And even against Philadelphia, the Bills gave up 303 yards offense through regulation and forced the Eagles to punt five times.
