Sean McDermott: “Teach By Example” | Buffalo Bills

Sean McDermott: “Teach By Example” | Buffalo Bills

Okay. All right. Good morning. Uh here’s your injury update for you as we head into practice. So, uh Jordan Phillips, Matt Prader, neither of those two will practice. The rest of the group will practice. We’ll open up Micole Hardman’s uh uh window and he will practice today. Um so, time’s yours. >> How do you feel Christian’s coming along, Coach Ben? >> Yeah, we’ll see today. um moving in a good direction. I’ll know a little bit more today and then certainly tomorrow. >> Hey Sean, you’ve got this year your defense so many of these guys that have just aged veterans that have really stepped in for you and played well. Guys have come back to the team. Can you maybe quantify how important that’s been? I didn’t know you got to be young guys, but these veteran guys have really kind of stepped up for you. >> Yeah, they have. Um, you know, you’ve got a group over here, as I mentioned, I think it was on Monday in the press conference of U big time, you know, experienced veterans, and you got a group of a quotion of young guys who are um just learning what the NFL is about, right? First first year players in particular. So, it’s good to have some of these guys who can teach by example, number one, and then also get shoulder-to-shoulder with some of these young players to impart some of the wisdom that they’ve learned over the years just around the NFL, in our system, what have you. and and some of those guys in this part of the equation are also, you know, real tone setters for us. And from a toughness standpoint as well, >> I don’t I don’t know what else you can say about Josh Allen, but um he seems to have worked himself back in the MVP conversation. Just reflect back to what you saw from him in 2018 and to be at 299 combined touchdowns and now an expected father and throwing up on the sideline and what what have you. I mean, what do you make of this? >> This is awesome, John. This is this is awesome. And pull want to pull up the family scrapbook and we can just sit down and >> kind of kumbaya and just page through every one of Josh’s um days and and the journey here. It’s Yeah. I mean, you you described it. Um a he’s a he’s a real human, right? And and I say that because of some of the things he does, number one, that are up here. And then just overall the human side to Josh Allen is I also believe what enders him um in in addition to his play to this community and to people you know around the world right because he’s real and I and I think that’s refreshing in the day and age of um you know role models in the sports in the sports industry. So, um, and you know, some of the things he’s done are, uh, unprecedented in terms of what a quarterback, uh, has been able to accomplish over the years and the ways he’s done it and the way he and most importantly right now is leading our football team. So, um, as I’ve said before, if you’re a young, um, young kid watching Josh Allen, I mean, you see the jerseys around everywhere you go. And, um, it’s it’s, uh, it’s pretty cool to watch if you’re if you’re a young kid growing up watching him play and how he’s handled himself also off the field. >> Handling himself off on and off the field. He seems to accept have accepted each challenge where whether it’s marriage or or what have you. And now fatherhood. Have you seen him being be being or expected fatherhood? How have you seen him um not get distracted by all these human things? >> I mean, he’s done a phenomenal job. Uh he he does a great job of being able to compartmentalize things and that’s what you have to do. there’s so much thrown at you and particular a player like him that is as popular as he is that you have to be able to just kind of put things into a silo and um he does a great job with that and and it’s not easy I’m sure um but he’s he’s done a a fabulous job of doing that and that’s that’s part of what comes with the territory too of of the the level that he’s at. So, it’s um it is again refreshing to see just a real authentic person that also is the face of the franchise. >> You and your staff have had a lot of success in adjusting the second half, especially on defense. What’s that like for the players? And what have you learned about your team in having to do that multiple times? I know you do it every game, but substantially multiple games during this year. >> Yeah, you know, it’s, you know, as I’ve said before, a person that was in the league when I was younger said to to me and to our staff years ago, hey, it’s one thing to have a game plan, but it’s another thing to have a staff that is able to adjust in the midst of a game, whether it is at halftime or, you know, second quarter, what have you. That’s critical. And and again, but it takes two, right? It takes the staff to be able to to know how to do that, but also then the players have to execute that because you can have adjustments, but the players aren’t in a spot or space where they’re able to adjust and execute those adjustments. And so that combination of of buyin from the players is is huge for us. >> Rules changing the way they did. There was a lot of speculation that running backs might actually be good at that because it’s kind of a running play once you get going with Ray Davis. Do you think that’s part of why he’s had some of the success he’s had is he’s a running back who knows how to run that play. >> For sure. I think that’s where you start s I would say. Uh but then there’s other pieces to that that come into play. You know, you see running backs being tried around the league. I would say you see wide receivers being tried and it’s there are certain things that come with that particular play because it is unique that you have to possess. So the the vision, play strength, some of those areas are just as important as just playing the running back position. >> On that same note, coach, I mean you guys did a really good job in the special teams game overall. You admitted Jones five yards, three punts inside the 20 making your kicks. When you I know you already preach it. when that happens, how important is it and what can it do for you to reiterate that in those meetings and in those rooms with those guys? How important that was? >> No, it’s huge. I mean, you try and make sure there’s three phases to every game and you try and make sure you know, you give yourself the best chance to win winning all three phases or for sure two out of the three phases. And so that special teams component is is big for us and we’ll continue to grow as we as we move forward in the season here. So, I thought they really played well to your point. um limiting Jones, which it’s never about one person, you know, the but the unit overall limiting Jones, the returns that we’ve already talked about on kickoff return and then playing penalty-free, which was which was important for us as well. So field position is impacted um on special teams directly. So it’s it’s an important part for us. coach the last month, maybe two months, is there anything that you saw leading you to believe that Matt Milano still had that type of game in him? Is there was there progressions that you kind of saw day in and day out? >> Yeah, right here. Right there. That says everything. He’s he has an elite mindset. And I know he doesn’t say a lot. I know that’s kind of been talked about, but he knows who he is and he has a goal and a vision for himself and nothing’s going to get in the way of that of that goal and vision that he has for himself. And I have a ton of respect for him and how he goes about his business day in and day out. Like I said, I know you guys may not get a lot out of him, and I think he’s okay with again knowing who he is and how he carries himself. So, I respect that. Sean, on Monday, Bobby was asked about this stat, the defense uh allowing 31 or more in a game. You guys are actually 4-0 in those games, and his response was pretty blunt. He said, “It’s disgusting with us, to be honest with you.” How do you view holistically where the defense is in terms of, you know, you made key takeaways against Cincinnati that helped in the win? you’ve made these adjustments in games that we’ve talked about um including last week, but you know that number of points is it’s tough it’s tough living to continue to give up that many and still win. So, how do you view you know holistically where the defense is? >> Yeah, we’re working to find the right combination of of guys out there. Um as you know, we’ve hit some bumps in the road with just some of the guys being in and out of the lineup through the course of the season. I think the coaching staff has done a phenomenal job of of managing that. Um and then players have stepped up um to the challenge and and overall when you look at the game last week is what do you do when the moments are the brightest when they need to stop? Five series in the second half, four stops. One was a explosive play which can’t happen, right? Um backto back stops consecutively to win the game. you know, stop him on defense, go on offense, have to punt the ball back with giving them a chance to win the game, stop them again on four downs. I think that really speaks to the mental toughness of our of our defense. That said, to your point, yeah, we we it’s hard to win when you’re giving up explosive chunks and and they’re scoring like they are. Um, so we continue to try and spin the dial to figure out what’s the best combination of players, of scheme, um, so on and so forth. So, um, that’s been the case pretty much most of the year. To your point, the takeaways in the second half, fourth quarter in particular, the Bengals game. I’m not sure we win that game without those two takeaways. So, a lot of it’s good, Jay. I know you want to focus on the negative over here. I’m going to stay focused on both ends of the spectrum because that’s the perspective I have to have and how you get things corrected and we play our best ball. That’s the goal moving forward. >> With your defensive background, how much do you appreciate what Miles Gard has done so far? >> Yeah, special player. I mean, he’s Hall of Famer. Um, he’s on the verge of what’s he needs or whatever to to break the record. It’s that’s a that’s a Hallmark type of season, right? So, you turn the tape on, you’re watching crossover games and Cleveland shows up their defense and overall they play hard. They’re talented. Um, they’re talented up front, they’re talented on the back end in particular with the corner position and um it’s a good combination. And then you you look you watch him and you’re going that’s special, you know. So there’s only a few people if that that have ever done that in the league. >> How do you prepare for special at that level? >> It’s tough. I mean, there’s only so many things you can do, right? You watch people who try and chip Miles and you’re going and I’m watching the same, you know, tapes that I mentioned earlier here to John and you’re saying you can chip them. You can almost put sometimes three people I see on him and he just runs through it all. You know, he’s just powerful, big, explosive, fast, has a feel for the game. So, um, yeah, >> Josh needed to take a few more downfield shots last game. I know every game’s different just based off the opponent, but what can work for this offense when you get the downfield passing game going? >> Well, it’s a combination of uh effect, you know, efficiency and explosiveness together. That’s when any offense is at their best. Can you be efficient and yet explosive at the same time? That’s the that’s the combination that you want. So, horizontally is important, but also vertically as well. So, it’s you want to be able to have both both ends of that. >> When Trey um signed, and you do this a lot for your players, like make sure to set expectations of where they should be. And I remember you saying like there haven’t been a lot of guys that have come back off two injuries like this. And you know, setting that going into the season, has he even exceeded your greatest expectations for what this could look like? >> Oh man, he is um he’s this past week in particular, he really did a a great job of of playing at a high level. Um as I’ve said before, very few if any players have been more dedicated, uh more determined. I mean, let’s just zoom out and go. Here’s a young man that um tears his knee up, comes back off of that the next season, I don’t know, midway through roughly, give or take, uh ruptures his Achilles. I mean, some people don’t come back from one of those, let alone two of those. And and he continues to work. So, it’s a great example to me for other players out there who may be going through something similar or young people who go, “All right, the deck is stacked against me. What am I going to do?” You know, and he has continued to work and push and push and push. And you’re seeing you’re seeing that right in full color um in particular this past weekend. So, um we’re all super proud of him and just, you know, proud to just watch it unfold. that type of work ethic, that type of resiliency. >> Joe on Monday said that he wants to start the push for Reggie Gilliam to be a Pro Bowler or an all allp pro. What is it about him that’s made him kind of an unsung hero for you guys? >> Yeah, you hit it, Jay. It’s unsung hero. Um he also plays for us on special teams as you’re aware of and um you know point of attack he’s he’s physical at the point of attack. More and more I think some more and more there’s an increased level of maybe fullbacks around the NFL. Like I’ve said things things evolve and um kind of going um circular fashion here. What goes around comes around. So they went went out of style for a while. Now I think they’re coming back. Reggie has done a really good job for us and he’s a he’s a true team player. >> What was the thinking behind Michael Badger as the kicker you bring in? >> Thinking behind it? >> Yeah. >> Well, we didn’t have a we don’t have a kicker. >> Why him and not someone else? I guess >> well we like anything we do a try out, right? And we just do a workout and we see how it looks and um you know he he he comes with some experience and he handled he handled the workout well. So, uh, it was a good workout overall with the two kickers we brought in. Tough decision, but u, we went in this direction. >> What have you made of what you’ve seen of Shur Sanders so far? >> Good player, good young player, off to a great start. Um, you know, dangerous with the tool set that he brings to the table. Um, you know, and and uh, he’s done a great job. I think their offense has actually ratcheted up since since he’s been under center. So, uh, that’ll be a big challenge for us. In your opinion, what makes James Cook’s vision elite? Not just to find the right hole initially, but to find cut back lanes to extend the run. >> Yeah, I mean, it’s similar to the question about Ray and what makes Ray good in the kickoff play. You have to have vision. Either you’re a burner and you don’t need vision. You can just a scene like this wide opens up and you go and you’re through it. Or there’s a combination of, hey, I got speed, but I also have an ability to see something before it actually happens or to have wider vision. The landmark may be here, but you can feel and sense out of peripheral out of your peripheral vision where the thing’s actually going to be in a split second later and then you go there. So that vision is huge. James James has it as well and and I would say Tai does also. So our three backs do a really good job with that.

Head Coach Sean McDermott addressed the media prior to practice on Wednesday December 17th. Topics include: veteran players stepping up and helping younger players, QB Josh Allen’s accent since drafting him in 2018, the success making second half adjustments, the change in kickoff rules, LB Matt Milano’s recent play, playing against DE Myles Garrett, preparing for Cleveland’s defense, taking down field shots on offense, and an injury update.

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