INDIANAPOLIS 鈥 More than a decade ago, when he was just earning his stripes and finding his way as an NFL defensive coordinator, Sean McDermott would arrive here for the scouting combine with the usual to-do list, leading with meeting the prospects and evaluating their on-field workouts.
But McDermott would also make it a point to reach out to other coordinators. Experienced coordinators. Successful coordinators. Respected coordinators. Sean was a sponge when he met with Mike Zimmer, Vic Fangio and Bob Sutton.
鈥淕uys who I thought were just good ball coaches,鈥 McDermott told me early Monday night at the Indiana Convention Center after completing his media obligations, highlighted by a 34-minute podium session. 鈥淕uys who, wherever they went as coordinators, had success. They weren鈥檛 always the No. 1 defense, but they always had respectable defenses.鈥
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Building a respectable defense has been a north star for McDermott during his Buffalo Bills tenure, with finishes of second, 16th, first, second and fourth in fewest points allowed from 2020-23. Stingy. Fundamentally sound. Opportunistic.
Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott saw his team's defense finish 11th in points allowed last year.
But then last year happened.
The Bills went 15-5 in the regular season and playoffs, and defensively, their record was built almost exclusively on takeaways (32, tied for third-most).
They were in the bottom half of the NFL in yards allowed per game (17th), yards allowed per play (21st), yards allowed per rushing attempt (19th), yards passing聽allowed per game (24th), first downs allowed per game (29th) and on third down (29th). The takeaways helped the Bills finish tied for 11th in fewest points allowed.
The important footnote: During games, as teams fell behind the Bills, they had no choice but to throw the football and gain empty-calorie yards, and the Bills鈥 defense had a philosophy of not allowing a big play.
But as the Bills鈥 contingent gathers here this week, their defense should be top-of-mind. Not running back James Cook鈥檚 public salary demands. Not extensions for linebacker Terrel Bernard or cornerback Christian Benford.
This defense needs help.
This defense needs blue-chip help.
This defense needs blue-chip immediate help.
The Bills need reinforcements to add some juice and sizzle to a defense that will face Baltimore (Lamar Jackson), Cincinnati (Joe Burrow), Kansas City (Patrick Mahomes), Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts) and Tampa Bay (Baker Mayfield) 鈥 all at home.
On offense, what do the Bills desperately need? Maybe a speed receiver to stretch the field, but every other position is in good shape. They have the reigning MVP in quarterback Josh Allen.
On defense, what do the Bills desperately need? Play-makers, particularly in the playoffs. The Bills have allowed 128 points in their last four postseason losses.
A wide-bodied defensive tackle to clog up the running game. A starting cornerback if veteran Rasul Douglas leaves in free agency. An edge rusher who can replace Von Miller if the Bills cut him to create salary cap space. And I would consider moving on from safety Taylor Rapp and creating a way to make a run at Miami鈥檚 Jevon Holland.
The Bills have one first- and two second-round picks, and I wouldn鈥檛 balk if general manager Brandon Beane went defense, defense and defense.
And McDermott鈥檚 focus should be on defense, defense and defense. I think that is one reason he hired experienced special teams coordinator Chris Tabor 鈥 he can let Tabor handle that group, which allows McDermott to support second-year defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 going to grow,鈥 McDermott said of Babich. 鈥淗ow much, it鈥檚 really up to him. ... I think he鈥檚 going to learn a lot from Year 1 and carry it into Year 2, and it鈥檚 only going to help him.鈥
I asked McDermott if, during his debriefing of the season, there was one statistical metric that made him say, 鈥淭his needs to be fixed.鈥 Being 29th on third down is unacceptable, for example.
鈥淪ometimes numbers can tell the real story, and sometimes numbers might not tell the whole story,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e were in the top five of taking the ball away, and you have to credit the defense for some of the points (the offense scored off those takeaways). The defense did some good things. Certainly, they worked and persevered through the injuries they incurred in the beginning and middle of the season. There are things we need to work on.鈥
The work started as soon as the Bills lost to Kansas City in the AFC championship game. Decisions 鈥 some easy, some difficult 鈥 will have to come soon. But even with Allen at quarterback and in his prime, it鈥檚 not a stretch to say the Bills will go only as far as their defense.
The mission: Help Allen get to the Super Bowl by helping the defense.
