Bills Sean McDermott explains decision o
Bills coach Sean McDermott decided to hinge his team's chances of beating the Titans on "Monday Night Football" on a play that ultimately didn't work out for visiting Buffalo.That play came with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, when the Bills trailing 34-31 elected to go for it on fourth-and
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Jersey -inches from the Tenne see 3. Even if the Bills didn't get into the end zone, a conversion would have given them a fresh set of downs and two or three more attempts for a go-ahead score.MORE: So McDermott played for the win instead of the game-extending field goal. Unfortunately for the Bills, it appeared as if quarterback Josh Allen slipped on his attempt. He was also met by Titans lineman Jeffrey Simmons,
Johnathan Motley Jersey who perfectly shot the gap to stuff Allen.The Bills go for it on 4th down and the stop 'em! NFL (@NFL) One play later, a kneel-down by the Titans sealed their victory, which featured a "Monday Night Football"-record seven lead changes.McDermott, in explaining his decision after the game, said he thought his team could go for the win then and there:The Bills go for it on 4th down and the stop 'em! NFL (@NFL) "Most quarterback sneaks are, there's a feel or a read element involved," McDermott said. "And Josh is usually spot on with those. You've seen him have a lot of succe s in those situations."MORE: The play obviously didn't produce positive results for the Bills, but it made sense in the moment. As noted, Allen was 13 of 14 on conversion attempts of fourth-and-1 or shorter prior to the game-sealing play. That's more than any other player since 2018, ahead of second-place Lamar Jackson and Ezekiel Elliott, who have 10 each.To that end, McDermott said he would "take Josh Allen 10 times out of 10" and that he's "always going to believe in my players and coaches."Still
Rayjon Tucker Jersey , McDermott acknowledged he didn't want to put the game, potentially, in the hands of his defense. The Titans scored on six of their final eight drives following a Ryan Tannehill interception in the first half. Those two drives that didn't end in scores instead ended the half and the game.MORE: The reason Simmons
Los Angeles Clippers Jeresy was able to time the play and tackle Allen short: something that happened on a similar play earlier in the game, also near the goal line. On that play, Allen took the ball and, instead of following his center on the sneak, went left and took a big hit.Simmons confirmed after the game that the Titans knew Allen would attempt to sneak.Jeffery Simmons on Josh Allen's sneak: We knew that the play he was gonna run Buck Reising (@BuckReising) The Bills were put in thatsituation because of the previous play. Allen scrambled on third-and-6
Bob McAdoo Jersey for 5 yards, leaping for the line to gain. Officials appeared to rule the play a first down before reversing the call. Replay shows the reversal was correct:In , there was clear and obvious video evidence that BUF 17 was short of the line to gain. NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) That forced McDermott into the decision that ultimately backfired for his team."Again, give them the credit." McDermott said. "They made the play when they had to make one."