Buffalo Plus Podcast: "Sean McDermott & Brian Daboll's DYNAMIC plus WHERE THE BILLS STAND AFTER LONDON"

Date: October 13, 2023
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the dynamic between Bills head coach Sean McDermott and former offensive coordinator (now Giants head coach) Brian Daboll, their differing philosophies, and the unique relationship both have with star quarterback Josh Allen. The team also breaks down the Bills' troubling loss to the Jaguars in London, growing injuries on the defense, where the Bills stand going forward, and public perceptions around Josh Allen–Stefon Diggs “drama.” Candid insight and behind-the-scenes observations bring fans closer to the locker room and the pulse of the team.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The McDermott–Daboll Dynamic: "Awkward Energy" and Different Philosophies

• Daboll's Return to Buffalo: The hosts open with how Sunday’s Bills-Giants matchup brings the Allen–Daboll connection and McDermott-Daboll dynamic back into focus.
  • “He’s a big part of the building block of what this team is...You can't downplay his importance.”—Dan, 01:27
• Downplaying the Relationship Publicly: Josh Allen and Sean McDermott have both tried to minimize the narrative, but it’s clear Allen credits much of his development to Daboll.
  • “It’s almost like, how much did you love your ex-girlfriend?...like, you're trying to be like, hey, moving forward. Like, we're great now.”—Dan, 01:53
• Contrast in Styles:
  • Daboll desired a “high-flying offense” powered by Allen’s playmaking, while McDermott’s vision is rooted in “a physical identity.”
  • “Brian Dable was the one that got away...there’s this awkward energy—just different philosophies.”—Jenna, 05:08
  • “Sean wanted to be a physical team, and Brian Dable's like, well, we don't have a physical roster, so let me do what I'm doing kinda thing.”—Dan, 10:09
• Ego, Credit, and Control: There were clear tensions about credit for the team’s success.
  • “Sean McDermott definitely got a little annoyed that he wasn’t getting as much credit for turning the Bills into a Super Bowl contending team...I think that was part of the power struggle.”—Dan, 06:55
  • The group disagrees if McDermott openly craved attention but agrees ego is “always a piece of it.”
  • “He does want to have control. And with control comes praise or blame.”—Dan, 10:09

The Giants’ Struggles Under Daboll

• “His team, the talent stinks. That is not a good football team...I don’t care how good of a coach you are.”—Mike, 04:06
• Daboll “knows Josh Allen so well" but “doesn’t have the bodies” to exploit it this time.
  • “I don’t think he has the capacity to do that.”—Dan, 06:55

Bills’ Identity Crisis: Offense, Play-calling & Regression in London

• Loss to Jaguars Highlighted Old Problems:
  • Hosts lamented the “lack of identity” that has plagued Buffalo since Daboll left.
  • During the hot streak (Vegas, Washington, Miami), the team embraced play action and under-center looks, but “abandoned it” for shotgun in London.
  • “The Bills ran 58 snaps offensively, 47 of them were out of the shotgun. That's 81%...Josh Allen is maybe right now statistically the best under-center thrower in the NFL, and he's the best passer in the league on play action.”—Dan, 16:39
• Ken Dorsey’s Decisions Under Fire:
  • “Why would you ever go back on what you thought? You were right the first time. This was concerning to me.”—Dan, 16:39.
• Overcoaching & Self-Sabotage:
  • “Sometimes I think teams outsmart themselves...the thing you did worked, so maybe you should do it again and make them stop it.”—Mike, 20:29

Defensive Woes: Injuries, Confidence, and the Elam Experiment

• Key Injuries:
  • Matt Milano, DaQuan Jones, and Tre’Davious White’s absences loom large.
  • “I still believe this defense...can still be a top 10 defense in the league...but again...it's crazy to say this, more concerned about the offense than I am, philosophy-wise, than I am the defense.”—Dan, 25:09
• Kair Elam's Struggles:
  • The first-round corner’s lack of fit and confidence is dissected.
    • “What is most concerning to me is...all of those things, he had this swagger about him...Now you see him...he looks like a deer in headlights...a guy that has his confidence rocked.”—Dan, 30:04
  • The coaching staff has “no confidence” in Elam. His press, man-to-man style just doesn’t mesh with the Bills’ heavy zone philosophy.
    • “Hand to hand stuff...and then he's obviously 10 yards off the receiver...he will get tortured by a quality NFL receiver.”—Mike, 34:02
    • “Kair can’t balance between those. It’s a total mess for what he’s supposed to do.”—Dan, 32:48
• Next Man Up: Dorian Williams “will get on the field”—he isn’t Milano, but he “can move and he can hit.”

The Josh Allen–Stefon Diggs Narrative: Media Misinformation

• Josh defended Diggs after a sideline outburst was overblown on national TV.
  • “Josh pretty much teed off on a question...He was mad at himself for running a route or running a release....That’s not a good story. That’s not a good narrative in the national media...Josh was like, it ticks me off the way that people, like, turn this stuff.”—Dan, 36:51
• Locker Room Camaraderie:
  • “We saw three chairs. And it was Josh Allen, Gabe Davis, and Stefan Diggs having a conversation. There was no...reactionary emotion. It seemed like the conversation that teammates should have after a loss...nothing further in terms of there being resentment or frustration.”—Jenna, 39:14
• Critique of National Media:
  • “I get it. Stephen A. Smith has a huge platform...but he is not there. He does not know these players like we do.”—Jenna, 44:41

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Allen–Daboll Relationship:
  • “It’s like father-son at some points...They say they still talk every other week. It’s, what’s up, Miss you, Bye. It’s a special relationship.”—Dan, 01:55
• On Coaching Credit Battles:
  • “Sean McDermott wasn’t getting it as much as he probably feels he should have.”—Dan, 06:55
  • “Pride and ego...they share the same wall.”—Jenna, 12:09
• On Giants' Challenges:
  • “That roster doesn’t scare anybody, certainly offensively. No matter what Daboll knows and can do, it’s hard to do with, yeah, your average quarterback and no weapons.”—Mike, 13:26
• On Play Calling and Play Action:
  • “If you threw the ball 16 times in a row and then ran play action, guess what? The linebackers would bite.”—Dan, 22:18
• On Kair Elam’s Fit:
  • “He just doesn’t seem—the talent and the system or the talent and the technique just aren’t lining up...He looks like a guy that has his confidence rocked.”—Dan, 30:04
  • “They don’t trust him. John Butler doesn’t trust him. They don’t trust him.”—Mike, 31:36
• On Diggs and Sideline Drama:
  • “It was not at all playing into that narrative...What we saw on Sunday was just another example of the Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs being teammates and nothing further...” —Jenna, 41:12

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:43 – Main topics overview and setup of Allen-Daboll relationship.
• 01:27 – Daboll’s influence on Allen, downplaying public dynamics.
• 05:08 – Daboll as “the one that got away”; philosophical differences with McDermott.
• 06:55 – Tension and ego around coaching credit/power.
• 10:09 – Emphasis on control, team-first vs. individual approach.
• 13:26 – Giants’ roster and odds; discussion of Tyrod Taylor’s potential start.
• 16:39 – Bills' offensive identity crisis; deviation from play action in London.
• 25:09 – Confidence in defense despite injuries; philosophy on adapting.
• 30:04 – Kair Elam’s struggle with fit and his shaken confidence.
• 36:51 – Josh Allen’s strong defense of Stefon Diggs; media narratives.
• 39:14 – Locker-room observations supporting team unity.
• 44:41 – Jenna’s commentary on the distinction between local and national media narratives.

Summary

This episode offered a nuanced analysis of the Bills' developmental arc under McDermott and Daboll, highlighting how ego and style differences shape a franchise. The team dissected the team's schematic regression in London, lingering offensive identity woes, and pressed the need for consistency, especially as key defensive injuries mount. Insight into locker room dynamics, especially regarding Allen and Diggs, cuts through misleading national narratives. Throughout, the show balances insider expertise with the fans’ emotional pulse, giving listeners a true “inside the building” perspective.