Sean McDermott Fired Bills Offensive Coordinator To Improve 'Confidence' And 'Energy' And Get Josh Allen's Mental State Right
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was not about to give the gory details why the team's offense is broken to the point he fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Tuesday. But in explaining the move McDermott painted an ugly picture of an offense that has previously been among the best in the NFL.
McDermott put broad brush strokes in illustrating an offense that lacks confidence. Lacks energy.
And, worse of all, has failed to a degree that quarterback Josh Allen is not in the right mental state now.
Like, yikes!
FOXBORO, MA - OCTOBER 22: Sean McDermott, head coach of the Buffalo Bills stands on the sidelines prior to the start of the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Sean McDermott Address Confidence And Energy
"We need to be a confident offensive football team and find consistent production and that's really what it came down to," McDermott said on a Zoom call attended by OutKick.
"We need to come out with some energy about our offense, and what we're doing, and move the football, and score points and that's really the offense's job at the end of the day."
McDermott went on to mention the need for renewed confidence and high energy level multiple times during his 25-minute talk with reporters.
"Listen, when you're not producing over the course of time, where does the confidence level stand and I think that's really the goal here -- to find that confidence again -- before or after you get some consistent production," he said.
"We've got to find that confidence, we've got to find that energy, we've got to find that consistent level of production."
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 13: Head coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Bills Offense Leads NFL In Turnovers
Let's get this clear: If McDermott believes the move to fire Dorsey and promote quarterback coach Joe Brady with seven games to play might help find confidence and add energy, it's for one reason.
He obviously believes those things have been lacking.
The Bills indeed have been inconsistent and, given their talent level with Allen, receiver Stefon Diggs and others, it has been under-performing.
Buffalo's offense, averaging 26.2 points per game, is eighth in the NFL in the league's most important statistical category -- scoring.
And while eighth sounds pretty good for 24 other teams, it's not good enough in Buffalo considering the club leads the NFL in turnovers.
What is perhaps most troubling is that the offensive inconsistency combined with high expectations has obviously worn on some players. And McDermott made it clear it has affected Allen's mental state.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 05: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills walks off the field after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 24-18 at Paycor Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
McDermott Wants To Get Josh Allen's Head Right
If you doubt that, just ask him where the quarterback's mental state is now.
"Probably not where we'd like him to be," McDermott admitted. "And that's natural based on some of the results we've gotten this year, some of the results he's gotten. Some of the turnovers in particular.
"But I'm confident he'll find it and I think, again, some of the new energy around our offense, my hope is and my aim is it'll create some new confidence and clarity and ability to anticipate as opposed to, in some cases, react.
"That's what part of playing the quarterback position is all about."
Allen, you should know, leads the NFL with 11 interceptions.
So to recap: We don't know exactly why Dorsey is gone and Brady is the new coordinator. Some people theorized it was because the offense was predictable.
But we do know a significant assignment for the new coordinator is to fix Allen's state of mind and get some life back in the offense.
"Overall, the best thing to do right now is not to get into what the reasons where that led to this change, but just overall what we can do about it going forward," McDermott said. "And that's what I'm focused on right now.
"I just felt this was the right time. Certainly an unfortunate situation but overall trying to instill a new energy in our offense, a new confidence, a new consistency in terms of the production.
"Whether it was predictable, not predictable, I certainly have my opinions overall. I'll keep those in house if you don't mind."