Brian Daboll, who the Giants fired on Monday, was the Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2018-21 under Sean McDermott.
Thus, the reason McDermott was asked about a possible reunion with Daboll.
“I understand why you’re asking that. At this point, not any under consideration,” McDermott said, via Ajay Cybulski of trainwrecksprts.
The Bills rank second in total offense, including first in rushing, and sixth in scoring. Yet, some Bills fans are unhappy with offensive coordinator Joe Brady, especially after their team scored only 13 points in a loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.
McDermott answered “yes” when asked if he is committed to Brady for the rest of the season.
“Joe is a good coach. He really is. We’ve got a really good offensive staff,” McDermott said, via Alex Brasky of SIBills.com. “They’ve had really good games. You’re going to have some games you want back, some play calls you want back. Those happen. So, it’s how you respond to them. I’m fully confident in our offensive staff, and Joe is our leader. We’ll make the adjustments we need to make and move us forward.”
Bills head coach Sean McDermott lamented the team’s injury issues after Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins and he offered an update on a couple of additions to the list from that contest.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid left with a hamstring injury and McDermott said in his Monday media availability that Kincaid is considered week-to-week. That leaves him at risk to miss the Bills’ Week 11 game against the Buccaneers.
Defensive end Landon Jackson hurt his knee against Miami and McDermott said that he will miss at least the Bucs game before he’ll be able to return.
There was some more positive news as well. Defensive tackle T.J. Sanders will return to practice this week as he starts the process of coming off of injured reserve. He will have a three-week window to practice and can be activated at any point in that term.
Sunday’s most surprising result came in Miami when the Dolphins jumped out to a 16-0 halftime lead on the Bills and remained in control throughout a 30-13 win.
There were issues on both sides of the ball for Buffalo in the loss and it didn’t help that there were missing pieces all over the roster. Injuries left the defense without players like Ed Oliver, Michael Hoecht, A.J. Epenesa, Taron Johnson, and Christian Benford while tight end Dalton Kincaid and defensive end Landon Jackson were added to the list during the game.
After the loss, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said that “we’ll never use injuries as an excuse,” but acknowledged that they’ve had to go deep to find players at some spots and said the team needs to find out if there’s a way to improve the health situation now and in the future.
“We do need to look to continue turning over every stone to figure out why this is happening. I feel like it’s happened quite a bit year to year. This year is probably as much as I’ve been around,” McDermott said, via the team’s website. “I don’t know what it is. I really don’t. But we’ve got to figure that piece out pretty quickly here, and then year to year.”
There may be some long-term work to do on the injury front, but the short term has the team missing a number of talented players and there’s not much to do to augment the roster now that the trade deadline has passed. That will make figuring out how to maximize the players on hand an even bigger priority for McDermott and the coaching staff over the final eight weeks of the season.
Josh Allen? Nope. Patrick Mahomes? Nope. Lamar Jackson? Nope. Aaron Rodgers? Please.
Since 2018, one of those four quarterbacks has won the NFL MVP award. Currently, none is the favorite to win it in 2025.
Right now, at +275, it’s Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Hot on his heels is Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, at +300.
Both had impressive road wins in Week 10, with New England toppling the Bucs, 28-23, and the Rams evening the regular-season series with the 49ers, 42-26. And Stafford is the first player to have three straight games with four or more touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Mahomes lands next, at 5-1, followed by Colts running back Jonathan Taylor at 6-1, Allen at 7-1, and Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold at 10-1.
Jackson is currently 25-1. Rodgers has plummeted to 150-1.
There’s still plenty of football to be played. And it fluctuates every week. Still, the Patriots are 8-2. They face the Jets, Bengals, and Giants before their bye. They should be 11-2 at that point.
Then come games against the Bills and the resurgent Ravens, followed by the Jets and Dolphins to end the season.
The No. 1 seed is within reach for New England. Which puts the MVP award squarely within Maye’s grasp.
Of course, the Rams could also end up with the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Which could boost Stafford. Who has never won it, and who could benefit from the perception that it’s his last chance to do so — with Maye having many more opportunities.
It’s been a rough season for the Dolphins, but the club got a respite with a big win over a division rival on Sunday.
With some timely takeaways and solid offense, Miami defeated Buffalo 30-13 for the club’s third victory of the season.
The Dolphins went up 13-0 in the first quarter with consecutive touchdown drives, with Tua Tagovailoa connecting with Malik Washington for a 9-yard score and Jaylen Waddle for a 38-yard touchdown. While he missed an extra point wide right, Riley Patterson then put the Dolphins up 16-0 with a 46-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
The score stayed that way until the fourth quarter, when quarterback Josh Allen connected with receiver Keon Coleman for a 35-yard touchdown to cap an eight-play, 98-yard drive. The Bills had previously missed scoring chances with a pair of giveaways, as James Cook fumbled deep in Miami territory in the first half. Allen then tossed an interception in the end zone in the third quarter to keep Buffalo off the board.
Allen had his second giveaway later in the fourth quarter, when he converted third-and-1 with a sneak but kept moving down the field until the ball got punched out for a fumble. Miami recovered it, with De’Von Achane effectively putting the game away with a 59-yard score.
The Bills scored again with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Jackson Hawes. But after a failed onside kick, Achane again put the game on ice with a 35-yard touchdown run.
Achane finished the game with 174 yards on 22 carries with two touchdowns, plus six catches for 51 yards.
Tagovailoa was 15-of-21 for 173 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Waddle five receptions for 84 yards with a TD.
On the other side, Allen finished 28-of-40 for 306 yards with two touchdowns, an interception, and a lost fumble. With the game out of hand, Mitchell Trubisky took the last few offensive snaps in mop-up duty. Cook was held to 53 yards on 13 carries with a lost fumble. He also had five catches for 24 yards.
Now at 3-7 after defeating Buffalo for the first time since Sept. 2022, the Dolphins will be in Spain to face the Commanders next Sunday.
The 6-3 Bills will have another tough matchup coming, as they’ll play the Buccaneers at home in Week 11.
