Orchard Park, N.Y. (WBEN) - Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott came under a lot of scrutiny late last week after an article published Thursday revealed some comments he made during a 2019 team meeting, crediting the hijackers for their coordination during the Sept. 11 attacks.
After acknowledging the comments and apologizing for what had transpired four years ago, it was time for McDermott and the Bills to respond on the field, while also keeping their playoff hopes alive in the AFC against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite the offense cooling a bit from a decent start to the game, the defense was able to do enough to contain Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, allowing for Buffalo to escape Kansas City with a 20-17 win to improve to 7-6 in the standings.
The win didn't move the Bills much in the standings, currently sitting in 11th place, but it allowed Buffalo to remain in a six-way tie with other teams they're contending with in the conference. According to the New York Times Playoff Machine, the Bills' chances at making the postseason are at 42%, which is quite the upgrade from a week prior at just 15%.
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Following Sunday's win, McDermott was awarded the game ball from general manager Brandon Beane, while owner Terry Pegula was seen in the locker room with the rest of the team, as many of them exclaimed, "We've got your back, coach!"
"It meant a lot to me. It really did," said McDermott on Monday during his Zoom call with the media. "First-and-foremost, it meant a lot the way that the players and staff came together and played and coached, and just kept it about the game. I think that in the midst of everything that was going on last week for us, as a team, was impressive to watch and to see. And the support that I've gotten, like I've said, from in-house, from outside across the NFL community has been just super gratifying, and much appreciated on our part."
And it wasn't just the organization and those McDermott works with that gave him support following the events of Thursday and the days that followed. He said he felt the community's backing, as well, in the days leading up to Sunday's win in Kansas City.
"The 'City of Good Neighbors', right? I mean, it's incredible when a town or a city embraces you and your family," McDermott said. "Listen, I know we've had ups-and-downs on the football field this year at times, and we do every year, but the unyielding support and love this community has shown me and my family over the years, No. 1, plus, in particular, over the last couple of days was just incredible and a true blessing that we are very grateful for.
"Obviously I'm biased now, but I don't think people give Buffalo enough credit for what type of place this is, and the types of people that live here. And not just Buffalo, but all Western New York and, really, fans of the Bills, to be honest with you, fans of the [Buffalo] Sabres. It's a unique, tight-knit group, and what we saw as a family over the last couple of days speaks for itself."
When it comes to the way his team has responded to the adversity faced this week, McDermott felt it was the exactly what the Bills needed heading into the final four games of the season.
"Our guys have been working really hard, and I know we haven't gotten all the results that we've wanted to this point, but there's been lessons in every one of those games. Now we're getting into the part of the season where we use those lessons - not that we weren't trying to before - we're using those and the resiliency that that's built in our football team to move us forward," McDermott said. "Again, when you can go into a place like Arrowhead with that type of crowd and that type of environment and come out with a win, that's a big challenge and our guys did that. I'm so proud of them for it."
Up next for the Bills will be quite a tough challenge back in Orchard Park, as they will welcome the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys, who have won five-straight games and enter the game as the highest-scoring offense in the NFL, averaging 32.4 points per-game.
Not only does McDermott know his team will have to put the time into this week's matchup, he's also excited to get back to playing in front of the home crowd at Highmark Stadium.
"It's one game. We have to focus on the next game, which is the Cowboys this week. But super proud of the guys and the way that they played, the effort they gave, the way they stuck together," McDermott said. "When you're playing in games like that against good football teams, well-coached teams, you know it's going to be, at least, a 60-minute game. It's good to come out of there with a win. I think it says a lot about their focus, their mentality right now, and where we can go as a football team."
When it comes to the offense, the unit has been given a breath of fresh air under the tutelage of interim offensive coordinator Joe Brady. In his three games coached, Brady has helped Buffalo average 408.3 yards per-game and 28.7 points per-game, compared the 370.1 yards per-game and 26.2 points per-game in 10 games under former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey.
While McDermott has noticed a difference on the field with his offense, he says the differences have been notable off the field as well.
"The way he's collaborated with the staff, the way he's led both the players and the staff. Certain plays last night - every game, quite honestly - you're going to want back, but I walked into the meeting this morning and Joe's in there, and he's teaching, he's coaching, and they're communicating as a staff. I think that's part of leadership, and it was good to see and hear," McDermott said.
Meanwhile, plenty of attention continues to be directed towards the situation revolving around veteran pass rusher Von Miller, who played on Sunday after being arrested in the Dallas, Texas area about a week-and-a-half ago after allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend.
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Just before the team returned to practice last Wednesday, Beane said Miller would be available to play for the Bills as his situation plays out off the field. McDermott said Monday there has been no new information on his off-field criminal case to make a decision on Miller's playing status, at this point.
In his first game played since his arrest, Miller was able to register two quarterback hits in, arguably, his best game since returning from a knee injury earlier this season. McDermott also noticed a different Miller on the field in Sunday's win.
"From a football standpoint, I thought he did some things this week that were a little bit different than he had showed in the past, in terms of putting a little bit more pressure on the quarterback, I think he hit the quarterback another time in there. I thought we started to see an uptick in some of the production there," McDermott said.
The Bills and Cowboys will kick things off at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.