The 2020 season for the Buffalo Bills has truly been a memorable one. Not just with the circumstance given the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the type of season the team has produced with an 11-3 record through 14 games and its first AFC East division title in 25 years.
Buffalo was able to wrap up the division on Saturday afternoon with a blowout, 48-19 win over the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. In that game, quarterback Josh Allen was able to complete 70% of his passes for 359 yards, while also accounting for four total touchdowns in the victory.
With his Week 15 performance in Denver, Allen was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a franchise-record fourth time in 2020.
Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs continued to add to his career-high totals in Denver with 147 yards receiving on 11 receptions. Cole Beasley also added to his career-best marks on Saturday, bringing in eight receptions for 112 yards.
The defense was even able to chip in for six points of their own with another defensive touchdown in consecutive weeks. This time, it was defensive end Jerry Hughes who scooped up a Tre'Davious White forced fumble and take it back 21 yards for the score.
With two games remaining in the 2020 regular season, the Bills have a chance to capture the No. 2 seed in the AFC, which will guarantee the team a home playoff game for, at least, the Wild Card and Divisional Round.
To get there, the Bills will need another prime-time win on Monday night over the New England Patriots in Foxboro, as well as Week 16 losses by the Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Indianapolis Colts) and the Tennessee Titans (at Green Bay Packers).
Bills head coach Sean McDermott took some time on Wednesday to join the Howard and Jeremy Show for his weekly appearance on WGR. He talked about the team's approach to the final two games of the 2020 season, as well as the talk of potentially losing offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to head coaching jobs in 2021.
Here is some of what he had to say:
McDermott on moving forward after the team's first AFC East title in 25 years:
"We wanted to celebrate a great accomplishment, but then you've got to move on and you've got to get back to work. That's what our players [and coaches] have done. They're back here again today ready to practice and have a good productive day for us."
McDermott on re-focusing on the task at hand for the rest of the season:
"Especially over the last three weeks, where we've had three games over the last 12-13 days, I thought [the team has] showed a tremendous amount of maturity and professionalism in that stretch. That's what we're going to have to count on moving forward, as well as the discipline it takes to block out the noise, especially the noise that's outside our building, and move forward and continue to grow and get better."
McDermott on the potential of losing Daboll and/or Frazier to head coaching jobs in 2021:
"I think they've both done a phenomenal job. I'd hate to lose either of them, but I would highly recommend both of them that they're ready to take the next step. I think they've show that they can lead and do the coordinator job at a high level, both of them. You'd hate to lose both of those guys, but when you win and you have sustained success like we've been able to have the last two seasons, that's what happens."
McDermott on the importance of the relationships between players the coordinators:
"Whether it's the offensive side of the ball or defensive side of the ball, those relationships are key and highly important. Also, the collaboration, not just between coaches but the collaborations between our players and coaches, and the feedback we get during the games on the sidelines is critical. When you can have those relationships where players feel open to come to the coach or go to the coach and say, 'Hey, what about this? Or this is what we're seeing out there. What about that?' At the end of the day, you have to try and see the game through the eyes of the helmet, and the players are the only ones out there with the helmets on."
McDermott on the work done by Frazier with the defense:
"It's Leslie's defense. I'm the head coach, Leslie runs the defense. The thing about Leslie that people don't realize is that [it's his defense]. That happened to me in Carolina for a number of years where it was labeled 'Ron Rivera's defense,' and that's natural that that's going to happen. That's what Leslie experiences here. 'It's Sean McDermott's defense.' That's wrong. It's Leslie Frazier's defense.
"What Leslie's done that very other people have done is that he's done it for a number of years, and been in the top-10 on defense for a number of years since we've been here. What he's done this year with taking a defense that got off to a slow start and he's developed the defense. So I couldn't recommend anyone higher than Leslie for another step here. He doesn't get the credit he deserves."
You can listen to the entire interview below: