Tom Brady didn’t mince words when he critiqued Sean McDermott’s late-game decision during the Buffalo Bills’ Week 14 clash against the Los Angeles Rams. With just over a minute left and trailing by nine, the Bills found themselves at the Rams’ one-yard line.
McDermott called for a Josh Allen quarterback sneak, which failed, forcing the Bills to burn a timeout. Brady, analyzing the game for Fox, was quick to express his disapproval, calling the decision a critical mistake.
“To me, take three shots throwing it, don’t use a timeout,” Brady said. “Then you can kick it deep, use your three timeouts, and still get the ball with good time… Try the long field goal. That changes the entire complexity of the last 1:02 of the game.” He didn’t hold back in his conclusion: “I did not like that one bit. That could’ve just cost them the game right there.”
Unfortunately for the Bills, Brady’s assessment was spot on. While Allen eventually scored on a subsequent rush, the Rams recovered the onside kick and sealed the game with a 44-42 victory. The loss was particularly bitter given the stakes and the questionable use of timeouts in such a critical moment.
McDermott defended his decision after the game, explaining, “When you’re in that situation, holding three timeouts felt like we were underneath, where we felt like we could get the ball back with a legit chance to win the game with no timeouts.” However, the Bills’ inability to capitalize on opportunities raised questions about their late-game management.
This wasn’t the only issue for McDermott’s squad. The defense, supposedly the cornerstone of his coaching expertise, had a disastrous outing. They gave up a season-worst 44 points, failed to sack Matthew Stafford, and allowed Rams receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua to rack up a combined 254 yards and two touchdowns. For a unit expected to set the tone, the lack of urgency was glaring.
“When you come out and you don’t win the line of scrimmage, that’s not a great way to start a game,” McDermott admitted post-game. “At the end of the day, we didn’t come out and win the line of scrimmage like we need to, to win the game.”
The Bills will now look to regroup as they prepare to face the Detroit Lions. For a team with playoff aspirations, tightening up both execution and decision-making is non-negotiable.
