McDermott: “We Had Opportunities”

Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott

Q: What’s the update on Josh [Allen]?

A: Yeah. From what I know so far he’s in the protocol at this point.

Q: What was your impression of that play and the fact that Jonathan Jones was not ejected?

A: There’s no room in football for that. It’s a shame to see a player like Josh or any player for that matter, go down with a hit like that.

Q: Overall, we have to talk about both quarterbacks, but we’ll start with Josh. Lots of struggles, the turnovers, things that you knew you had to avoid. What is your assessment of why it kind of went that way, where he was off target and had those interceptions?

A: Yeah, we didn’t, he didn’t take what the defense was giving him. And he’s got to learn from that. So, we’re going to continue to drill that home and I think you saw some of that when we came out. When we did move the ball in the first drive of the second half you saw some of that, to your point. So, he’s got to learn from that.

Q: Is it hard not to feel like you let New England off the hook a little bit today?

A: We had opportunities. We had opportunities. I thought our defense played outstanding. They [New England] block a punt, we turn the ball over, chance to win the game multiple times there. And so we’ve got to learn from this and continue to grow as a football team.

Q: How disappointing is that, in the sense that, we talked this week and you harped on ball security, right, especially after his interception last week? Those weren’t deflected balls, those were some poor decisions.

A: Yeah, it’s something, it is absolutely something we have to continue to harp on. And he has to continue to learn. He’s a young quarterback and sometimes they have to learn those lessons, those hard lessons, and we have to continue to coach it up.

Q: Sean, you don’t want him to stop being aggressive and looking for passes that might be tough, but still want him to attempt. Do you worry at this point after so many times of him rolling right and making bad decisions that he doesn’t know where that line is?

A: Well, we have to continue to make that very clear, with where that line is.

Q: Coach, do you feel like your defense really went toe to toe with the Patriots defense? This was a defensive battle for sure. Do you feel your defense measured up today?

A: Yeah, we don’t play their defense. You know, our defense plays their offense and you know that. I thought our defense gave us a chance to win the game today. They really did. And I appreciate that effort. That was a good plan. That’s a good offense. We had opportunities to win the game. And we, whether penalties on offense or a blocked punt. So, opportunities to win the game, we’ve got to capitalize but I’m confident we’ll learn from it and we’ll grow.

Q: What was the breakdown on the blocked punt?

A: I don’t want to get into much. We do play them again here, so, just poor execution on our part.

Q: When [Matt] Barkley came in and converts that third-and-eight that first play, are you thinking here we go, our offense converted a big play?

A: Yeah, I’m very confident in Matt. Yeah, very confident in Matt Barkley. He came in last year and did a nice job. You see it every day in practice. So, I’m very confident in Matt.

Q: Going off that play, was that by design to attack one-on-one or was that a read by Matt?

A: Which play?

Q: His first throw to John Brown.       

A: He was just going through his progression, yeah, just going through his progression.

Q: You’re obviously not into moral victories but is there anything positive to take, particularly from the defense, that this is a measuring stick kind of game?

A: Yeah, I know that was asked earlier in the week in terms of measuring stick. I just know where we’re headed as an organization and I’m confident in that. We’ve got to continue to grow, continue to learn from these type of opportunities and these type of challenges and give them credit, they won the game, right? And that’s where we start. We learned from this and we continue to grow and be honest with ourselves as to why we didn’t get the result that we’re looking for. If we do that, we’re moving the right direction but we’ve got to do that.

Q: Matt Barkley, yes, he’s got some experience but the fact is, he’s a scout team guy during the week. You’re not, the time you actually have to prepare for a very difficult defense I’m assuming is far lower than you want. Under those circumstances, was that putting him in a tough spot? You know he’s one snap away, but could he have been [more prepared]?

A: Yeah, I mean, look, that’s the nature as you know, of how, when you’re not the starter, what happens in the NFL, at most positions. Like I’ve said before, Matt has been in position before he’s been there with us and with some other teams and he has come in and done a nice job. So, you better be prepared, you better do your due diligence in terms of your preparation mentally, if not physically, and Matt does both in this case. So, he was prepared.

Q: We put in a request to the league for more of an explanation as to why Jones wasn’t ejected and it came back and said it didn’t rise to the level of disqualification. What explanation did you get, if any, in the midst of all that down there when that happened?

A: I asked for the same. I asked for an explanation. And I asked, I thought he should have been thrown out. But other than that, I’m not going to get into that. That’s for the league to get into.

Q: The challenge on the offensive pass interference, or no call, did you see a pick play? Or what did you see on the field?

A: Yeah, that’s what I saw. And when our player has to deviate like he did, our player is not looking to run a route. I don’t know what else it is after that. I understand one yard, all that type of stuff. But when our player’s here and the player deviates to make sure our player can’t run through. I don’t know what it is.

Q: Did they give you an explanation as to why they kept the call on the field?

A: No and listen, that’s not what won or lost the game, right? So, it’s just keeping perspective, right? So, we’re just trying to continue to have as much clarity as we can. They made the ruling, they stood by the ruling, and that’s where we are. That’s what we honor at this point.

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