Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills do not have much time to correct the mistakes they made Sunday night in the 41-40 come-from-behind win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Process in motion
Bills coach Sean McDermott looks up at a replay during the first quarter at Highmark Stadium on Sunday night. Derek Gee, Buffalo News
Most of the video wasn’t easy to watch for the Bills. They face the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. After meeting with his players Monday, McDermott spoke to reporters. Here are three takeaways from his press conference:
1. Progress
Tre’Davious White’s groin injury that kept him out of Week 1 is “improving,” said McDermott, and the Bills should have more information Wednesday before practice.
White has not practiced since he went down as the Bills were preparing for their final preseason game, and the rookie who was expected to compete with him for a starting role, Maxwell Hairston, has been out since late July because of an LCL sprain.
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The player tasked with filling in for both, rookie sixth-round draft pick Dorian Strong, showed Sunday night that he can be trusted to play significant snaps this season. Strong played every defensive snap against the Ravens and, though there were mistakes, he proved to the coaches that he has learned from the coaching he received throughout training camp.
“I thought Dorian did some really good things last night,” said McDermott.
2. Bass’ status
Matt Prater’s storybook night does not mean there’s a kicker controversy at One Bills Drive.
At least not yet.
The Bills are still confident in Tyler Bass, McDermott said. Bass was placed on injured reserve last week with a left hip/groin issue that kept him out for most of training camp and all but one preseason game. He hasn’t been perfect in his five seasons, but he has made clutch, last-second kicks to win games. McDermott doesn’t want people to forget Bass’ contributions. However, he must be pleased that general manager Brandon Beane found a kicker with as much experience and ability as Prater on such short notice.
Prater is 41 years old and amid his 19th NFL season. He has made four kicks of 50-plus yards in the playoffs. Prater went 3 for 3, including the game-winning field goal, in Week 1.
“For the foreseeable future, Prater is the guy,” McDermott said. “I thought he did some good things. Obviously, the big kick at the end of the game there. Tyler’s our guy. ... We’re going to help him through this injury piece, and that’s the medical staff’s job, as well as his job. We don’t forget him. It’s important that we keep him going here and headed in the right direction.”
3. Confidence
Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop struggled against the Ravens.
The safety duo missed tackles and assignments. They weren’t the only ones. There were mistakes by defensive linemen, linebackers and cornerbacks as the Ravens generated the highest explosive play rate in the past decade, according to Next Gen Stats. Rapp and Bishop were credited by Pro Football Focus with just one missed tackle apiece, but it was a disappointing showing for a position group that has immense responsibility in McDermott’s defense.
Though Rapp’s performance earned him the starting role, Bishop’s place on the depth chart was uncertain late in training camp because he missed a portion of the offseason with a quad injury. On the NBC broadcast, Cris Collinsworth wondered why the Bills didn’t turn to Damar Hamlin, based on his performance against the Ravens in the AFC divisional round. Buffalo is committed to Bishop, though. He was a second-round draft pick in 2024, and his potential has flashed, at times, when he’s been on the field. McDermott didn’t sound like a coach who is considering a change, though.
“For me, it’s instilling confidence and belief, re-instilling belief and confidence in the guys who were out there and working with those guys and being fully confident in those guys,” McDermott said.
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