As the second quarter ended last night, I got up, went outside and wandered around a bit in order to help digest the excellent Thanksgiving dinner enjoyed by a group of nine at our cottage earlier in the evening. I must have missed the first mention of a lightening-related delay in Kansas City because when I re-assumed my prone position, Mike Tirico, Tony Dungee and Drew Brees were going over highlights from the day's action in the NFL - but in a level of detail that seemed far too much for the tail-end of a 15 minute break. The studio team and the rest of the NBC broadcast crew did a pretty good job of filling an additional hour before the third quarter finally kicked off. I watched right to the end because I wanted to see the mid-field hand-shake between Andy Reid and Sean McDermott. It's the latest I've been awake in a long time.
If an NFL coach enjoys a long tenure in what Bill Parcells described as "the most competitive business there is", he will unwittingly build his own "coaching tree". Those who have coached on his staff and have gone on to their own measures of success are the branches of the tree. Some of the branches grow strong enough to become trees themselves while others never really rise the level of the tree from which they originated.
While Bill Belichick is a good example of a coach whose tree branches have generally fallen short of the expectations associated with their originating tree, Andy Reid is probably the best example of one whose descendants have flourished. The list of successful NFL head coaches whose careers started or were jump-started under the tutelage of Reid is extensive and impressive. Topping the list would probably be John Harbaugh, now in his 14th season as Baltimore Ravens head coach and with one head-coaching Superbowl championship under his belt, who served as an assistant under Reid in Philadelphia for nine seasons. Next might be Doug Pederson who also won a title as Philadelphia Eagles head coach in 2017 after five seasons as an Eagles assistant under Reid. Current Washington head coach Ron Rivera, former Vikings head coach Brad Childress, current Bears head coach Matt Nagy and former head coaches now serving as assistants Todd Bowles, Pat Shurmur, Steve Spagnuolo and current Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are all members of the prestigious Andy Reid coaching tree.
That takes us to Sean McDermott, the 19th head coach in Buffalo Bills history, who served under Reid in Philadelphia for 10 seasons before moving to Carolina under fellow Reid coaching tree member Ron Rivera for five seasons as defensive coordinator. Now in his fifth season as Bills head coach, McDermott has guided the Bills to the playoffs in three of his first four seasons after the team went without a post-season appearance for 17 consecutive years before his hiring. If Brian Daboll lands a head-coaching job next year, McDermott will have germinated his own coaching sapling.
In comparison, Bill Belichik, arguably the most successful coach in NFL history, has seen many an assistant coach achieve a head-coaching position only to fall flat and revert to assistant or coordinator jobs. This list includes Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia, Eric Mangini, Romeo Crennel, Bill O'Brien and Todd Bowles.
Entering last night's game at Arrowhead Stadium, the Bills under McDermott were 1-2 against the Chiefs under Reid, including last season's AFC championship game. For the Bills, although they were up a game on the Chiefs in the AFC standings, a loss would not only have closed that gap but it would have given the Chiefs the tie-breaker over the Bills just as they enjoyed last year. That dragon is now slayed. After signing his massive contract extension a couple of months ago, Bills fans were looking to Allen for a signature road win and last night they got it. His first touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders was as perfect a pass as I've seen a quarterback throw this season.
If the league office wants more penalties called, they would have been very pleased with last night's flag-fest. Most of the calls were valid I suppose but there were two in succession on the Bills last touchdown drive which were both phantom calls - and critically important ones. Josh Allen's scramble for a first down to the right sideline was negated by a holding call on centre Mitch Morse which was undetectable to me on replay. Then the Chiefs were flagged for a highly questionable roughing the passer call on a play where they intercepted Allen around mid-field. The two calls cancelled each other out I guess but neither should have been made.
Next up for the Bills is another prime time match-up with a team they lost to last season as they travel to Nashville next Monday night. I'll probably still be eating left-over turkey and then trying to stay awake. Let's hope for clear weather.
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