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NFL Coach Power Rankings: Where Jay Gruden fits in among the 32 coaches

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 29: Head coach Jay Gruden of the Washington Redskins talks with quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins in the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 29, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Matt Hazlett/ Getty Images) /
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ORCHARD PARK, NY – DECEMBER 3: Head Coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills yells during the first quarter against the New England Patriots on December 3, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
ORCHARD PARK, NY – DECEMBER 3: Head Coach Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills yells during the first quarter against the New England Patriots on December 3, 2017 at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /

19. player. 16. . Head Coach. Buffalo Bills. Sean McDermott

In my initial version of this list, I had Sean McDermott ranked higher than No. 19. After all, he was able to lead he Bills to the playoffs despite having a relatively weak roster. However, I couldn’t get past one thing that he did during the 2017 season. And that was starting Nathan Peterman in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Simply put, there’s no logical reason that the Bills should have started Peterman. They were right in the thick of the playoff race with a 5-4 record. Sure, Tyrod Taylor wasn’t playing great, but he was doing enough to help the team win. Yes, he was coming off a bad outing against the New Orleans Saints, but none of the team had played well in that contest.

At the start of Week 11, Taylor had completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,684 yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Those were average passing numbers, but the 5-4 record and his 237 rushing yards were aiding the offense as well. But for the Chargers game, McDermott decided to give Peterman a chance. And it was a disaster.

Peterman only lasted the first half before Taylor replaced him, and he threw five interceptions. Not all of them were his fault, but it was abundantly clear that Peterman wasn’t ready for the limelight. He had done well in garbage time against the Saints, but that shouldn’t have given McDermott all he needed to pull the plug on Taylor.

Some might say that Taylor wasn’t getting the job done and that Peterman offered more upside at the time. And that could be argued. But at the same time, the Bills hadn’t made the playoffs in 18 years and they were in the thick of the Wild Card race. Even if they weren’t going to win in the postseason, making it would do a lot to reinvigorate the fan base. And by starting Peterman, they almost threw that chance away.

McDermott does deserve credit for getting the Bills’ defense to perform well despite being made up of players who were mostly perceived as backups or journeymen. And the development of Tre’Davious White was a huge story as well. But still, the choice to start Peterman was bad enough to keep McDermott out of the top 15.

McDermott has a lot of upside and clearly is a great defensive mind. That one mistake was just such a baffling decision for many, as Taylor had been at least efficient as the starter. As evidenced in the playoffs, he wasn’t going to win a postseason game, but he could at least get the team there. And that’s what the Bills needed to get out of the season.

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