Bills coach Sean McDermott under fire for bizarre Damar Hamlin fake punt call
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It would have been a magical moment — had it not gone so horribly wrong.
The Bills’ offensive failings in the fourth quarter of their 27-24 divisional round loss to the Chiefs on Sunday were punctuated with a failed fake punt that nearly put their season on ice.
The Bills offense was rolling through the first three quarters and got the ball back early in the fourth after Kansas City had just scored a touchdown to retake the lead.
The Bills faced a fourth-and-5 from their own 30-yard line and lined up for a punt, but the snap instead went to Damar Hamlin, who was stuffed for 2 yards on the failed fake.
“Just felt like we were having a hard time stopping them and they were up three at the time I believe it was and wanted to be aggressive,” Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters after the game. “You only get one chance and so I wanted to be aggressive. Obviously didn’t work but it’s the decision I made and you live with it.”
Indeed, the Chiefs offense had scored touchdowns on three straight possessions — aside from a kneeldown before halftime.
But then the question became, why not trust Josh Allen and the offense, which had been moving the ball throughout the game?
“I understand what you’re saying about keeping Josh out there,” McDermott said, according to the Buffalo News. “It’s just where we were on the field in relation to the element of surprise in that situation. Obviously, we didn’t execute.”
The opportunity was seemingly there as the Chiefs only had 10 men on the field for the play.
However, even one man short, they did not fall for the deception and left little space for Hamlin to run.
Hamlin, who plays safety, was mostly inactive during the season because of the depth in the Bills’ secondary and was only needed in this game as the team was dealing with a rash of injuries.
Hamlin has miraculously continued his NFL career after collapsing on the field in cardiac arrest after a freak collision in a game against the Bengals at the end of last season.
“I think Sean McDermott thought this was a Disney movie,” Yahoo NFL writer Charles McDonald wrote on X, as the Bills coach was shredded on social media for the call.
“I would like to revisit the fake punt to a defensive player with 100 snaps on the season on 4th and 6,” SB Nation’s Justis Mosqueda wrote.
Despite the dubious play, the Chiefs bailed the Bills out when they gave the ball to Mecole Hardman on a sweep play from the 3-yard line and the receiver fumbled for the second time in the game.
The ball went through the end zone and gave the Bills the ball back.
The Bills went three-and-out on the subsequent drive and their last chance to tie the game ended in heartbreak when Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard field goal with 1:43 left.
The Chiefs now advance to the AFC Championship game where they take on the Ravens at 3 p.m. on Sunday in Baltimore.
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