Sean McDermott’s trust in Stephen Hauschka pays off late for Buffalo Bills

In the Buffalo Bills victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Sean McDermott gambled on a 55-yard field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter. The Bills were up 20-17 and were stopped in Atlanta’s territory. The possession prior, Stephen Hauschka made a 56-yard kick by the nose of the ball. A missed field goal would've given Atlanta the ball with only 15-20 yards to get into field goal range to tie the game. McDermott trusted his kicker and his defense and took the chance. Fortunately for him, it worked out.

Atlanta got the ball back with just over 3 minutes to go with no timeouts and had no trouble getting into the red zone, but McDermott's decision to go for the field goal forced the Falcons to score by touchdown instead of a field goal. The defense stepped up big time in the red zone on 4th and 1, giving the Bills the victory formation everyone desires.

McDermott puts trust in his players and holds people accountable. Atlanta hasn't lost at home since week 13 of the 2016 season in a nail-biter against the Chiefs. The Buffalo Bills are well-coached, disciplined, and the players believe in one another. So far, it looks like the culture change is working and if you aren't trusting the process yet, you should.