Everything Sean McDermott & Josh Allen Said After Bills’ Stunning Comeback Win

Josh Allen elevated his game in a thrilling 41-40 season opener against Lamar Jackson, improving his personal record to 4-2—a feat few can claim. As several fans left the stadium at a crucial moment, morale dipped, but the Bills mounted a remarkable rally. While the heavily favored Ravens seemed close to winning the game, Allen’s squad pulled off a dramatic comeback. After such an unforgettable win, both Allen and Sean McDermott had plenty to say to the fans and the league.

Josh Allen appeared pleased during the press conference, though the overall sentiment was tempered by the pressure the team faced. Speaking candidly, he expressed satisfaction in his teammates’ ability to stay focused despite obvious challenges, praising their composure and resilience throughout the high-stakes game.

“No one on the sideline blinked. I mean, down 15 points, whatever we were, with five, six minutes left. Staying with it…That’s a really good outfit that we just played. And, you know, God willing, we take care of business how we’re supposed to and how we think we will,” he said. The Bills struggled early as the Ravens’ defense kept them in check in the first half. But soon, the Bills’ passing game came alive. Sticking mostly with the same five players, with only a few brief substitutions, they mounted a furious comeback to snatch the win.

After praising the offense, the 2024 MVP was asked about a player who made heroic efforts for the team despite being new. Allen greeted him with a bear hug following the win. In the Bills’ effort to replace kicker Tyler Bass, who was placed on injured reserve with a hip/groin injury, they brought in Matt Prater. With five minutes left on the clock, the veteran kicker nailed three field goals, including a 43-yarder before halftime, and capped it off with the game-winning 32-yard field goal (third). He was warmly welcomed by Allen, whose first words to him after the win were, “Welcome to Buffalo, baby!”

During the press conference, the QB expressed his appreciation for Prater’s contributions. With a proud smile, he recalled their first encounter in the locker room, when Prater had shared a picture of his son. Just before the game, the Kicker also made a promise to the player to be his best self. He kept the promise. “Today, before the game, he comes up to me, you know, in the locker room, before he even take the field. He just said, ‘Hey, I promise you, I’m going to give you everything I got tonight.’ He’s a guy that’s been around the league for a long time, and I’m just, you know, thankful he’s here for us,” he shared about the player.

Not only Allen, but Coach McDermott also praised the kicker for his contributions during the game. “He’s a true pro,” the coach praised him. Speaking of the 3x Pro Bowler, he finished the game with 394 passing yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for two more touchdowns. Another standout performer was Ed Oliver. When asked about him, the QB had high praise. Oliver recorded six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and three tackles for loss, and that was a game-changer. “He played unbelievable tonight. Again, when you’ve got a quarterback that talented over there and a running back that talented over there, it takes everybody doing their job, and it takes a few guys doing more than their own job, and I think Ed did that tonight,” Allen praised the player.

McDermott added, “He played big time and played big for us and the sack and that play. And I mean, he’s, he’s had a great, he’s had a great start to the season, but even before that came in very focused in training camp.” The defensive tackle was crucial to the game. Initially, the Bills’ defense faced tough competition against the duo of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson for the first three quarters. This was an issue that both Allen and the coach addressed.

At the end, the quarterback was asked about the on-field chemistry he has with the Wide receiver. “Josh(Palmer) is a vet. We’re going to continue to grow. Proud of him for sticking in it and staying in the moment. He made some really good plays for us down the stretch,” he said. Palmer’s ability to find soft spots in the defense makes him an instant favorite. And he did just that in the fourth quarter.

Soon after Allen, McDermott joined the presser, sharing more details about the game and his coaching style

Sean McDermott revealed the coaching tactic that annoyed the players

He began by praising God, the team, his players, and the fans, expressing his gratitude for all the support. After sharing a few words about Prater, he went on to discuss his coaching style and how, at times, it bothered the players. The coach explained that they start almost every practice with a two-minute drill, during which the offense must move quickly to score before time runs out. Allen is very comfortable in these situations, and the team around him is as well, largely because they practice it repeatedly.

“When you practice, you practice it over and over again. You try to hit as many of those situations, different time on the clock, different amount of timeouts to put them, put our guys in practice under some stress. They don’t like it sometimes. They get a little bit mad at me, but it’s for a good reason. So I’ll take that,” he said.

Moving on, McDermott praised the playcalling, likening it to “mental gymnastics,” before praising Keon Coleman and Palmer. While Keon has shown steady growth throughout the offseason and training camp, Palmer is new to the environment. While McDermott acknowledged the challenges faced by the Bills’ defense, he also appreciated how they calmed down and stayed united as the game progressed.

Apart from the thrill, the coach added that the team must move on and focus on the next challenge ahead. “That’s the journey of trying to, you know, move a team step-by-step in the right direction. And we have to embrace that growth mindset as we move forward here,” he said. After a thrilling win, the Bills will hope to carry the same momentum into Week 2 against the Jets.