There wasn't a lot to love about the Buffalo Bills' blowout loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, and Sean McDermott couldn't agree more. "I'm concerned about a lot of things coming off of tonight, really." The Bills' head coach doesn't want to blow anything out of proportion (no pun intended); it is the preseason after all.
However, you can feel his urgency. "We gotta look at the film. Really just see who we have, who can help us, what we may need, and then also things that we can just do better execution-wise, fundamentally. Those things. So there's a lot that needs to be cleaned up."
We're live with Coach McDermott after our preseason game against the Bears. #BUFvsCHI | #BillsMafia https://t.co/TvywFhECn9
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 18, 2025
With most starters out for the Bills and the team rolling out guys deeper down on the depth chart for the most part, Caleb Williams and the Bears' first-team offense were rolling early. That's not to say Buffalo was without every single one of their starters. While most first-team defense didn't play, Cole Bishop was healthy enough to participate, and it was clear that he had missed a chunk of camp.
Caleb Williams played two series Sunday night vs. the Bills.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2025
He completed six-of-10 passes for 130 yards, one touchdown and a 130.0 passer rating.pic.twitter.com/XbridmlxDM
On what McDermott saw from Bishop on the field after being limited for the last few practices and training camp, he offered: "I mean, it was limited because he's been on a managed rep count. I think he had three or four plays a period and then maybe again in practice the other day, and then tonight. With that, I wanted to get him some more reps."
The veteran head coach was blunt about what Bishop needs at this point in his career. "He needs more experience; he needs more reps." Explaining, "That's where you work out some of these things and build the callousness that comes from experience."
Getting back on the field was an important step, but there's a lot more work to be done. McDermott applauded what he was able to do in a limited capacity, and after a blowout loss, it was a fitting response: "There's nothing more important for him than the experience that he got tonight and then moving forward. But even tonight, he was on a rep count of roughly 10 to 12 plays there."
With the season just a few weeks away, we're ready to move past this game and hope that Bishop continues to stay healthy. We agree wholeheartedly with McDermott's assessment; he needs more reps. Interestingly enough, McDermott's comments about seeing what the team may need, could the organization be looking to bring in some more safety help? I wouldn't be mad at it at all.
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