In Sean McDermott’s first year as a defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, they ranked 32nd in DVOA. In his fifth, they ranked third for the second time in three years and went 15-1 in the regular season. Two years after that, McDermott was coaching the Buffalo Bills to their first postseason appearance in 18 tries. Three seasons after that, McDermott’s Bills improved to 3-0 after beating the NFL’s other Sean Mc-name* in a wild contest that tested the Rams’ strengths and weaknesses from many different angles.
LA next closes out their NFC East schedule with games against the New York Giants and Washington Football Team, the latter of which being a team that may not strike fear into many given their current spot on the development curve, but is nevertheless coached by McDermott’s mentor and boss for six years in Carolina.