BILLS' History

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Nanker]

3 hours ago, Alaska Darin said:

 

I remember the year OJ held out for the entire preseason and The Bills built their offense around Braxton. 
 

Then OJ ended his holdout just before the first game and Things didn’t turn out very well. 

[3rdnlng]

48 minutes ago, Nanker said:

I remember the year OJ held out for the entire preseason and The Bills built their offense around Braxton. 
 

Then OJ ended his holdout just before the first game and Things didn’t turn out very well. 

I remember OJ doing very well in that season opener but suffering some in the next couple of games. 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Arm of Harm]

On 5/25/2022 at 5:09 AM, Alaska Darin said:

 

When I saw this the following thoughts went through my head:

 

1. If the Bills needed five INTs to beat the Jets by 2 points, that’s a sign they need to improve. 
 

2. The idea of wanting to improve a team from 1968 is ridiculous, and would require a time machine. 
 

3. If I had a time machine, I’d use it on something a lot more important than this! 

[Spartacus]

On 5/25/2022 at 8:09 AM, Alaska Darin said:

 

that's what happens when Joe went out drinking with Paul Maguire

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 hour ago, Arm of Harm said:

When I saw this the following thoughts went through my head:

 

1. If the Bills needed five INTs to beat the Jets by 2 points, that’s a sign they need to improve. 
 

2. The idea of wanting to improve a team from 1968 is ridiculous, and would require a time machine. 
 

3. If I had a time machine, I’d use it on something a lot more important than this! 

 

I'm amazed you had three whole thoughts rattling around at the same time in there.

[Taro T]

57 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

I'm amazed you had three whole thoughts rattling around at the same time in there.

 

Why? It's only 0.5 short of nature's perfect roll.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

 

Why? It's only 0.5 short of nature's perfect roll.

 

Figures.  Three whole thoughts, and he's still in error.

 

 

(To be honest, though: I'd have responded the same if almost anyone posted "I have three thoughts.")

Edited May 27, 2022 by Crap Throwing Monkey

[Arm of Harm]

1 hour ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

I'm amazed you had three whole thoughts rattling around at the same time in there.

Glad you find me impressive. 😎

[3rdnlng]

20 hours ago, Arm of Harm said:

When I saw this the following thoughts went through my head:

 

1. If the Bills needed five INTs to beat the Jets by 2 points, that’s a sign they need to improve. 
 

2. The idea of wanting to improve a team from 1968 is ridiculous, and would require a time machine. 
 

3. If I had a time machine, I’d use it on something a lot more important than this! 

Like wide right---you know, the thing. 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

 

 

[Arm of Harm]

On 5/28/2022 at 8:58 AM, Alaska Darin said:

 

 

At the time of the Browns game in ‘95, the Kelly/Reed core of players had already been to their last Super Bowl. Bill Belichick was the head coach in Cleveland. Not bad seeing Kelly get a win at his expense. You might have caught a glimpse of Ostroski’s jersey. That was a signal the OL was no longer what it was in the early ‘90s. By the late ‘90s the OL would be downright bad, except for Ruben Brown.
 

By ‘95 the team had lost too much talent to get to the Super Bowl. Shane Conan was gone, Nate Odoms was gone, Will Wolford and Howard Ballard gone. The Bills still had Thurman Thomas, but he only averaged 3.8 yards per carry in ‘95. From 1990 - ‘92, Thomas averaged 4.8, 4.9, and 4.8 yards per carry. The dramatic decrease by ‘95 was probably due to a decline in Thomas’s level of play and a declining OL. 
 

I think that on the average, Brandon Beane’s draft picks will work out better than did Polian’s picks in the late ‘80s or Butler’s picks in the ‘90s. If that prediction is accurate, this Bills team won’t witness the same premature decline we saw from the Bills in the mid-‘90s. 

[Alaska Darin]

 

[Alaska Darin]

9 hours ago, Arm of Harm said:

 

At the time of the Browns game in ‘95, the Kelly/Reed core of players had already been to their last Super Bowl. Bill Belichick was the head coach in Cleveland. Not bad seeing Kelly get a win at his expense. You might have caught a glimpse of Ostroski’s jersey. That was a signal the OL was no longer what it was in the early ‘90s. By the late ‘90s the OL would be downright bad, except for Ruben Brown.
 

By ‘95 the team had lost too much talent to get to the Super Bowl. Shane Conan was gone, Nate Odoms was gone, Will Wolford and Howard Ballard gone. The Bills still had Thurman Thomas, but he only averaged 3.8 yards per carry in ‘95. From 1990 - ‘92, Thomas averaged 4.8, 4.9, and 4.8 yards per carry. The dramatic decrease by ‘95 was probably due to a decline in Thomas’s level of play and a declining OL. 
 

I think that on the average, Brandon Beane’s draft picks will work out better than did Polian’s picks in the late ‘80s or Butler’s picks in the ‘90s. If that prediction is accurate, this Bills team won’t witness the same premature decline we saw from the Bills in the mid-‘90s. 

The problem with the 1995 team wasn't talent, it was age/injuries.  Reed missed most of the season with a severely pulled hamstring and Thomas was hobbled by a lesser grade hamstring injury.  Kelly was 35 and all those years standing in the pocket taking shots had finally added up and the toll was obvious.  He'd lost a few feet off his fastball and completed a career low 55.7% of his passes.

 

They lost to the eventual AFC Championship Steelers on the road in Pittsburgh (but only after giving the Fish another beating). 

 

I would argue that was the beginning of the best, most consistent stretch of defense in team history.  Bennett was 30 and Bruce was 32.  The rest of the defensive starters were in their prime (Paup, the great Ted Washington, Phil Hansen, Burris, the severely underrated Thomas Smith, Jones, etc.).

[Arm of Harm]

11 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

The problem with the 1995 team wasn't talent, it was age/injuries.  Reed missed most of the season with a severely pulled hamstring and Thomas was hobbled by a lesser grade hamstring injury.  Kelly was 35 and all those years standing in the pocket taking shots had finally added up and the toll was obvious.  He'd lost a few feet off his fastball and completed a career low 55.7% of his passes.

 

They lost to the eventual AFC Championship Steelers on the road in Pittsburgh (but only after giving the Fish another beating). 

 

I would argue that was the beginning of the best, most consistent stretch of defense in team history.  Bennett was 30 and Bruce was 32.  The rest of the defensive starters were in their prime (Paup, the great Ted Washington, Phil Hansen, Burris, Smith, Jones, etc.).

 

I agree with most of this. But, I’d argue that even as early as ‘95, the OL was already starting to suffer from a lack of talent. Back when the Bills had Wolford and Ballard (early ‘90s), Kelly had enough time in the pocket that he could light up a grill and start cooking burgers. Losing guys like Wolford and Ballard, and having them replaced by John Fina-caliber players, was a big step down. 
 

I totally agree with what you wrote about the Bills’ defense. An outstanding defensive scheme: by far the best I’ve seen the Bills use in my lifetime. Ted Washington (NT) was a guy who made a lot of plays despite being consistently double teamed. When Washington needed a breather, you had Pat Williams come in and pick up right where Ted left off. To the right of Washington you had Bruce Smith: most career sacks ever, and surprisingly good against the run. Over on the left you had solid and reliable Phil Hansen. 
 

The Bills had lots of good LBs. Typically larger players, suitable for the Wade Phillips 3-4 defense. Bryce Paup put up 17.5 sacks one year, while earning defensive MVP. His overall stats were rock solid that year. But then he experienced a career-altering injury, and was never the same player again. The Bills’ best DB was Antoine Winfield. You could put Winfield on an island with the other team’s #1 WR, and be okay. It’s unfortunate that Donahoe let Winfield go first-contract-and-out, so that he could squander the Winfield money on Lawyer Milloy. 
 

After being fired as Bills head coach, Wade Phillips found his way to the Broncos. He did an outstanding job as their defensive coordinator. They won the Super Bowl, mostly because of their defense. He later became the defensive coordinator for the Rams. Once again his defense did an outstanding job, and held Brady and the Patriots to just 13 points in the Super Bowl. Unfortunately the Rams’ offense only scored 3 points, but you can’t blame Wade Phillips for that! I wish the Bills could have a Wade Phillips defense and a Josh Allen offense at the same time! 🙂