Bob in STL

You guys are forgetting the 60's, we have Billy Shaw in the HoF and several on the all-time AFL team!! My picks in order, by positon: QB- Jim Kelly, Joe Ferguson, Jack Kemp. HB- Thurman Thomas, O.J. Simpson, Cookie Gilchrist FB- Jim Braxton WR- Andre Reed, Jerry Butler, Elbert Dubenion, Eric Moulds C- Kent Hull G- Joe Delameillure, Billy Shaw, Jim Richter T - Will Wolford, Stu Barber, Howard Ballard TE- Pete Metzelaars, Ernie Warlick DE- Bruce Smith, Phil Hansen, Ron McDole, Aaron Schobel DT- Tom Sestak, Fred Smerlas, Ted Washington OLB- Cornelius Bennett, Daryl Talley, Mike Stratton ILB - Chris Spielman, Jim Haslett, Shane Conlon, Harry Jacobs CB- Butch Byrd, Robert James, Nate Odomes S- George Saimes, Tony Greene, Henry Jones P-Brian Moorman, Paul McGuire PK- Steve Christie, Pete Gogalak HC- Marv Levy, Lou Saban Many on the honorable mention list.

BS - The cap was not a 6 year problem. TD cleared out the cap issue in two years, just like any other GM could do. Cutting expensive players and playing rookies is not hard or ingenious, but all teams get to that point sooner or later. It is unfair because Butler sacrificed the cap to keep a team of veteran players together for one more run at the Super Bowl. The last legitimate run was the year of the "homerun throwback". Ralph was desperate for a title if you recall and Ralph was on board with the direction. Ralph tried to re-sign Butler to a new contract but Butler was evidently pissed about Ralph's interference with Wade, and also the Flutie-Johnson debacle. That is why he left. He did not run away from the cap. Butler could have gutted the team and stockpiled draft picks just like TD did. That was not the directed that managemnent wanted to go. I look at Butlers drafting and scouting record over his entire career and I say he was one of the best. I don't think he was a great GM in all aspects of the job, but he was excellent at judging talent. Ask Polian, Levy, Smith, etc.

RIP Mr Hunt - a true visionary. PS - I often wondered why Hunt did not support Ralph more in Ralph's recent crusade for the small market teams. Could it be that Mr. Hunt was very ill and had no fight left?

I agree. I can't handle people that blame Ralph and call him cheap. He is not perfect but give me a break. This crap about Bills fans being mean to Mularkey and his family is a joke. Buffalo is one of the most benign places for a celebrity to live in. And what about TD calling out fans about the treatment to Gregg and Meathead? Ralph treats the fans like paying customers, something TD never did.

Yes, not all of Butler's moves were great ones. The same can be said for any GM. Your comment on the salary cap is completely unfair. Smith has done a great job, and so did Butler before him. Lets leave it at that.

.... and he and AJ did not miss on a single pick. Trading the Vick pick was awesome, give credit. Picking LT, was also an awesome move. Then they drafted Brees and stuck witrh him. Call it luck but these guys did not make a mistake either. SD was the worst franchise in the league until Butler showed up!

Good article. I met John Butler once and we talked football for a good 30 minutes. What a great guy. He loved football and he loved the Buffalo fans. I wish Butler would have stayed in Buffalo, gutted the team that was in cap hell, and then rebuilt it with AJ Smith at his side. I do believe we would have seen better football then we did in the TD era. I don't even want to hear about Butler's last draft, I am looking at his entire career when i make these statements. The Butler-Smith connection makes me pull for the Chargers in the playoffs.

I think it was $20,000.

Come on now, so you miss Meathead? Pittsburgh won a Super bowl without him and with essentially a rookie at QB. Buffalo's offense has improved without him, despite the 30th ranking. Maybe Miami's talent is better than you think? I sure don't want to see anyone throw things at Meatmeat. I just want to win on the scoreboard. cheers!

I am tired of this commentary. Yes -- Jauron made a mistake with the challenge after the time out. OK. There was confusion and indecision. Name a coach who has not made a few mistakes over the course of a season. Head coaches make hundreds of decisions every game. Even the great Bellichek makes some questionable moves from time to time. The Bills problem is talent and youth in key positions. They are making good and steady progress but they still have a ways to go to be a strong playoff team. I think the Bills are very well prepared. Other than maybe two games they have been very competitive and could easily have have a few more wins. Jauron is doing fine, and so is his staff. Give them time. It took Levy several years to get the Bills winning and he had far more talent to work with.

He does not stink, he is still not fully recovered. It is still way to early to give up on a great player like TKO. Have you no loyalty and honor? Crowell is out for the season. I will take half a TKO over a whole Ellison and two Coy Wires combined.

Nice article but I found an error in this quote ... "It also was the game in which the Bills' Tom Strattong delivered what became known as “the hit heard 'round the world,” shattering Keith Lincoln's ribs. Two weeks later, Lincoln played in an AFL All-Star game. Damn, he was tough. " The writer is referring Mike Stratton who is on the Bills Wall of Fame and is also on the All Time AFL Team (second team). There was lots to love about the AFL. That league gave opportunities to black players that were not always given in the NFL. There were so many great and exciting players, a wide open game, and most teams had really nice looking uniforms. After the merger the AFL teams were dominating the NFL for several years.

Good post.

Why not wait until we see what the offseason brings before predicting anything? I think we are just a couple of linemen away from a wining record. - Bob

Your correct and incorrect. In Canada, Australia, and in the UK, "defense" is spelled defence. Maybe the fan who posted this is from Canada. So lighten up Francis.

Why must you blame someone every time we lose? Jauron and Co. did a fine job getting this team ready for a much more talented opponent. They made some good adjustments at halftime too. As for the refs, I think they missed a pass ineterference on Reed and that hurt us. Still, the Bills missed many plays on their own. Blame the team. We had no running game, too many 3 and outs by the offense, too many turnovers, we gave up big yardage on the ground, and we could not cover Gates at all. That is your answer. The team lost as a team.

Jim Plunkett. Tom Flores.

What is missing? 1. First of all Schoebel is average against the run. Fletcher and Crowell can make tackles if the DT's eat space and take up some blockers. For that we need more stout DT's. Hargrove usually only plays DT on passing downs. Williams is getting tired as the season goes on and is getting handled by older, bigger, stronger opponents. He will be better next season. Anderson is marginal. We need a true run stuffer to replace Anderson. 2. Sometimes the LBs are not staying in lanes, then they get seal off. 3. Spikes is a shadow of himself and has only 2.5 assists in the past two game, no solo tackles. 4. Whitner is not playing the run very well. Arm tackles, misses, and over pursuit. He is doing OK for a rookie but his tackling needs work. Ditto for Ko Simpson. That explains the run defense.

Just practicing I'm thirsty. pretty cool

Jauron's move was the right one at the right time. Peters is an improvement at LT, Gandy is an improvement at LG, and Pennington is holding his own RT. Heck, I see no reason to play Villareal ever again, let Preston keep the job. All the Gandy bashers need to admit that the middle of our OL, which has been a sieve for years, is much better with Gandy at LG.

1) Agree. Fletcher is one of the best players on the team. 2) I am not ready to anoint Peters with a Pro-Bopwl, but he is getting better. Gandy is doing a great job at LG. He was a guard in college and should stay at there. 3) you must get better TV angles than we do to see that detail on the DL? I could not make that assessment. Williams took a bad panalty. Anderson is a limited player and may be gone next season. 4) OK 5) So now your comparing Peters to a Hall of Fame Guard from the 70's? FYI --- Playing for NE, how many games do you think Hannah actually played against Randy White? 6) Whitner was a non-factor against the run. 7) JP made his breaks too. 8) Why not? 9) Peters for State Senator! 10) Rah Rah!

No way!

TKO looks like a non-factor. He gets a blocker on him and he is taken out of the play. Maybe he will make a comeback? Hard to say. I hope so because a healthy TKO is great player.

Biggests needs are offensive line, defensive tackle, WR, and I am starting to think that LB is becoming a a need.

Jauron and Co. are doing a very good job. The team is in the game just about every week. We have some major holes, especially on offense but we are managing to keep it close and be competitive. We are definitey not an elite playoff team, but we are moving up from bottomfeeders toward the middle of the pack.