don_of_manhattan Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 EDIT: i'm talking players only.....on-field. i'm going to say Thurman Thomas...... League MVP.....and best all around all purpose RB to ever play the game !! #1- Thurman #2- Bruce #3- O.J. #4- Cookie #5- Kelly **EDIT (stolen from the "wildrabbit"): What most fail to realize is... the Bills used the running game to set up the pass. The Bills used to run more then they threw the ball in the Kelly era. While the Bills O line was better then most, it wasn't even close to what Emmitt Smith had in Dallas. If you go back and look at what Thurman Thomas did, 5x pro bowls-1991 NFL MVP-1992 NFL offensive player of the year. Thurman Thomas is the only NFL player to lead the league in total yards from scrimmage for four consecutive seasons. Now considering he almost never caught the ball while in college it is amazing that he is one of six NFL backs to have over 400 receptions and 10,000 yards rushing. He is also one of five backs to have rushed for over 1,000 yards for 8 consecutive seasons. I know I'm leaving out a bunch of playoffs stats and other stuff. Just think, this kid kept Barry Sanders on the bench in College. The guy was like 70% of the offense in Buffalo, he gets my vote. Debatable, but I have to give it to Jimbo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 In the early 90s I would often watch long periods of games focusing exclusively on the play of Bruce Smith. Here's how it went. Opposing QB starts his walk toward the center and immediately begins to check out where and how Bruce is lining up. Gets under center and starts the count. QB makes first look at Bruce while under center. Looks at Bruce again. And again. And again just before the snap. Snaps the ball. Bruce is at least double teamed. Whole left side of the line gets crashed in almost instantaneously by Bruce. The best they can do is hang on and hope the ball is gone soon enough. This went on play after play year after year. It was just ridiculous. I used think constantly "I can't believe this guy is playing for my team!" Even though the announcers would always commend Bruce's play, usually after he made an obvious big play, which was several times a game, I often wondered why no one seemed to see what I was seeing. That just about every play an offense ran was predicated first on how Bruce was going to be addressed. I used to watch Reggie White games very closely to try and identify evidence of this measure of domination in terms of the impact he had on an offensive game plan, and I'm sorry, it just wasn't there. Not even close. Teams used to try to take advantage of Bruce's first step and run draws to Bruce's side. Not too long into his career, Bruce was able to stop the rush on a dime, obscenely change direction mid-stride, and make a play on the ball carrier. As was mentioned earlier, playing a 3-4 and racking-up the numbers he did was sick. He had little help on the O-line from Jeff Wright and Seals and later Hansen benefitted greatly from his presence. In those days, I always wished the Bills would play a 4-3, or find a real NT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Bruce Smith and OJ Simpson. these are the only 2 players that one could argue are the best players ever at their position. Yes those are the only two All time great level players who played most of their career in Buff. Lofton came here near the end...and Cookie played the first half of his career in Canada...and Robert James was injured early...and Jerry Butler was injured in his prime.Joe D and Billy Shaw are close but there were better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KOKBILLS Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Kelly hands down I'd go with Jimbo as well...But Bruce and TT are REAL close behind... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Squirrel Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 EDIT: i'm talking players only.....on-field. i'm going to say Thurman Thomas...... League MVP.....and best all around all purpose RB to ever play the game !! #1- Thurman #2- Bruce #3- O.J. #4- Cookie #5- Kelly **EDIT (stolen from the "wildrabbit"): What most fail to realize is... the Bills used the running game to set up the pass. The Bills used to run more then they threw the ball in the Kelly era. While the Bills O line was better then most, it wasn't even close to what Emmitt Smith had in Dallas...... I like your list, but I take some issue with your characterization of the K-Gun era. Yes, they ran more than they passed, but a lot of that had to do with having 4th quarter leads and grinding it out until the clock read 0:00. I thought the beauty of that offense was that they did what ever was working the best. Except for SBXXV, which is a big reason why I'm not on the Kelly bandwagon for this. That was their best chance, and he chose to call almost 40 pass plays when the Giants D hardly had any linemen on the field and Thurman was shredding them. But as annoyed as I always have been at Kelly for that, I'd still put him ahead of Cookie, who may have been a great talent but didn't do it in Buffalo very long...and was a pain in the ass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 EDIT: i'm talking players only.....on-field. i'm going to say Thurman Thomas...... League MVP.....and best all around all purpose RB to ever play the game !! #1- Thurman #2- Bruce #3- O.J. #4- Cookie #5- Kelly **EDIT (stolen from the "wildrabbit"): What most fail to realize is... the Bills used the running game to set up the pass. The Bills used to run more then they threw the ball in the Kelly era. While the Bills O line was better then most, it wasn't even close to what Emmitt Smith had in Dallas. If you go back and look at what Thurman Thomas did, 5x pro bowls-1991 NFL MVP-1992 NFL offensive player of the year. Thurman Thomas is the only NFL player to lead the league in total yards from scrimmage for four consecutive seasons. Now considering he almost never caught the ball while in college it is amazing that he is one of six NFL backs to have over 400 receptions and 10,000 yards rushing. He is also one of five backs to have rushed for over 1,000 yards for 8 consecutive seasons. I know I'm leaving out a bunch of playoffs stats and other stuff. Just think, this kid kept Barry Sanders on the bench in College. The guy was like 70% of the offense in Buffalo, he gets my vote. O.J. On the field, nobody else is close. Do the Bills have any other player who could be said to be the NFL player of a decade? Simpson was the best player of that decade, hands down. If we'd had a good defense ... And Bruce Smith would be the only one in the running for second place. After those two, Billy Shaw, Thurman, Kelly, Gilchrist and a few others are all bunched up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DE Bills Fan Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 OJ Simpson, plain and simple.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rust Belt Nights Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Bruce Smith for sure OJ right next to him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 UPDATE...UNOFFICIAL..... Bruce - 28 votes O.J.- 25 votes Kelly- 15 votes Thurman- 5 votes At least according to these articles.....and for discussion purposes only..... O.J. is ranked the 2nd best RB in NFL history (behind jim brown): http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/6907909// Bruce is ranked the 2nd best DE in NFL history (behind Reggie White): http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3...fl_history.html Kelly would not make the top ten in NFL history.....i put him around 15th best. Thurman is judged against "pure" runners....and does not get the credit he desrves for his receiving all-purpose yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanC882 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Soo many good ones. I'd have to go with Kelly, then Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCbillsfan Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 OJ was the best Bill. Anyone who saw him play on a consistent basis would probably agree with that. In terms of being illusive in the open field no one who ever played the game came close, including Jim Brown. How many times did two defenders come from two different directions to tackle OJ and he faked out both of them at the same time such that the two defenders smacked hard into each other and ended up on the ground while he sped through them for a touchdown. When OJ got past the line of scrimmage a thrill used to go down my back because of the potential for something amazing to happen on every play. I loved Cribbs and Thurman and of course Kelly and Bruce but OJ was a one time only in history NFL talent. Other RBs may have had better numbers and better strength, but no one did what OJ did on the field. I would have to agree. That no good human being was the best talented Bill. Teams would game plan to stop him and they couldn't. Bruce was a true force and teams game planned around him as well. Kelly made those SB teams great and was a true competitor. Cribbs and Thurman were great Bills as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth on hold Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 How about Joe Delamilure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nostyle126 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 How about Joe Delamilure? I ran into him a while back at a Sears in the Carolina Place Mall. Nice guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 O.J. On the field, nobody else is close. Do the Bills have any other player who could be said to be the NFL player of a decade? Simpson was the best player of that decade, hands down. If we'd had a good defense ... And Bruce Smith would be the only one in the running for second place. After those two, Billy Shaw, Thurman, Kelly, Gilchrist and a few others are all bunched up. I basically agree with you, except I think Bruce is close and possibly his equal. Bruce's 1996 season was about as good as OJ's 2003 season, and both were among the best seasons ever by an NFL player. In any event, both were amazing players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manbeast Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 OJ Simpson - everyone else a distant 2nd. regarding Thurman thomas I can argue he's only the 4th best RB we ever had behind Cookie & OJ & Joe Cribbs Cribbs was 4 yrs and 4 probowls....returned punts and led the Bills in both receiving and rushing in 1983. Thurman had good fortune to come along as the RB in the no huddle....while Thurman was taken out of the game on 3rd downs his rookie year....joe Cribbs was running & receiving and returning punts to a start in the pro bowl his rookie year starting alongside earl campbell... In general I think the players from the Knox era are a bit overlooked when it comes to all time selections Bruce Smith is the only guy that is argueable the best at his position of all time and the arguement against that isn't very strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfreak Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 You realize what OJ had on opening day of his 2003 season?QB was a rookie 3rd round draft pick starting 1st game ever TE Paul Seymour starting his 1st NFL game ever OG Joe D was starting his first game ever gee you think they might have put 8 in the box? He still rushed for 250yrds that day I agree, Fergie only attempted a little more than 100 pass attempts the whole season, O.J. was the whole offense, the defense knew it, and he still had the best season any running back has ever had, and probably ever will have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nostyle126 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Bruce Smith is the only guy that is argueable the best at his position of all time and the arguement against that isn't very strong. I believe the only argument against it is that Ed 'too tall' Jones might've had more sacks than Bruce if they had kept sacks as a stat back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdelma Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 OJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manbeast Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 top 3 3. drew bledsoe 2. willis mcgahee 1. scott norwood We are not talking about the most beloved. Norwoods stats were actually good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manbeast Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I believe the only argument against it is that Ed 'too tall' Jones might've had more sacks than Bruce if they had kept sacks as a stat back then. It's not even the fact that he is the all-time leader in sacks it's the numbers he put up in a 3-4 defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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