Who is the GREATEST Bill of All-Time ??

[Hazed and Amuzed]

Bruce Smith, there's no doubt. What he accomplished in the 34 defense is astonishing. OJ was also amazing. 2000 yards in a 14 game season? Thats just sick.

[sabres...yawn]

O.J. Simpson.

 

 

2.) Bruce

 

3.) Kelly*

 

 

*excludes Super Bowl performances due to massive hangovers

[C.Biscuit97]

Greatest Bill ever: tie between OJ (too young to see him but his #s are amazing on some bad teams) and Bruce (at the very least a top 3 DE. We you consider his #s in a 3-4 where it is much more difficult to get sacks, he may be teh best)

 

Most Overrated Bill: Kelly. Love the guy but I'm amazed at how much some overrate him. He caused the Bickering Bills, didn't want to come here, had a terrible reputation as richard when he played, not close to the top 20 at his position, and was terrible in the playoffs.

 

Most Underrated Bill: Kent Hull. Bills fans recognize him but natiowide never gets the crdit he deserves. Like Jeff Saturday on hte Colts, he is a huge part of running the offense.

[BillsPhan]

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

 

#1- Jim Kelly - Heart and soul of the best Bills' teams in history. HOF'er

#2- Bruce Smith - Arguably the best pass rushing DE in NFL history. HOF'er

#3- Thurman Thomas - Led the NFL in total yards 4 consecutive years. HOF'er

#4- Steve Tasker - Everyone agrees - the best special teams player in NFL history - 7 time Pro Bowler - SHOULD be HOF'er

#5 - Billy Shaw - The ONLY member of the HOF to play his entire career in the AFL!

#6 - Andre Reed - All time Bills receiver - WILL be HOF'er soon when Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Chris Carter are not all eligible at the same time, like this year!

#7 - Jack Kemp - Heart and soul of the Bills two consecutive AFL Championship seasons - all guts, not that much pure talent.

#8 - Cookie Gilchrist - Could have been #2 in my list, if he would have played longer for the Bills. - Quite possibly the second best pure athlete of all Buffalo Bills.

#9 - Elbert Dubenion - "Golden Wheels" - the most exciting wideout in Bills history, the guy was way before his time!

#10 - Joe Ferguson - Spent his first 4 seasons just handing off to Simpson, then became one of the best QB's in the league during his next 5 seasons under Chuck Knox. Held all Bills' passing records until Jimbo broke them.

 

**From 1972 thru 1976, O.J. Simpson was without question the best running back in the NFL. I watched every run he made as a Bill, through my teenage years. I won't list him in my top 10 because he became such a scum bag human being later in his life. However, for those of you that watched this man run as a Buffalo Bill behind his "Electric Company" as I did, you could not argue the fact that he was the very best pure athlete in the history of the Bills.

[Wagon Circler]

Pretty much seen every game from 1966.

O.J. was pretty clearly the greatest player of all time and to me, the 2nd greatest running back of all time.

Before he lost his mind.

[NewEra]

Bruce Smith. No debate.

 

 

Jim Kelly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OJ Simpson.

[26CornerBlitz]

#32 and it's not even close!!

[Buffalo 66]

Fred Smerlas, he had the best porn stache!!

[nick in* england]

Bruce

Thurman

OJ

Jim

TO

[Pygskin36]

i clicked in here to post Thurman as well. such a dynamic back, he was a one man offensive machine.

 

 

 

Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce,OJ, Jimbo,Thurman,cookie

[Steely Dan]

Bruce - Greatest DE ever! 'Nuff said.

 

Thurman - Amazingly fun to watch and best all around back to play.

 

Kelly - HOF QB. Only HOF QB the Bills have ever had.

 

Reed - Greatest WR in Bills history.

 

Tasker - Transformed the entire ST position.

[Spiderweb]

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

 

Ah, aren't you funny..... Joe Cribb's? Similar to TT in an umber of ways, but the numbers speak for themselves. TT wins the Cribbs?TT contest hands down. Cookie, an amazingly talented 250 plus RB, unfortunately spent the prime of his playing days in the CFL. OJ was our best pure runner, one of best in the history of the game, but was no where near the complete back TT was. OJ and his hands of stone wasn't very adept at catching the ball, and while OJ was rarely called on to pass block, TT was outstanding at picking up blitzes. TT, in the entirety of his career and talents, clearly ranks as our best all round RB in the history of the Bills.

 

With that said, He ranks very highly in the greatest Bill of all-time sweepstakes, but I'm not sure he would be number 1. Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Billy Shaw, Tom Sestak, etc., might disagree.

[youngjebrey]

top 3

 

3. drew bledsoe

2. willis mcgahee

1. scott norwood

[dave mcbride]

There's OJ and there's Bruce Smith - the only elite players they've ever had. Everyone else is a distant third. Thurman was the third best RB in the league in his prime, so he doesn't really qualify. Kelly was excellent, but again, he was the third best QB (or so) in the league in his prime years.

 

OJ was simply amazing, as was Smith, who I've long argued was better than Reggie White. In 1996, Smith had (as I recall) 47 pressures. That is truly unbelievable -- really. That's a newer stat, but my god it was an awesome season for him.

 

There are two truly NFL-history-level-great seasons by Bills players: Smith in 1996 and OJ in 1973. The two second best seasons are Bruce in 1990 and OJ in 1975.

[Buftex]

Greatest Bill ever: tie between OJ (too young to see him but his #s are amazing on some bad teams) and Bruce (at the very least a top 3 DE. We you consider his #s in a 3-4 where it is much more difficult to get sacks, he may be teh best)

 

Most Overrated Bill: Kelly. Love the guy but I'm amazed at how much some overrate him. He caused the Bickering Bills, didn't want to come here, had a terrible reputation as richard when he played, not close to the top 20 at his position, and was terrible in the playoffs.

 

Most Underrated Bill: Kent Hull. Bills fans recognize him but natiowide never gets the crdit he deserves. Like Jeff Saturday on hte Colts, he is a huge part of running the offense.

 

 

You are nuts... Kelly, more than any player in team history, made the franchise relevant. He may not be in the "top 20" all time QB's, but he is not that far out, which when you consider how many have played the postion in the last 90 years or so, is pretty amazing. All the BS about not wanting to come to Buffalo is overrated... lets face it, very few players in the teams history would have chosen Buffalo as their place of work...Kelly was just one of the few who had other options...can't fault him for that... check your stats as well... Kelly was very good in the playoffs, not so in the Super Bowl... but neither were any of his teammates... without Kelly, the Bills likely never get that far once, let alone 4 times...

take that magical run of heartbreaking magnificence out of the Bills history, and the franchise is pretty awful. It amazes me when Bills fans say crap like this.

 

I know you are a great Bills fan (honest I do) but the way people disparage Kelly, Reed, Thurman, Bruce around here, etc to make a point is pretty crazy... let me ask you, how underrated would Kent Hull be, in your book, if he was snapping the ball to Frank Reich, or Alex Van Pelt his whole career...it goes both ways. Aren't you one of the people who is always preaching to everyone how they are "too negative" about the Bills? QB is arguably the most difficult position to play in all of team sports, so Kelly is only in the top 50 all time...that makes him the most overrated Bill of al time? As I said before, if you really belive that, you are nuts...

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

Gibran Hamdan

 

Agreed.

 

#1: Hamdan

#2: Kelly (assuming he is wearing a Hamdan replica jersey)

[Steely Dan]

There's OJ and there's Bruce Smith - the only elite players they've ever had. Everyone else is a distant third. Thurman was the third best RB in the league in his prime, so he doesn't really qualify. Kelly was excellent, but again, he was the third best QB (or so) in the league in his prime years.

 

OJ was simply amazing, as was Smith, who I've long argued was better than Reggie White. In 1996, Smith had (as I recall) 47 pressures. That is truly unbelievable -- really. That's a newer stat, but my god it was an awesome season for him.

 

There are two truly great seasons by Bills players: Smith in 1996 and OJ in 1973. The two second best seasons are Bruce in 1990 and OJ in 1975.

 

Barry Sanders - 2,921 receiving yards. (10 seasons) 292 per season average

 

Emmit Smith - 3,224 receiving yards. (15 seasons) 214 per season average

 

Thurman Thomas - 4,458 receiving yards. (13 seasons) 343 per season average.

 

I disagree. While Sanders and Smith got more yardage on the ground Thurman was the best all around back in the league at the time and maybe since. No RB, that I've seen, came close to his ability to block. That's not something that shows up on the stat sheets but he was a marvel. His ability to receive was far better than Smith or Sanders as well.

[dave mcbride]

Barry Sanders - 2,921 receiving yards. (10 seasons) 292 per season average

 

Emmit Smith - 3,224 receiving yards. (15 seasons) 214 per season average

 

Thurman Thomas - 4,458 receiving yards. (13 seasons) 343 per season average.

 

I disagree. While Sanders and Smith got more yardage on the ground Thurman was the best all around back in the league at the time and maybe since. No RB, that I've seen, came close to his ability to block. That's not something that shows up on the stat sheets but he was a marvel. His ability to receive was far better than Smith or Sanders as well.

 

I'm not denying that Thurman was a great player. But remember: there's the ol' eyeball test. He simply -- and very clearly -- wasn't as good as Smith or Sanders. I don't think anyone outside of Bills' fans would argue that he was better than either of those guys. Still, he was a great player.

[USABuffaloFan]

MVP of the Bills: Jim Kelly ( Nobody changed the face of the Bills more than Jim )

Best Stat guy: OJ ( 2000 yard season ), Honorable mention: BRRRRUUUUCCCEEE!!!!!

Best pure athlete: Cookie Gilcrest ( Just a pure monster )

Most liked: Thurman

 

 

It has been 14 years and we still have noone to replace Jim Kelly.

We have had plenty of very good running back, Fred Jackson could be the best since Thurman.

We have never seen as pure a football player than Cookie, he could play all 3, Defense, Offense, Special Teams

We all love workhorses and Thurman fit Buffalo perfectly, even his crazy sense of humor.

[nostyle126]

pound for pound: Steve Tasker - nobody ever played their position better than he did

 

statistically: Bruce Smith - all-time sack leader who was so disruptive OCs had to gameplan around him

 

AFL honorable mention - Mike Stratton, who's hit heard 'round the world helped turn the tides against San Diego and bring Buffalo an AFL championship.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9...klesLincoln.jpg

 

 

...I give extra credit to players that help bring Buffalo a championship.

 

:-)

[Steely Dan]

I'm not denying that Thurman was a great player. But remember: there's the ol' eyeball test. He simply -- and very clearly -- wasn't as good as Smith or Sanders. I don't think anyone outside of Bills' fans would argue that he was better than either of those guys. Still, he was a great player.

 

I just proved he was a better receiver and if you watched Bills games with him you'd know he was a great blocker. I don't give a crap what anyone else thinks. When rating RB's ground yards are really what most people pay attention to. It's a lot smarter to look at everything a RB does. So, as I said, they have better ground numbers while Thurman excelled at everything else.

[GOBILLS78]

Bob Kalsu?

[talkinproud78]

Jim Kelly. He's the greatest Bill --- he was my favorite player, so I'm biased. But, in a QB driven league --- he is the one component we have NEVER come CLOSE to replacing. You could argue we've had good RBs, WRs, DEs, etc... (sure, none like Thurman, Andre, or Bruce, but still we've had serviceable players).

 

QB, however, we've been lost since #12 left on the golf cart against Jacksonville. Without a strong QB, you are done. OL is definitely needed, and I used to use that as TEs and Bledsoe's excuse --- until I repeatedly watched other QBs get it done, and in the process make their OLs look strong.

[billsfreak]

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.

 

1. O. J. Simpson-gained 2003 yards when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball.

2. Jim Kelly-Combined talent, leadership and toughness that has rarely been seen in this league.

3. Bruce Smith-Top 3 all time at his position.

4. Thurman Thomas-One of the top all around backs ever

5. Kent Hull-quarterbacked the O-Line during Super Bowl run.

6. Steve Tasker-best Special Teams player in NFL history

7. Andre Reed-Top 10 receiver all time-clutch player and tough over the middle

8. Darryl Talley-Heart and soul of the defense during Super Bowl years-most underrated Bill ever!

9. Phil Hanson-second most underrated player ever-Bruce got attention and benefitted from Hansen being on other end

10. Fred Smerlas-best Nose Tackle of the 80's.

 

I am sure there were some great players in the 1960's but I am not old enough to remember them, only based on video and what I have read.

[bigskyfan]

O.J. Simpson had the greatest season of any nfl player ever in 1973,,, rushing for over 2000 yards in a 14 game season on a mediocre team.

 

without Jack Kemp, we on this message board would not be taking comfort in the fact that the Bills actually do have some championship titles.

[nostyle126]

O.J. Simpson had the greatest season of any nfl player ever in 1973,,, rushing for over 2000 yards in a 14 game season on a mediocre team.

 

without Jack Kemp, we on this message board would not be taking comfort in the fact that the Bills actually do have some championship titles.

Agreed on Kemp. I was thinking about mentioning him when I mentioned Mike Stratton.

[Pygskin36]

i clicked in here to post Thurman as well. such a dynamic back, he was a one man offensive machine.

 

 

Bruce Smith.. without question, OJ second, Jimbo third, Thurman fourth and then Cookie....

[nostyle126]

Aren't we all forgetting Dusty Ziegler?

[Pygskin36]

1. O. J. Simpson-gained 2003 yards when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball.

2. Jim Kelly-Combined talent, leadership and toughness that has rarely been seen in this league.

3. Bruce Smith-Top 3 all time at his position.

4. Thurman Thomas-One of the top all around backs ever

5. Kent Hull-quarterbacked the O-Line during Super Bowl run.

6. Steve Tasker-best Special Teams player in NFL history

7. Andre Reed-Top 10 receiver all time-clutch player and tough over the middle

8. Darryl Talley-Heart and soul of the defense during Super Bowl years-most underrated Bill ever!

9. Phil Hanson-second most underrated player ever-Bruce got attention and benefitted from Hansen being on other end

10. Fred Smerlas-best Nose Tackle of the 80's.

 

I am sure there were some great players in the 1960's but I am not old enough to remember them, only based on video and what I have read.

 

 

I like your list, only Eric Moulds should be on this...... Bruce is number 1 bro...

[Las Vegas Calling...]

OJ was the best Bill player ever. That's why it's so painfull that he became such a jerk later in life. Jim Kelly is my #2. Thurman Thomas #3, Bruce Smith #4, Andre Reed #5.

[Spiderweb]

OJ was the best Bill player ever. That's why it's so painfull that he became such a jerk later in life. Jim Kelly is my #2. Thurman Thomas #3, Bruce Smith #4, Andre Reed #5.

 

Something tells me that "jerk" simply isn't enough to describe what OJ became.

[nostyle126]

http://www.cognacscorner.tv/news/wp-conten...if_i_did_it.jpg

[Jeffery Lester]

1. Cookie

2. Bruce

3. Thurman

4. O.J.

5. Kelly

[NFLBighits]

Ummmmmmmm Brrrruuuuuuccceeee SMITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pilsner]

It's tough to decide. Gilchrist was the best all around player, absolutely no question, plus he won a championship. However, he was only with the Bills 3 seasons, so I'm not so sure. OJ was the best pure runner, Kelly the best QB and Smith was the best overall defensive player but none of them produced a title. Thomas might also merit consideration, but again, no championship.

 

I'm going to go ahead and say Jim Kelly. He never played for another NFL team and was the face of the franchise from the day he arrived, for 11 season. He led the team to it's most prolonged period of success and although never won the big one, he did help the team get there 4 times and played pretty well in two of the four games (and left a third due to injury with his team in the lead).

 

 

Bob Knight. Nice. Jim Kelly does evoke the best of the Bills past. (well in my opinion, but that is up for debate still in my mind. Thurman, Andre, Tasker, Bruce...ect... Hull, Ritcher, Wolford, Beebe, Ballard, Bennet, Talley, ect...i could go on and on... I have to admit i'm quite a bit buzzed. I'm sure some people on here post buzzed too but i admit it. Your Bob Knight icon caught my attention tho cause i worked with his son (on his show) for quite a while. i'm still good friends with him. Please excuse me for my lack of puncuation and for proper spelling and such. a bit buzzed. anyhoo, In many ways i wish i had been a Bills fan longer than i have been (been a hard core Bills fan since 1988). I have read thru the posts from many of you long timers for quite some time. I haven't posted much. But i wish i had seen the games you had seen in their hayday previous to their 4 Superbowl appearances. I still think i am the ONLY hard core Bufallo Bills fan in San Luis Obispo, California. I've seen 3 others in this fine college town. But I think i'm the only one standing from what i've experienced. And I will continue to stand. This is such a buzzed post. Well take it for what it's worth. And if it's not worth your time then no need to reply. Hard Core Bills fans reside from all corners of this Earth.

 

Go Bills!!!!!

[BuffaloBill]

Easy pick - Thurman

Less popular - Joe Ferguson

[purple haze]

The Juice is No. 1: athletically dominant. Could only be stopped by injury or bad coaches. O.J. kept the Bills in the spotlight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoK_KGz1rHU

 

Bruce and Thurman are not far behind. Dominant as well when they played.

[nostyle126]

The Juice is No. 1: athletically dominant. Could only be stopped by injury or bad coaches. O.J. kept the Bills in the spotlight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoK_KGz1rHU

 

Bruce and Thurman are not far behind. Dominant as well when they played.

I love OJ's run about 2 minutes into the vid against the Steelers...he ran past about 5 future hall-of-famers right there.

[dave mcbride]

I just proved he was a better receiver and if you watched Bills games with him you'd know he was a great blocker. I don't give a crap what anyone else thinks. When rating RB's ground yards are really what most people pay attention to. It's a lot smarter to look at everything a RB does. So, as I said, they have better ground numbers while Thurman excelled at everything else.

You didn't prove anything. You just proved he was more involved in the passing game; not a better running back. Both Smith and Sanders were measurably better players than Thomas when it came to toting the rock. As for blocking, he did become a pretty good blocker later in his career, but in his prime years he was average (like most great backs in their prime). In any event, Thurman, as good as he was, was a pale shadow of the juice.

 

EDIT: I suppose it's arguable that he was the equal of Emmitt Smith for a couple/few seasons, but it's hard to sustain that argument when looking at their entire careers. As for Sanders, you'd have be a blind man to think that Thomas was as good as him. I mean, he's not even in the same league. Sanders is comparable with OJ, Jim Brown, Gale Sayers (before the injuries), and Red Grange; Thurman is comparable with Franco Harris, Lydell Mitchell. and Marshall Faulk.

[Tcali]

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.

 

OJ..

 

how old are you?