DFITZ1 Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 One thing overlooked on why Fergy was able to break in as a starter his rookie year was his ability to read defenses and call audibles if the play call wouldn't work. The previous QB's (Harris, Shaw, Darragh) would only run the play as called and ran into the strength of the defense. This fact was mentioned by OJ in one of the zillion books on Bills history. (and yes, I watched OJ play both the dismal early years and the glory years.). Also watched the parade of QB's between Kemp and Fergy, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I think it was '75 when the Fergy/OJ offense was really rolling. Averaged 30 points per game that season. Compares well with the Super Bowl Bills offenses. Yeah, I thought they were going to the Super Bowl that year. They were I think 4-0 until that disastrous MNF game vs. Giants with the guy on the high wire! They still should have made the playoffs, but for that horrible Mercury Morris call. Fergy was a above average QB with a rocket arm who had the same problems today's Bills QB have. Bad personnel decisions and constant coaching turnovers. His rookie year was nothing more than handoffs to OJ. I think he only threw 150 passes his rookie year. He had JD Hill and Bobby Chandler in Saban's and Ringo's run offense. He threw more with Knox as they drafted Jerry Butler and got Frank Lewis for Paul Seymour. But top draft choices like Tom Ruud and Bob Nelson, Booker Moore, Perry Tuttle, Phil "Okie" Dokes didn't help much. He had Ahmad Rashad for one year but he wanted $100k a year and Ralph only would offer $95k so he went to Seattle. Knox left and they hired Kay Stephenson who put the Bills in a downward spiral. I was wondering this lately. How did Rashad leave? It was like he was a free agent before free agency?............But, then I read Bill Simmons the other day talk about the Jets bad luck, which included John Riggins leaving via free agency the one and only year that there was free agency back then. Anybody remember how this went down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormin Norman Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 (edited) I hate seeing all the comments about the head-hanging. While I am not denying Fergy did that, I do want to also call out that he had a similar look when he threw huge touchown passes and great throws downfield for big gains. (His five touchdown performance against Miami in the Orange Bowl in Dan Marino's first start ever in the NFL is a great example). He rarely if ever did a fist pump or ran down to the end zone to celebrate a touchdown, as I recall. More of an, "Awe shucks, that's what I'm supposed to do" kind of disposition even on his best plays. You'd see linemen hugging him and jumping up and down, but not Joe. Several have noted his toughness. He was a very tough, humble competitor. And his recovery from lymphoma and leukemia are truly indicative of his quiet, tough spirit. Joe Ferguson is one of my favorite athletes of all time because of that spirit and because he was a real gentleman. Edited April 9, 2013 by Stormin Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Anybody remember how this went down? http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19760721&id=0atVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3uADAAAAIBAJ&pg=3875,5125130 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 The core offensive talent was present. Fergy had the skills to take this team all the way. The D was missing a couple of players. Ralph and Overdork were at their worst in those days. OJ was getting a fortune and they would not spend to take the next step. I remember we needed a linebacker desperately both Mike Curtis and Hendricks were available, both were at their peak. The Bills refused to get into the the bidding war. Ferguson, OJ, Braxton and an outstanding O line were good enough to get us in to the big dance. The D just needed a few players. Ferguson could get down on himself when the game was out of hand but he had an excellent arm and was very accurate. Just as important he was a gentleman through and through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prickly Pete Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 (edited) I hate seeing all the comments about the head-hanging. While I am not denying Fergy did that, I do want to also call out that he had a similar look when he threw huge touchown passes and great throws downfield for big gains. (His five touchdown performance against Miami in the Orange Bowl in Dan Marino's first start ever in the NFL is a great example). He rarely if ever did a fist pump or ran down to the end zone to celebrate a touchdown, as I recall. More of an, "Awe shucks, that's what I'm supposed to do" kind of disposition even on his best plays. You'd see linemen hugging him and jumping up and down, but not Joe. Several have noted his toughness. He was a very tough, humble competitor. And his recovery from lymphoma and leukemia are truly indicative of his quiet, tough spirit. Joe Ferguson is one of my favorite athletes of all time because of that spirit and because he was a real gentleman. Yeah, I agree with all of this. I realize everybody has their own opinion, but some of the things posted are misleading, and Joe Ferguson deserves better as a person. He was by all accounts a GREAT teammate, regardless of how you feel about his play. Edited April 9, 2013 by Marauder'sMicro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ektin Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 (edited) http://news.google.c...pg=3875,5125130 and Seattle then traded him to the Vikings before the season started Edited April 9, 2013 by ektin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcali Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I agree with Lurker. I don't remember Fergy pointing the finger of blame at anyone but himself. I could be wrong but that is my memory. i specifically remember him yelling at his own players on the field on national TV.It was embarrassing. Fergy was a above average QB with a rocket arm who had the same problems today's Bills QB have. Bad personnel decisions and constant coaching turnovers. His rookie year was nothing more than handoffs to OJ. I think he only threw 150 passes his rookie year. He had JD Hill and Bobby Chandler in Saban's and Ringo's run offense. He threw more with Knox as they drafted Jerry Butler and got Frank Lewis for Paul Seymour. But top draft choices like Tom Ruud and Bob Nelson, Booker Moore, Perry Tuttle, Phil "Okie" Dokes didn't help much. He had Ahmad Rashad for one year but he wanted $100k a year and Ralph only would offer $95k so he went to Seattle. Knox left and they hired Kay Stephenson who put the Bills in a downward spiral. kay stephenson didnt put the Bills in a downward spiral--ralphy did---he was a decent coach who was stuck with a lousy roster.The bills played very hard for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 I know it is impossible to compare stats of QB's from the '70s against those of modern day QB's, but I was wondering if Joe Ferguson was considered a good, mediocre or poor QB during the time he played? I was too young to remember Ferguson playing, although I did have his 1985 Topps Football card with him in a Bills uniform. My memory only goes back to Jim Kelly as the Bills' QB. 1) tough 2) good arm - better arm than he gets credit for 3) about as mobile as chewing gum, not a guy who could extend a play with his feet 4) I think it was known around the league that if you could ring his bell a few times, he'd get rattled and start making mistakes, throwing it away (It was certainly my impression from watching him). He did better when his line was better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbb Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 http://news.google.c...pg=3875,5125130 That doesn't tell the story. At least the part that I could read.............How could he be a free agent, when free agency didn't begin until the 1990s? Except somehow Simmons said there was one year in the 1970s that it happened when Riggins went to the Skins. Were the Bills stupid enough to just cut him and not get anything in return? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 No one hung their head as good as Joe Surprisingly at the time he retired, he was like 20th in many career stat's I was going to mention this... It would really piss my father off when Joe hung his head after a mistake or bad play! Also, he would say: 'When the weather turned south in BFLO, so did Ferguson... Back home to his Arabian horses!" Supposedly he raised Arabian horses back home in Louisana: http://www.marthamurdockstables.com/about-martha.html "Martha thrived in Louisiana and trained horses for Elmwood Farms in Coushatta and for Louisiana native, Joe Ferguson the quarterback of the Buffalo Bills." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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