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Around the NFL: All Time 11 for Each AFC East Team


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All-time XI, AFC East: Tom Brady is ruler of dynastic Patriots

With the 2018 World Cup upon us, Jeremy Bergman and Adam Rank are divvying up the NFL and selecting the top 11 -- or in, yes, FOOTBALL parlance, all-time XI -- players from each of the 32 teams' history. Today, Bergman presents the top XI for each team in the AFC East.
 
 
Buffalo Bills
 
1) Bruce Smith, DE (1985-1999)
2) Jim Kelly, QB (1986-1996)
3) O.J. Simpson, RB (1969-1977)
4) Thurman Thomas, RB (1988-1999)
5) Andre Reed, WR (1985-1999)
6) Kent Hull, C (1986-1996)
7) Joe DeLamielleure, OG (1973-79)
Cornelius Bennett, OLB (1987-1995)
9) Mike Stratton, LB (1962-1972)
10) Butch Byrd, DB (1964-1970)
11) Fred Smerlas, NT (1979-1989)
Coach: Marv Levy (1986-1997)
 
Forget Don Beebe and Leon Lett, Thurman Thomas' missing helmet and Wide Right. This is a list of Billscelebration, after all. So instead of dwelling on the consecutive Super Bowldefeats, let's honor Buffalo's remarkable run of running up in the early 1990s, which produced franchise icons at nearly every position. Smith is the league's all-time leader in sacks and made eight All-Pro teams; in his 15 seasons in Buffalo, he compiled single-digit sacks in only three of those years. The gunslinger in Levy's "K-Gun" offense, Kelly is the first of Buffalo's triplets to grace this list. Buffalo gambled on the (future) Houston Gambler when they drafted him in 1983, but the move paid off with four Super Bowl appearances and a historic run of play. Buffalo's top skill players of the era, Thomas and Reed, follow their quarterback, but not before Simpson, who carried the Bills in the 1970s and was their first major star. The first running back to record a 2,000-yard season -- doing so in just 14 games -- Simpson was Buffalo's offense for some time, less a beneficiary of the system than being the entire system. Blocking for Simpson and Thomas were DeLamielleure and Hull, respectively, who rode their six combined All-Pros into the top seven. Stratton and Byrd led the Billsto the franchise's only two titles ... in the AFL, but still.
Edited by 26CornerBlitz
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Just now, Mickey said:

Take out Smerlas and add Ron McDole.

 

I love Smerlas but Ron McDole definitely needs to be there!

22 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Billy Shaw should be on there.  Take out Byrd or Smerlas.

I would say Stratton and I'm a 60's guy; Byrd, Smerlas, and Shaw though Stratton deserves mention!

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8 hours ago, MJS said:

Interesting that they have to say a bunch of bad things about the Bills before mentioning the good things. Typical.

Imagine you were born anywhere else but Buffalo and how would you sequence it?  Face it the Bills are more known for Wide Right and Music City Miracle than the 1960's titles.  Hell there are people out there that think No Goal also applies to the Bills.

Just love your team and when they win the media will flock to the Bills like moths to a flame

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