The Frankish Reich Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) The question is this: not the 5 Best Bills Teams of All Time (that would get boring; the 4 Super Bowl teams plus any other playoff team). It's more like "Which Bills Teams Provided the Most Pure Fan Entertainment Value?" So that may be all good (the first SB team) or a mix of highs and lows, or even "I can't make myself look away" trainwrecks. Here's mine; I don't go back to the pre-merger days just because I was too young to remember them: 1. 1990. The first Super Bowl team. That one's easy. Finally made it, and just about won it. And when it ended, we all thought we'll get 'em next year. A marvelous ride with a thrilling/crushing end. 2. 2017. Really, you could make a good argument that this was probably the most flat-out entertaining season of them all. Started 5-2. Then hit a wall, crushed by the Saints. 5-4 after that, but still in the hunt. And then ... inexplicably ... Nathan Peterman! A stunning change, and a stunningly horrible result. Return to normalcy the next week with Tyrod. Sputtering along, stumbling toward that 3% statistical chance of making the playoffs, and then ... the return of Nathan Peterman in the great snow game, with the astounding Joe Webb pass. And then ... Andy Dalton! The drought was over. The good, the bad, the ugly, the ridiculous, all in one season. 3. 1973. OJ's 2000 yard season. The team wasn't very good, but the run for 2,000 was reason enough to keep watching all by itself. I went to my first Bills game in 1971. 1973 was when it started feeling like we might just have the best player in football, and that that might be enough to actually win something. The next season was better, but not as memorable for me, even though we made the playoffs. Couldn't beat the Dolphins in the regular season but actually played them close. One and done in the playoffs (Steelers, but really, that was peak Steelers). And we all thought next season would be better. It was ... o.k., but then the decline started again. 4. 1999. The Music City debacle. Flutie! The inexplicable change to Rob Johnson for that playoff game. (We specialize in those.) The sluggish offense, and then suddenly shoeless Rob making a big play for the win! And then, well, we all know what happened then. 5. 2014. The inexplicable switch to Kyle Orton when EJ was 2-2. It worked! For a while. The Detroit "home" game after the epic snow. Sammy Watkins! Robert Woods! The Jim Schwartz defense. It had it all until Kyle slid on that last series. Honorable Mentions: - 1992. It ended ugly. The Super Bowl collapse. But ... The Comeback. As improbable as comebacks come, with Frank Reich leading it. Amazing. And still a damn good team, although by the Super Bowl it became obvious that this was the NFC's time, and specifically, the NFC East's. - 1981. Ground Chuck! Hey, maybe this will work after all. Joe Cribbs. Window of opportunity opening with the Steelers and Dolphins nearing the end (this was pre-Marino). Oops, didn't see the game going in the reverse direction at the time (Air Coryell, Marino, Montana, Kelly ...) EDIT: after reading some replies, I moved some things around! Edited September 28, 2019 by The Frankish Reich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 1973, my first as a 7-year old fan, Juice gets 2003 yards on the ground 1980 a playoff run with Joe Cribbs, was there when they beat Miami after 20 losses in a row, Chuck Knox was easily the best coach of my decades of cheering 1988, after 2 disasters with Kelly they turned it around and got to the AFC title game. 1990, after winning at The Meadowlands in December, the Bills were the best team in the NFL, until Wide Right, I don't think I will every believe they are the at a given moment the best team in the NFL again... i'll combine 91 to 93 but it wasn't the same as 88 or 90... 92 and 93 wasn't that great as it was just a season heading towards a SB massacre..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 1966 - played the Chiefs to go to the first Super Bowl but lost; I attended the AFL Championship game went home sad. 1973 - OJ and 2000 yards; after six years of really bad football it was great! For those who complain about McBeane or even Peterman you have no idea what bad is! 1980 - loved this team and its personalities; the win against the Rams. 1988 - We were finally back and you knew we would be for awhile! 1998/1999 - Sorry, loved watching Flutie and the defense 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Franco_92 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) I only started watching in 2005. 2017 easy. Playoffs, and I loved that team every step of the way. 2014. That defense was amazing, we still liked Sammy, who provided us with plenty of electric, exciting rookie moments. Fred was still there. That Packers game in December is a top 5 all time game for me. (easy choice considering the stretch we've had since 2005) It gets hard after this haha. 2015. Wasn't sick of Rex until the middle/end, the opener and then week 3 against Miami were awesome. Always fun to sweep the Jets and Dolphins. The game in KC was so fun before we fell apart. 2011. 2008. The last two seasons just because there were brief glimpses of hope at the beginning, and Fred Jackson (2011) was just so damn fun to watch. Based on the criteria for 08/11, this season is ALREADY going to be guaranteed in the top 5. Let's hope it climbs all the way to the top. Edited September 27, 2019 by arcane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'm Spartacus Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I'm going to go with the 1980 Bills. Exciting team to watch. Beating the Rams & meeting the Bills at the airport in sub-zero weather! I loved you uniforms then too. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 1990. I witnessed some of the wins leading up to our first SB experience didn't suffer the pain of watching that SB - I was deployed in Saudi for Operation Desert Storm. Great to watch the Bills offense that season move the ball almost at will. 1973. I loved watching OJ play. His skill was preternatural. Going to a Bills game was like visiting the Sistine Chapel - you would gape in awe - except that Bills games were a lot more exciting of course! 1989. A fun team: Jerry Butler, Joe Cribs, the "Bermuda Triangle"... Breaking the Fin Streak gave me a sense that good times were coming. 1991. Another great offense and SB run. 1975. Another great year by OJ as the Bills led the league in scoring, producing 30 points per game (which was awesome in that era). Edited September 27, 2019 by hondo in seattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Easy. The five times they made the AFC Championship game (4 times making the SB). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 36 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said: 1990. I witnessed some of the wins leading up to our first SB experience didn't suffer the pain of watching that SB - I was deployed in Saudi for Operation Desert Storm. Great to watch the Bills offense that season move the ball almost at will. 1973. I loved watching OJ play. His skill was preternatural. Going to a Bills game was like visiting the Sistine Chapel - you would gape in awe - except that Bills games were a lot more exciting of course! 1989. A fun team: Jerry Butler, Joe Cribs, the "Bermuda Triangle"... Breaking the Fin Streak gave me a sense that good times were coming. 1991. Another great offense and SB run. 1975. Another great year by OJ as the Bills led the league in scoring, producing 30 points per game (which was awesome in that era). c'mon... gotta be room in your heart for the Knox/Cribbs 1980 season..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, row_33 said: c'mon... gotta be room in your heart for the Knox/Cribbs 1980 season..... I think he meant 1980 where it's 1989. 1989 is the Ronnie freaking Harmon year. Cribbs and Butler were nowhere in sight in 1989. Edited September 27, 2019 by njbuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 11 minutes ago, njbuff said: I think he meant 1980 where it's 1989. yes, 1989 was capped off by "he who shall not be mentioned" dropping the perfectly placed TD pass from Kelly at Cleveland in the playoffs.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chandler#81 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Too many to categorize into 5, so 5 periods it is ’64-‘66 ’73-‘75 ’79-‘82 ’88-‘93 ’17-Present 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJS Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 My earliest Bills memories are from the 1999 season. So that one is up there. Best Bills memory for me is 2017. Ironic that the crowning moment of the season was without the Bills even on the field (Dalton's 4th down pass). 2004 with the great defense we had was interesting. Not really any others worth mentioning for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Just now, row_33 said: yes, 1989 was capped off by "he who shall not be mentioned" dropping the perfectly placed TD pass from Kelly at Cleveland in the playoffs.... Ronnie freaking Harmon. That team might have won in Denver, but would have gotten crushed by the greatest team in SB history, the 89 Niners. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 15 minutes ago, njbuff said: Ronnie freaking Harmon. That team might have won in Denver, but would have gotten crushed by the greatest team in SB history, the 89 Niners. 15 minutes ago, njbuff said: Ronnie freaking Harmon. That team might have won in Denver, but would have gotten crushed by the greatest team in SB history, the 89 Niners. The worst part was bozos blamed Kelly for many years until youtube gave us that play to re-watch if we want... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloRebound Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 My fandom memory only goes back to 1986. 1986 - palpable excitement over arrival of franchise QB 1988 - the golden years had arrived 1990 - wild ride of a season. Only year we were the NFL’s juggernaut 1998 - Flutie mania 2017 - drought ends 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 11 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said: My fandom memory only goes back to 1986. 1986 - palpable excitement over arrival of franchise QB 1988 - the golden years had arrived 1990 - wild ride of a season. Only year we were the NFL’s juggernaut 1998 - Flutie mania 2017 - drought ends happy i don't have to use 1998 or it's reason even 1% in my enjoyment of the franchise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 9 minutes ago, row_33 said: yes, 1989 was capped off by "he who shall not be mentioned" dropping the perfectly placed TD pass from Kelly at Cleveland in the playoffs.... At the time Merlon Olson said it perfectly if you go back and listen to his commentary after the dropped pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 19 minutes ago, njbuff said: At the time Merlon Olson said it perfectly if you go back and listen to his commentary after the dropped pass. he was my all-time color man, Gowdy play by play they got replaced by my least favourites in Dierdorf and Enberg..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 1 minute ago, row_33 said: he was my all-time color man, Gowdy play by play they got replaced by my least favourites in Dierdorf and Enberg..... Can they be any worse than Buck and Aikman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 IMO in all the years of Bills football they were the best team in the entire league two times. 1990 and 1980. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, njbuff said: Can they be any worse than Buck and Aikman? Enberg and Dierdorf... Buck seems to have a decent sense of humour about all the garbage tossed at him as i get a lot more older i don't let the inanity get to me, or i try not to.... 12 minutes ago, Kelly the Dog said: IMO in all the years of Bills football they were the best team in the entire league two times. 1990 and 1980. 1980 is a fun season, seems half the NFL at some point could have won it, my favourite season for replays on computer and cards/dice sims the Chargers are totally unstoppable for the replays....their mental composure (and probably a few drug problems) in real life did them in. Edited September 27, 2019 by row_33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 90 91 92 93 2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 6 minutes ago, row_33 said: Enberg and Dierdorf... Buck seems to have a decent sense of humour about all the garbage tossed at him as i get a lot more older i don't let the inanity get to me, or i try not to.... 1980 is a fun season, seems half the NFL at some point could have won it, my favourite season for replays on computer and cards/dice sims the Chargers are totally unstoppable for the replays....their mental composure (and probably a few drug problems) in real life did them in. The mute button has always been my favorite announcer over the years in both football and hockey. It was fun watching the Devils win Cups with no sound. ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I have 1500 downloaded podcasts and other things to listen to instead of Mute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Just now, row_33 said: I have 1500 downloaded podcasts and other things to listen to instead of Mute. I have all 6 games recorded of the 2000 ECSF series between the Devils and Leafs, as the Devils disposed of the Leafs on their way to their 2nd Cup. ? Just messing around row Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 was that the one where the Leafs got 3 shots on net in the vital 3rd period of the closing game? i can't imagine how many millions would be there for a Leafs SC parade, as if.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasons1992 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 45 minutes ago, row_33 said: yes, 1989 was capped off by "he who shall not be mentioned" dropping the perfectly placed TD pass from Kelly at Cleveland in the playoffs.... I'm STILL angry at this. So is Don Beebe's spine...... Edited September 27, 2019 by Seasons1992 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njbuff Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 11 minutes ago, row_33 said: was that the one where the Leafs got 3 shots on net in the vital 3rd period of the closing game? i can't imagine how many millions would be there for a Leafs SC parade, as if.... 6 shots TOTAL for game 6. Epic times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFanSD Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 In chronological order: 1990 1991 1992 1993 2017 Maybe it's just me being nostalgic, but the SB teams had real personality to them. Not always in the most positive way of course ("bickering Bills"), but people like Kelly, Thurman, Talley, Bruce, Marv, etc. were larger-than-life characters at times. That made those teams lots of fun to follow and cheer for. So many teams during the drought seemed like cardboard cutouts by way of comparison. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 2 hours ago, The Frankish Reich said: 3. 1972. OJ's 2000 yard season. The team wasn't very good, but the run for 2,000 was reason enough to keep watching all by itself. I went to my first Bills game in 1971. 1972 was when it started feeling like we might just have the best player in football, and that that might be enough to actually win something. The next two seasons the teams were better, but not as memorable for me. 1973: 9-5! Actually good. 1974: playoffs! Couldn't beat the Dolphins in the regular season but actually played them close. One and done in the playoffs (Steelers, but really, that was peak Steelers). And we all thought next season would be better. It was ... o.k., but then the decline started again. OJ's 2003 yard season was 1973. My top five in no particular order and for obvious reasons: 1990 1988 1993 1973 1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Ned Flanders said: OJ's 2003 yard season was 1973. My top five in no particular order and for obvious reasons: 1990 1988 1993 1973 1989 what happened in 1989 to fall off from 1988? Too lazy to look it up if you know offhand.... couldn't pin it all on Flip Johnson Edited September 27, 2019 by row_33 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 20 hours ago, row_33 said: what happened in 1989 to fall off from 1988? Too lazy to look it up if you know offhand.... How did they go from 12-4 in 1988 to 9-7 in 1989? There wasn't one thing to put a finger on, but they had to squeak out a win in the opener in Miami, looked flat in the Monday Night opener, lost on a last second FG to a bad Atlanta team, Kelly got hurt (but Reich filled in admirably) but as I recall near the end of the season, they got blown out in SF, lost to an average New Orleans team at home in the snow, but blew out the Jets to win a very poor division. The Bickering Bills were born (which I thought was blown way out of proportion) and the Cleveland playoff game was a back and forth battle which I was at along with another 20,000 Bills fans. But that Cleveland game gave birth to the K-Gun, which the Bills employed at the start of 1990. Edited September 28, 2019 by Ned Flanders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 3 hours ago, Chandler#81 said: Too many to categorize into 5, so 5 periods it is ’64-‘66 ’73-‘75 ’79-‘82 ’88-‘93 ’17-Present Great post, we have the same history and perspective, thanks! 3 hours ago, row_33 said: yes, 1989 was capped off by "he who shall not be mentioned" dropping the perfectly placed TD pass from Kelly at Cleveland in the playoffs.... Ronnie! 4 hours ago, I'm Spartacus said: I'm going to go with the 1980 Bills. Exciting team to watch. Beating the Rams & meeting the Bills at the airport in sub-zero weather! I loved you uniforms then too. The Rams game = greatest and most emotional in the teams history; Chuck Knox crying as he left the field then the dancing encore! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmanfan Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 1964. First championship 1965. Second championship 1973. The Electric Company turns on the Juice. 1989. Super Bowl! 1980. Finally squish the Fish! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 4 hours ago, hondo in seattle said: 1990. I witnessed some of the wins leading up to our first SB experience didn't suffer the pain of watching that SB - I was deployed in Saudi for Operation Desert Storm. Great to watch the Bills offense that season move the ball almost at will. 1973. I loved watching OJ play. His skill was preternatural. Going to a Bills game was like visiting the Sistine Chapel - you would gape in awe - except that Bills games were a lot more exciting of course! 1989. A fun team: Jerry Butler, Joe Cribs, the "Bermuda Triangle"... Breaking the Fin Streak gave me a sense that good times were coming. 1991. Another great offense and SB run. 1975. Another great year by OJ as the Bills led the league in scoring, producing 30 points per game (which was awesome in that era). Hondo, I listened to the AFC Championship between the Bills and the Raiders on a roof during SCUD attacks brother at King Faud Airport; same thing for the Broncos game on a roof listening to AFN when Biscuit blocked the kick. In 1980 I listened to the Bills - Rams on AFN guarding an ammo bunker in the jungles of Panama; thanks for your service brother! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 34 minutes ago, vorpma said: The Rams game = greatest and most emotional in the teams history; Chuck Knox crying as he left the field then the dancing encore! Yeah, that was a great one, but they got blown out the next week in NE and had to knock down a Joe Montana Hail Mary at the end of the SF game to win the division. Lose that game in SF and they're not even getting into the playoffs. I was standing that whole fourth quarter and told my mother that if they lose, I'm throwing myself into the Christmas tree. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 49 minutes ago, vorpma said: Great post, we have the same history and perspective, thanks! Ronnie! The Rams game = greatest and most emotional in the teams history; Chuck Knox crying as he left the field then the dancing encore! Crushing the Raiders in that AFCCG to get to the first SB was the best game in team history, maybe a bit too good for their egos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Not the best team, but I have to go with the 1975 Bills for entertainment. They were socked with injuries on D side and played in shootouts regularly, especially against Bert Jones and the Colts. Best Offense in the league, Best player in the league, Best Offensive line in the league. Besides OJ being at the top of his game and setting an NFL TD record, we also had an 800+ yard rusher at FB in Jim Braxton and a couple fun receivers in Bob Chandler and J.D. Hill. The 1990-93 teams were of course a blast to watch too, but alot of the time they just beat the daylights out of the opponent it made for alot of boring second halves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
row_33 Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 13 minutes ago, D. L. Hot-Flamethrower said: Not the best team, but I have to go with the 1975 Bills for entertainment. They were socked with injuries on D side and played in shootouts regularly, especially against Bert Jones and the Colts. Best Offense in the league, Best player in the league, Best Offensive line in the league. Besides OJ being at the top of his game and setting an NFL TD record, we also had an 800+ yard rusher at FB in Jim Braxton and a couple fun receivers in Bob Chandler and J.D. Hill. The 1990-93 teams were of course a blast to watch too, but alot of the time they just beat the daylights out of the opponent it made for alot of boring second halves. 3 OJ seasons get mention, one of them a playoff season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. L. Hot-Flamethrower Posted September 27, 2019 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Just now, row_33 said: 3 OJ seasons get mention, one of them a playoff season. He was my hero growing up, wore 32 when I played. It's a shame he lost his mind and went on a rampage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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