NFL Throwbacks - Kelly vs. Marino in a Winter Wonderland

[Phil The Thrill]

In the hours before the Bills face The Ravens, I thought it would be cool to shift gears a bit and take a look at a classic Bills playoff victory.

 

In my YouTube recommended videos, I came across this awesome summary of the Bills vs Miami Dolphins from the 1991 playoffs.  
 

I watched this game as a kid and thought it was a fun game back then, and it still looks it to this day.

 

I know that we have fans of all ages here  who are really reflective on the past.  I wanted to ask this group what are your memories of this game?

 

If you were too young, take 12 minutes to watch the recap and share your thoughts!

 

[ALLEN1QB]

Kelly was a truck. Lol. The

K gun was a pee-shooter compared to the A Cannon. 

[Phil The Thrill]

5 minutes ago, ALLEN1QB said:

Kelly was a truck. Lol. The

K gun was a pee-shooter compared to the A Cannon. 

Jim Kelly has a great Josh Allen impersonation.  He tucked the ball and ran up the middle for 20 yards, only to fumble after being tackled from behind ???

[Mike in Horseheads]

Painful to watch still almost 30 years latter knowing how much talent we had on that team and didn't win a Superbowl.

...Thurman had holes open so big a truck could have drove through. LOfton,Reed and Beebe were unstoppable. Forgot we couldn't stop 3rd and long way back then either.

...Marv Albert and Paul McGuire were our homer announcers lol

[njbuff]

1 minute ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Painful to watch still almost 30 years latter knowing how much talent we had on that team and didn't win a Superbowl.

...Thurman had holes open so big a truck could have drove through. LOfton,Reed and Beebe were unstoppable. Forgot we couldn't stop 3rd and long way back then either.

...Marv Albert and Paul McGuire were our homer announcers lol

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

[Buffalo716]

10 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

Jim Kelly has a great Josh Allen impersonation.  He tucked the ball and ran up the middle for 20 yards, only to fumble after being tackled from behind ???

You mean Josh does a great jim Kelly impersonation ?

[wagon127]

Crazy how much players slid around on that old turf!

[Boatdrinks]

I remember being nervous about Jimbo’s knee. It was the first time he put it to the test after injury vs Giants. We had home field throughout for the first time, but I was a wreck. Chain smoked about 15 cigarettes throughout the game ( yeah those were different times). We were standing the majority of the game , as was the rest of the lower bowl it seemed. Marino was on point though, and I was always worried about him. Couldn’t stand the Dolphins, but grudgingly respected Marino’s ability. Bills offense was hot and pulled away, great game and couldn’t wait for the Championship game the next week. 

30 minutes ago, njbuff said:

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

This^^. That team had everything except the big run stuffer to enforce the middle. It absolutely killed them in the Superbowls, including XXV. The defense lost that game more than the offense did. Allowed 40 minutes of possession time to a team with a backup QB; it seemed no Bills defender could make a tackle that day. Sure, the Bills should have run the ball more, but the defense blew that game completely. 

[Bakin]

Great clip. 
Albert calling football sounds like a bad video game play by play. 
Some many what would be considered ‘late hits’ in that game. 
Marino had an absolute gun. 
Kelly’s long ball always had this strange arc to it. It seemed to start parallel to the ground for a few yards and then just take off upwards. 

[row_33]

49 minutes ago, njbuff said:

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

there wasn’t an excuse in a million years for losing to that Giants team with Hoss at QB

 

 

[MJS]

That first catch by Thurman Thomas was insane. What great receiving back he was.

[Reks Ryan]

Thanks for posting.  That was one of my favorite games of the Bills SB era.   Was at the game but Didn’t remember a lot of the details due to the flask of liquid keeping me warm throughout the game.

 

I did remember Andre breaking free for a couple TDa, but was surprised to see what a big game Lofton had too.

[CA OC Bills Fan]

Didn’t watch the clip yet, but I (kind of) remember the game and definitely remember it being a great win. I lived near Binghamton (Endicott actually), I had 4 friends from Rome and Rochester over and had a quarter keg. After the game, every few minutes I kept asking “What was the final score again?”

[Prickly Pete]

WOW.

I don't remember this game at all, and virtually every time I see footage, I can recall the game.

Kelly was amazing. So confident, and in control. 

A juggernaut offense.

[atlbillsfan1975]

Love these clips, take me back to a special time.

I watched that game and saw Kelly multiple times making ‘what the heck was he thinking’ plays, only to follow it up with a clutch play. I will keep that in mind as I watch Josh later today. 

Edited December 8, 2019 by atlbillsfan1975

[Buffalo Barbarian]

6 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Painful to watch still almost 30 years latter knowing how much talent we had on that team and didn't win a Superbowl.

...Thurman had holes open so big a truck could have drove through. LOfton,Reed and Beebe were unstoppable. Forgot we couldn't stop 3rd and long way back then either.

...Marv Albert and Paul McGuire were our homer announcers lol

 

Its seemed like the Defense has always given up big third downs, which has always driven me nuts, especially when other great defenses could do it. However with McDermott being here it hasn't been as bad and hopefully improves to the point were we just shut everybody done.

 

 

[Buffalo Barbarian]

6 hours ago, njbuff said:

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

 

For sure, Ted was the man!! Always thought man if we could have had him during the Superbowl years we would have won some.

 

Thinking back on those years makes me sad as i was in the Navy then and missed their best years for the most part. I saw some games but nothing like being in the area to watch all the games and read the paper and Bills digest. Loved that magazine, was like having the inside scoop on the team.

 

 

 

[Chandler#81]

What I remember most -aside from being in attendance, was Thurman’s Post Game remarks; 

“They kinda pissed me off with the way they running at the mouth saying ‘they didn’t play well last time we were up here (late season Division clinching game w/ Reich at QB). Well, I thought they played pretty damn good today but they still got the azz beat!” -Perfect.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

Man, the people trashing JA early in the year must have filed this one away in the vault. Jimbo had some pretty iffy throws. Time distorts a lot of things. This may be unpopular but we forget he wasn’t exactly a “slam dunk” HOFer

[Chandler#81]

8 minutes ago, billsfanmiami(oh) said:

Man, the people trashing JA early in the year must have filed this one away in the vault. Jimbo had some pretty iffy throws. Time distorts a lot of things. This may be unpopular but we forget he wasn’t exactly a “slam dunk” HOFer

Frankly, it’s You who’s forgotten. Check the HOF record. FIRST BALLOT! Only OJ & Bruce achieved it along with Jimbo.

The following season, ‘91, Kelly was named AFC POY. 

 

Yes, your take is unpopular.

[billsfanmiami(oh)]

I’m aware he was a first ballot. I stand by my statement. Go Bills!

[Phil The Thrill]

8 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Painful to watch still almost 30 years latter knowing how much talent we had on that team and didn't win a Superbowl.

...Thurman had holes open so big a truck could have drove through. LOfton,Reed and Beebe were unstoppable. Forgot we couldn't stop 3rd and long way back then either.

...Marv Albert and Paul McGuire were our homer announcers lol

It is surprising how bad Kirby Jackson and JD Williams were in coverage.  Those two gave up a lot of big gains

8 hours ago, njbuff said:

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

Yep I’ve said that before.  Jeff Wright was a weakspot on the defense.  He was too small to play NT, and many times the Bills got gashed right up the middle.

[Seasons1992]

How did the players know where the first down yardage was without the stripe on the field? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BillsPride12]

1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

What I remember most -aside from being in attendance, was Thurman’s Post Game remarks; 

“They kinda pissed me off with the way they running at the mouth saying ‘they didn’t play well last time we were up here (late season Division clinching game w/ Reich at QB). Well, I thought they played pretty damn good today but they still got the azz beat!” -Perfect.

Another blast from the past.  I miss the days when players and coaches would call it like it is in the post game interviews.  Nowadays it's all standard PC babble. BORINGGGG

8 hours ago, njbuff said:

 

That team didn't have the big man in the middle to deal with those massive NFC running games in the SB's and it KILLED them.

 

Put Ted Washington in his prime on those Bills SB teams and they win 3 of them at least.

Or Fred Smerlas too...it's a shame we had two great Nose Tackles sandwiched in between the Super Bowl runs while it was clearly a huge weakness during the actual run.

[US Egg]

8 hours ago, row_33 said:

there wasn’t an excuse in a million years for losing to that Giants team with Hoss at QB

I beg to differ somewhat. Though it's not an excuse, it is more of where to put the blame.

 

But then again, to point the finger at fatherly figure HOF coach isn't well received in here.

Edited December 8, 2019 by I am the egg man

[Mike in Horseheads]

1 minute ago, I am the egg man said:

I beg to differ somewhat. Though it's not an excuse, it is more of where to put the blame.

 

But then again, to point the finger at fatherly figure HOF coach isn't well received in here.

Thurman could have ran for 300 yds in that game if said coach would have adj game plan

[Phil The Thrill]

1 hour ago, I am the egg man said:

I beg to differ somewhat. Though it's not an excuse, it is more of where to put the blame.

 

But then again, to point the finger at fatherly figure HOF coach isn't well received in here.

not by me.  I think we can agree that Marv & co were outcoached

[RJ (not THAT RJ)]

2 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Thurman could have ran for 300 yds in that game if said coach would have adj game plan

 

Plays were called on the fly by the coach wearing #12.

 

But, in addition to better tackling on third down, a couple of catches from #83 (a third down drop after the safety comes to mind) and the game is completely different. As with so many historical events, there are many possible inflection points. The next three times, they happened to run into better teams.

[machine gun kelly]

11 hours ago, Mike in Horseheads said:

Painful to watch still almost 30 years latter knowing how much talent we had on that team and didn't win a Superbowl.

...Thurman had holes open so big a truck could have drove through. LOfton,Reed and Beebe were unstoppable. Forgot we couldn't stop 3rd and long way back then either.

...Marv Albert and Paul McGuire were our homer announcers lol

 

We were grossly out coached in the Giants SB.  Kelly, Marchibroda, and Levy were stubborn on the K Gun when Bellicheck admitted years later that he told his defense to play 8 back and not worry about Thurmon.  It was around 14 runs for 145 yards.  If we kept with the run forcing the Giants play more men up, and the offense would be on the field longer.  We would have killed them as once they tried to stop Thurmon, we could pick their secondary apart.  

 

The Giants were much better coached with Coughlin, Bellicheck, and Parcells.  Their coaches didn’t their players to go out and get hammered throughout the one week vs. two weeks before the SB.  So stupid on Marv’s part.

[Mike in Horseheads]

24 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

 

We were grossly out coached in the Giants SB.  Kelly, Marchibroda, and Levy were stubborn on the K Gun when Bellicheck admitted years later that he told his defense to play 8 back and not worry about Thurmon.  It was around 14 runs for 145 yards.  If we kept with the run forcing the Giants play more men up, and the offense would be on the field longer.  We would have killed them as once they tried to stop Thurmon, we could pick their secondary apart.  

 

The Giants were much better coached with Coughlin, Bellicheck, and Parcells.  Their coaches didn’t their players to go out and get hammered throughout the one week vs. two weeks before the SB.  So stupid on Marv’s part.

+1 This sums it up

[machine gun kelly]

Mike, appreciate the sentiment.  To the others, I have some of the fondest memories of those days, and the cool thing that young fans haven’t gone through is an opposing team gets a go ahead score and there is maybe 1 minute and less than thirty seconds, and we would just say,  it’s alright. Time for the K Gun to do it’s thing, and over 90% of the time Kelly and crew would score in 45 seconds.

 

I’m starting to billieve like that again that we have an ascending dynasty coming and are going to start beating the Patsies regularly.