What Part of The SB Puzzle Does This Team Miss Compared to 90’s

[formerlyofCtown]

11 hours ago, billsbackto81 said:

 

Who is this Bruce you speak of? 🤔

 

#1. As much as I like Motor, he's no Thurman Thomas. Defenses in the 90's had to account and game plan around #34. Motor is not in that type of discussion. #2.  And yes, a pass rush would be nice. #3.  Our LB's were better and deeper in the 90's but that I guess is to be expected when running a predominate 3-4 defense. 

I disagree.  I think our lack of LBs is why we never won a SB.

[SoTier]

Different times, different teams.  What worked in the 1990s isn't going to fly in the 2020s, so I'm not even going to compare the two.  

 

They've got their QB, they've got a great WR corps that complements each other, they have a young RB duo to tote the rock when they need/want to do so, and they have one of the better OLs in the league.  For the first time since the Kelly era, they actually have TEs that catch the ball rather than just block.   On defense, they don't have 1 great pass rusher but they've got a deep DL unit that they rotate effectively.  They have excellent LBs, especially Milano and Edmunds, one of the top pairs of safeties in the league, and a good CB corps headed up by a young All Pro in Tre White.   Overall, they have significantly more team speed and smarter, more dedicated players (I think that too many fans don't appreciate just how much better prepared your average NFL rookie is today than 30 years ago).    

 

I think that the Bills are significantly better coached than those Glory Years teams.  I wasn't a McDermott fan until I saw how well he's had the Bills ready for this 2020 season with no OTAs, no preseason games, etc.  They came out prepared to play in Game 1 and haven't looked back.  They are playing very disciplined football with minimal pre-snap, late hit, and other similarly dumb penalties.   Compared to many of the other teams, they've had fewer of the kinds of injuries that might result from not having enough or the right kind of training to make up for no preseason games.   Leslie Frazier has been a good DC since he was hired on.  Many people disliked Brian Daboll for his first couple of years here in Buffalo, but he seems to have managed Josh Allen's development extremely well, especially after getting better coaches for the various position groups last season.

 

I think that the Bills compare well with the top teams in the NFL today, and various experts around the league are recognizing that.  IMO, the only thing that keeps the Bills from making the playoffs and making a serious run for the AFC Championship is injuries -- or a league-wide disruption of play due to Covid-19.  

Edited October 8, 2020 by SoTier

[billsbackto81]

6 hours ago, formerlyofCtown said:

I disagree.  I think our lack of LBs is why we never won a SB.

Shane Conlan

Cornelius Bennett

Darryl Talley

Carlton Bailey

 

That's a much better group than what we have now. We can debate different skill sets, schemes and time era but from a "talent" perspective they were solid. Maybe they weren't deep enough to win a SB but there were so many other factors. Coaching, player discipline or lack thereof, star players not showing up on the big stage. 

[without a drought]

An abundance of play-makers on defense.

[spartacus]

14 hours ago, mannc said:

Well, bad teams like the Giants still try to build around RBs...and at any rate, the 90s  Bills Offense was built around Jim Kelly, not Thurman Thomas.

in correct

 

Thurman was the key

would have won SB 25 if they gave him the ball

[Returntoglory]

Absolutely dominant pass rusher! Man. Watching Bruce in his hey day was magical. 

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

On 10/7/2020 at 10:15 PM, JTown said:

3.  I'm pretty sure lack of experience at kicker will bite us at some point.

im pretty sure experience at kicker still bit  pretty hard in the 90s.

 

The differences are 

 

1) none of the current Ends are close canton bound

2) current team has a way better secondary and as a whole the defense now is much better up the middle than the Marv teams 

3) Kelly was in his Prime, Josh still a ways away from salty vet

4) WRs, I think are pretty close
5) this o line is good, that one had multiple pro bowlers 

6) Motor is good, Thurman could take over a game 

7) the game has changed soooo much 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by Over 29 years of fanhood

[Rebel101]

On 10/7/2020 at 10:04 PM, thronethinker said:

Looking back at the early 90s Bills it is obvious that the team had several Hall of Fame Members associated with it. In fact it is one of the highest number of HOF members associated with any one NFL team between 1990-1992 add in NFL history. The late 80s team was very complete but still lacked that edge before 1990 to get into the SB. The Bennet trade was a difference maker but not what got the team to the SB. In the end the difference was going to the no huddle and utilizing Thurman Thomas as a dual threat at RB or Receiver. You cannot argue this point, the Bills went from contenders to SB plus 4 when they optimized Thurman Thomas in the no huddle. 

 

Today I see a very promising team with Allen and the receivers. Our D should rebound. But  what is our formulation to get over that hump like the late 80s teams? I like our chances out scoring other teams every week, but we lack that No Huddle or Thurman Thomas factor of the 90s teams. Diggs is a major piece and it shows, but I just feel we are are missing piece away from domination. 

I agree. I do thinks our defense will help. But I also think people are still playing the run thinking that’s what Buffalo football is and no confidence in Allen. Especially with no preseason so as that changes the defenses will start playing the pass more which will allow us to us Singletary or moss as really a game changer and a game finisher. Also Knox. Having 3 stud WRs. Having a TE and a RB that adds to that is dangerous. Right now Knox hasn’t been that healthy and Kroft has made a few plays but if Knox can take that step it will be HUGE. 

[Augie]

I would say the best pass rusher ever would have to be high on my list. 

 

Solidify the OL so we could reliably run the ball would be a distant (but important) second. 

[2ForMacAdoo]

13 hours ago, BillsPride12 said:

This team is a stud edge rusher away from being a legit Super Bowl contender in my opinion 

This.  There has never been and will never be another Bruuuuce. We are spoiled because of him. Having said that, I don't believe with all that offensive firepower that the Chiefs juggernaut wins last year's Super Bowl without Frank Clark. I'd be willing to part with next year's 1st rounder for a DE of that caliber.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

On 10/7/2020 at 9:05 PM, westside2 said:

Off the top of my head, I would say pass rush and running back. I would be interested to see the Bills apply some sort of variation of the K-gun. I think we have the weapons to pull it off.

 

DINGDINGDING this first.  Pass rush.  Running game.

 

The Bills are already applying variants of the K-gun for example:

https://clutchpoints.com/bills-news-buffalo-adapting-some-old-jim-kelly-plays-for-josh-allen/

[4th&long]

Running back. No one close to Thurman Thomas on this team!

[Mr. WEO]

Front 7

[Motor26]

Don Beebe. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Motor26

[Lurker]

Thurman.  He was the guy that made everything work.   

 

That team was built around -- and carried by -- the offense.  Thurman was the best offensive player (not just RB) in the league for two of those years.   

 

Bruce was a close second, IMO.   The defense never played at an equivalent level, even with Bruce.   They would make splash plays and take aways, and beat up on inferior competition, but ultimately, were not stout enough to stop big, powerful running teams...

 

 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Lurker

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

The current team does have something positive going for them that the 90s didn’t. We don’t know how it ends for these guys yet.

[oldmanfan]

On 10/7/2020 at 10:04 PM, thronethinker said:

Looking back at the early 90s Bills it is obvious that the team had several Hall of Fame Members associated with it. In fact it is one of the highest number of HOF members associated with any one NFL team between 1990-1992 add in NFL history. The late 80s team was very complete but still lacked that edge before 1990 to get into the SB. The Bennet trade was a difference maker but not what got the team to the SB. In the end the difference was going to the no huddle and utilizing Thurman Thomas as a dual threat at RB or Receiver. You cannot argue this point, the Bills went from contenders to SB plus 4 when they optimized Thurman Thomas in the no huddle. 

 

Today I see a very promising team with Allen and the receivers. Our D should rebound. But  what is our formulation to get over that hump like the late 80s teams? I like our chances out scoring other teams every week, but we lack that No Huddle or Thurman Thomas factor of the 90s teams. Diggs is a major piece and it shows, but I just feel we are are missing piece away from domination. 

The 80’s teams never truly got over the hump.  But to compare they would need better front 7 on D and for Singleton to emerge as a star

[Bob in STL]

Comparing teams from different eras is nit easy to do.
 

Let’s see this team get there and then have the conversation.  

[Andy1]

We are only missing one Bruce Smith, an all-time great pass rusher.

[keepthefaith]

Kicker