Comparison to 90s SB teams

[unbillievable]

3 minutes ago, SMAKCruiser said:

Surprised people are taking Bass over Christie.   

 

Kickers have gotten exponentially better. We expect kickers to make +80% under 50 yards now.

 

[MJS]

2 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

Kelly, Thurman, and Bruce all had the HOF aura around them, almost from the start. Hype that just kept growing.

 

Allen and Diggs are probably the only one with those vibes right now.

Kelly and Thurman had the elite aura, for sure. Bruce definately had the hof aura, a step above the other two.

 

Allen and Diggs for sure on the current team. Let's hope Greg Rousseau has those vibes too. He definately has the traits.

[Greg S]

4 minutes ago, unbillievable said:

 

Kickers have gotten exponentially better. We expect kickers to make +80% under 50 yards now.

 

 

You just reminded me of the days of Nick Mike-Mayer. 

[First Round Bust]

I think the 90s team would work the middle-of-the-field quite well with the TEs (Metz and McKeller) and short-timing routes to HOF-ers Lofton and Reed also would be run-heavy tween the tackles....even tho not mobile, that was a big O-line to try and get behind but Kelly would take some hits but keep on ticking....

 

Athleticism-conditioning-nutrition-etc but coaching would be the biggest diffferentiator,  the 90s coaches, once they figured what worked they kept it up and thus have to question the lack of creativity, diversity and adjustments, etc that todays coaching demands and rewards moreso than before..Walsh, Gibbs for example, were ahead of their times....so todays team would win big, but the 90s team would likley be more vaccinated and not miss the game, cant say that about todays group...and yes that is an on-going issue...

[hondo in seattle]

The 90s team was more solid all around.  On O, they could run or pass.  On D, the roster was more inconsistent but a few elite players elevated the unit.

 

Last year's team was really good at one thing: throwing the ball.  Looking at our stats, we didn't excel in any other area.  

 

But I do agree that this team has more 1-53 depth.  Beane's done a great job there. 

 

And I'm hopeful that the running game, run D, and pass D all improve this season.  Cross my fingers, we'll field a more complete team this year than last.   If so, yeah it's a team that compete with the glory years.  

[Paup 1995MVP]

4 hours ago, Greg S said:

 

I think its hard to compare from different era's. Back in the 90's teams could play defense. Today if you sneeze on a player its a 15 yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Right now the 90's teams get the nod because of what they accomplished. But if this group can win a Super Bowl than that changes everything.

Great point Greg S.  Along those lines I was watching a 60 minute condensed version of the 1998 Alamo Bowl last nite between Purdue (w a very young Drew Brees) and Kansas State (w Michael Bishop at QB).  It was an amazingly entertaining game I had recorded off of the Big 10 Network last summer.  (A Purdue Classic. LOL)  I was watching w my girlfriend's 23 year old son who was spending the nite.  The game was tremendously exciting.  But the hitting was off the chain.  Guys were flying helmet first on almost every play.  Receivers and backs were getting absolutely drilled.  My girlfriend's son thought there could have been at least 5 or 6 targeting penalties with today's rules.  He had never seen football played this way.  He was amazed.  And there was not one unnecessary roughness penalty called the entire game.  Dam the game has changed over the past two decades!!  

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

I watched ESPN's 30 for 30 on the Bills run of making 4 superbowls.

 

What an amazing team that was and the talent could be unmatched for a generation.

 

A real shame the Bills didnt at least win one.

[Mango]

4 hours ago, jwhit34 said:

My breakdown keeping in mind the different eras and how the game is played:

QB - Kelly for longevity, Allen just had the best single season in franchise history, and I don't think Kelly ever finished that high in MVP voting

RB - Thurman Thomas HOFer, end of story

WR - Current team, Diggs/Reed could be a push, but current team's depth is far superior. Lofton gave them 1-2 good years but then you have Beebe, Edwards, Brooks, etc. Brown/Sanders, Beasley, Davis, McKenzie are much better collectively

OL - Both competent groups, but as another post points out, Hull and Ritcher are on Bills' Wall of Fame, Wolford may have been the best of bunch but he left as a FA, Ballard also very good. I would take John Davis over Feliciano.

TE - 90s pair of Metzelaars and McKellar romp over present group. I'd take Butch Rolle over any current TE3

 

D front 7 is a little tougher because 90s played 3-4 and current team is 4-3.

DL - Bruce Smith is arguably the best player ever for the team, 90s are better. 

LB - Bennett/Talley/Conlan are a more accomplished group. I'll take Bennett over Edmunds and Talley over Milano. Very good units from both

DB - Today's team is better. Safeties are better, Tre White is better than Odomes, the other CB is a push.

 

K, P, LS - I'll take the current crew. 

ST non-kickers/coverage units - Tasker and Mark Pike made the 90s team elite they get the nod.

Depth - Current team

Coaching - To be determined...people will downplay Marv, but McDermott has to get to Super Bowls first. Marchibroda and Daboll is an interesting debate, McDermott/Frazier is better than Walt Corey on D. Bruce DeHaven is one of the best ST coaches ever, Farwell is off to a nice start.

 

If the current team fulfills their promise/potential I think this ends up being an interesting topic in about 5 years. Right now I'll take the 90s Bills. 

I largely agree with you here….except for WR….

 

I think that 90’s WR group is tough to pin down because of notoriety, production, and the way we used them. Beebe was so fast it’s tough to pin him in the slot like Beasley. The guy ran a 4.25. Nothing about Don Beebe was a slot guy. In terms of needing a guy to play the slot, I get taking Beasley over Beebe. But in terms of X and Z. I think I probably go: 

 

Lofton > Diggs. Lofton is a true HOF. Diggs could be to. But not yet. Too early to put Diggs over Lofton. But his production in BUF vs. GB are worth noting. 

Reed > Beasley. Come on. Andre changed the way slot receivers played. Not a true outside guy. 100/100 Andre over Beasley
 

Beebe vs prime Sanders is close. I don’t know what Sanders has in him at the moment. 
 

The current groups depth is much better so I give them the edge there. But those starting three, especially Lofton in his prime? 2/3 are HOF’ers. Beasley isn’t sniffing the HOF and Sanders will be in the Hall of Very Good. 
 

If you put together your starting 3 WR in Bills history, we are probably arguing between Lofton, Reed, Moulds, and Diggs (in no particular order). 
 

I also don’t think our current LB room is a “very good” group. I think they’re OK. And if Edmunds gets what he is projected to, I think they’re overpaid based on production. But I am not terribly he’s up on that idea. I could be convinced otherwise. Especially with a breakout season from Tremaine. 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Mango

[chaccof]

What I've been telling people when they see my Bills hat/T Shirt is that as Bills fans we should be in for a really solid four or five year stretch, similar to the late 80's/early 90's.  As someone else already pointed out though, this team has to get to at least one SB before any talk of comparison to the 90's SB teams.  Back then the Bills WERE the team to beat in the AFC and honestly, there wasn't that much .  The current Bills are not the team to beat in the AFC.  The Chiefs are until proven otherwise.  The AFC has a several real contenders.  If the Bills make the SB, and I think they will in the next three seasons, then we'll have something to compare IMHO.

[The Wiz]

let's have scrimmage and find out how it would end up.

 

 

[Dr.Sack]

If these rookies pan out I’d favor 2021 squad. 

 

 

[Putin]

6 hours ago, Rico said:

Looking at D, it’s hard to argue against any team with Bruce, and Biscuit would still be a stud… but Jeff Wright would get annihilated, and there are plenty of others like Conlan and Kelso that just couldn’t hang today.

I think this offense would hang a 50 burger on that 90’s defense 

[BillsPride12]

Back when the Bills were going to the Super Bowls in the 90s did people sit around in bars and compare those teams to the 64 and 65 Bills teams? 

[Putin]

1 hour ago, BillsPride12 said:

Back when the Bills were going to the Super Bowls in the 90s did people sit around in bars and compare those teams to the 64 and 65 Bills teams? 

Probably 

[machine gun kelly]

This trying to compare Rocky Marciano to Mike Tyson.  It’s a non starter as the game was different.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

11 hours ago, 4_kidd_4 said:

Nineties schmienties.  

 

Let it die.

My Sirius XM won’t let me! 90’s on 9 allows me to keep the bubble alive…

[Chicken Boo]

The 90s Bills were more dominant against their contemporaries than this current squad.  

 

Get back to me in about 5 seasons. 

[JohnNord]

On 8/24/2021 at 11:14 AM, BoccesOnTransit said:

For those who were alive and aware during the SB run, overall, how does this year's talent compare? Who do you think would win if they played each-other, both in their primes?

I was thinking about this the other day - there definitely a lot of similarities.  I think that the 2021 Bills team has the best chance to contend for a SB, probably since 1992.

[djp14150]

On 8/24/2021 at 11:14 AM, BoccesOnTransit said:

For those who were alive and aware during the SB run, overall, how does this year's talent compare? Who do you think would win if they played each-other, both in their primes?

 

the game is different now. Much more passing yardage.

 

K-gun at its peak could drive down and score at will and the defense stopped them.  They woukd build up 17+ ptleads by mid 2nd quarter changing how teams play. Many were run first not a strong pass offense. This also opened up the pass rush.

 

buffalo defense was weaker against the run and the strong D buffalo faced were bend, don’t break, trying to hold them to a FG.

 

the offense right now has something close with passing but the current TE isn’t as good and running game isn’t as good as Thomas-Davis.

 

the defense currently can be better if the DEs develop as pass rushers but the bills then were 3-4-4 while the current is 4-2-5. So it’s hard to compare.

[stevewin]

On 8/24/2021 at 11:51 AM, Rico said:

Totally different eras. I will say though that I’m taking McD over Marv.

Van over Murph

Whatever mascot (?) over Billy Buffalo

Anything over Train Horn

Zubaz over Everything 

Edited August 26, 2021 by stevewin