Similarities between 1988-1989 seasons and 2020-2021 seasons

[jwhit34]

I am thinking there are a lot of similarities (and some differences) between the 1988-89 Bills and the 2020-21 Bills. The similarities:

• Both the '88 and '20 Bills had big breakthrough seasons that most did not see coming.
• Both '88 and '20 teams were 2 seeds that lost in the AFC Championship game (on the road) to the Super Bowl losers (Cincy and KC)
• Kelly and Allen were both in their 3rd year with the team and essentially "arrived" as players/franchise players in '88 and '20, respectively
• There seemed to be an acknowledgement in both eras that the BIlls had done a good job acquiring talent
• Both made big trades to get a major piece that seemed to put them over the top: Cornelius Bennett in '87 and Diggs in '20
• Both defenses started out better than the offenses, it took until the '90 team and the no-huddle (more on that) for the offense to move ahead of the defense. The emergence of Allen in '20 moved the offense ahead of the defense (though maybe a little setback this year)
• The '89 and '21 teams had expectations through the roof, both hit some potholes along the way
• Both eras as they emerged from '89 and probably '21 still had young cores of good players at key positions
• Both were lauded for good coaching and good GM work, both coach/GM combos seemed to be in sync with each other

 

The differences

• The '21 Bills are not the bickering Bills of '89. The "Bickering Bills" tag did seem to bring that team together though. 
• the '88-89 Bills had more stars (Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Bruce, and then a lot of really good players like Bennett, Conlan, Wolford, Ballard Ritcher)
• The final chapter of the '21 team obviously has not been written

 

This may be a step back year for the team (not for Allen in my opinion), maybe they emerge and don't go to 4 straight Super Bowls, but it seems to me that the path or trajectory of both seem pretty similar. One of the main things that happened in '88-89 was the Cleveland playoff game where the no-huddle becomes the offensive system (and Ronnie Harmon is jettisoned). Maybe the current crew has something similar happen in the last segment of the season and playoffs. We're all hoping the team rallies (circles the wagons?) and gets hot for the playoffs but maybe this ends up being part of the process.

 

 

[Nextmanup]

Perhaps this is not so much a step back year as last year was an "artificial jump forward" year in terms of how fans perceive the accomplishments of the team.

We could have EASILY lost our first playoff game last year to Indianapolis.

 

Had we done that, would this year seem like a major regression?

 

We got on a bit of a roll last year in the playoffs when it mattered, until we ran into a buzz saw named Kansas City.

 

Is this team worse?  Or was last year's team not really that good?

 

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by Nextmanup

[IronyAbounds]

Seems I made this point a month ago.

 

On 11/7/2021 at 3:54 PM, IronyAbounds said:

In 1988 the Bills surprised by winning the AFC East with a 12-4 record and everything looked rosy heading into 1989. 1989 arrives and the Bills start quickly at 6-2 only to limp home 3-5 in the regular season. They still win a lousy division at 9-7 but lose their first playoff game. 2021 is beginning to look eerily similar to 1989 and the Bills could win the division with a mediocre record like 9-8 or 10-7. The good news is that 1989 was just a temporary blip and we know what happened the next four years.

[Einstein]

We are not in a time loop.

 

What happened in 1988-1989 have no relevance today.

[benderbender]

1 minute ago, Einstein said:

We are not in a time loop.

 

What happened in 1988-1989 have no relevance today.

Einstein was Doc's dog. Back to the Future 2 released in 1989. The signs are all there. Wake up sheeple!

[Nextmanup]

5 minutes ago, Einstein said:

We are not in a time loop.

 

What happened in 1988-1989 have no relevance today.

He's not suggesting a causality problem between the '80s and now...he's simply offering a comparison between the two time periods, which is interesting from a certain perspective.

 

By the way, Einstein, your equations had time working as a two way street, which is flat out wrong.  It only goes one way, forward.  

 

So maybe you shouldn't be commenting on time-related matters.

 

LOL

 

 

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

I had this same thought last night as I walked back to the scene of our tailgate … one can only hope this is leading towards the glory years 2.0

11 minutes ago, Einstein said:

We are not in a time loop.

 

What happened in 1988-1989 have no relevance today.

“Has” no relevance … Einstein 😂

[Nitro]

24 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

I am thinking there are a lot of similarities (and some differences) between the 1988-89 Bills and the 2020-21 Bills. The similarities:

• Both the '88 and '20 Bills had big breakthrough seasons that most did not see coming.
• Both '88 and '20 teams were 2 seeds that lost in the AFC Championship game (on the road) to the Super Bowl losers (Cincy and KC)
• Kelly and Allen were both in their 3rd year with the team and essentially "arrived" as players/franchise players in '88 and '20, respectively
• There seemed to be an acknowledgement in both eras that the BIlls had done a good job acquiring talent
• Both made big trades to get a major piece that seemed to put them over the top: Cornelius Bennett in '87 and Diggs in '20
• Both defenses started out better than the offenses, it took until the '90 team and the no-huddle (more on that) for the offense to move ahead of the defense. The emergence of Allen in '20 moved the offense ahead of the defense (though maybe a little setback this year)
• The '89 and '21 teams had expectations through the roof, both hit some potholes along the way
• Both eras as they emerged from '89 and probably '21 still had young cores of good players at key positions
• Both were lauded for good coaching and good GM work, both coach/GM combos seemed to be in sync with each other

 

The differences

• The '21 Bills are not the bickering Bills of '89. The "Bickering Bills" tag did seem to bring that team together though. 
• the '88-89 Bills had more stars (Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Bruce, and then a lot of really good players like Bennett, Conlan, Wolford, Ballard Ritcher)
• The final chapter of the '21 team obviously has not been written

 

This may be a step back year for the team (not for Allen in my opinion), maybe they emerge and don't go to 4 straight Super Bowls, but it seems to me that the path or trajectory of both seem pretty similar. One of the main things that happened in '88-89 was the Cleveland playoff game where the no-huddle becomes the offensive system (and Ronnie Harmon is jettisoned). Maybe the current crew has something similar happen in the last segment of the season and playoffs. We're all hoping the team rallies (circles the wagons?) and gets hot for the playoffs but maybe this ends up being part of the process.

 

 

Interesting premise.   The rest of this season will dictate how they move forward.  Thanks for the post.  

[djp14150]

27 minutes ago, jwhit34 said:

I am thinking there are a lot of similarities (and some differences) between the 1988-89 Bills and the 2020-21 Bills. The similarities:

• Both the '88 and '20 Bills had big breakthrough seasons that most did not see coming.
• Both '88 and '20 teams were 2 seeds that lost in the AFC Championship game (on the road) to the Super Bowl losers (Cincy and KC)
• Kelly and Allen were both in their 3rd year with the team and essentially "arrived" as players/franchise players in '88 and '20, respectively
• There seemed to be an acknowledgement in both eras that the BIlls had done a good job acquiring talent
• Both made big trades to get a major piece that seemed to put them over the top: Cornelius Bennett in '87 and Diggs in '20
• Both defenses started out better than the offenses, it took until the '90 team and the no-huddle (more on that) for the offense to move ahead of the defense. The emergence of Allen in '20 moved the offense ahead of the defense (though maybe a little setback this year)
• The '89 and '21 teams had expectations through the roof, both hit some potholes along the way
• Both eras as they emerged from '89 and probably '21 still had young cores of good players at key positions
• Both were lauded for good coaching and good GM work, both coach/GM combos seemed to be in sync with each other

 

The differences

• The '21 Bills are not the bickering Bills of '89. The "Bickering Bills" tag did seem to bring that team together though. 
• the '88-89 Bills had more stars (Kelly, Thomas, Reed, Bruce, and then a lot of really good players like Bennett, Conlan, Wolford, Ballard Ritcher)
• The final chapter of the '21 team obviously has not been written

 

This may be a step back year for the team (not for Allen in my opinion), maybe they emerge and don't go to 4 straight Super Bowls, but it seems to me that the path or trajectory of both seem pretty similar. One of the main things that happened in '88-89 was the Cleveland playoff game where the no-huddle becomes the offensive system (and Ronnie Harmon is jettisoned). Maybe the current crew has something similar happen in the last segment of the season and playoffs. We're all hoping the team rallies (circles the wagons?) and gets hot for the playoffs but maybe this ends up being part of the process.

 

 

The only similarity was that team played well against them as a motivation.

 

these games this season came down to a few plays in their losses. Small adjustments would have changed results.

 

PIT 4Q block punt TD.  
TEN went for it on 4 th doen instead of tying game with FG

JAX penalties and play calls killed them pushing them out of FG range

IND. The kick off fumble TD killed the game

NE. The wind , some play calls and non PI calls. Had bass made that FG they probably win game with a second FG.

 

buffalowin out they win division still….

[FilthyBeast]

I keep seeing this comparison on here and social media if anything because I think deep down Bills mafia don't want to concede last year was a big time fluke during the weird covid year and this could very well be the beginning of another downward spiral for this franchise going into 2022 especially since we are stuck with the GM/HC/QB for the time being.

 

But at the end of the day people need to give up this comparison for the simple fact that those late 80's/early 90's Bills teams didn't have to contend with Bill Belichik and the Patriots. If anything a more accurate comparison down the road might be these current Bills playing the role of the Marino/Shula Dolphins in that they could never get past the Bills when it mattered most especially in big division games late in the year and of course the playoffs.

 

Either way folks need to stop grasping for straws for something that's not there and likely never will be for this franchise at present.

[ngbills]

42 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

Perhaps this is not so much a step back year as last year was an "artificial jump forward" year in terms of how fans perceive the accomplishments of the team.

We could have EASILY lost our first playoff game last year to Indianapolis.

 

Had we done that, would this year seem like a major regression?

 

We got on a bit of a roll last year in the playoffs when it mattered, until we ran into a buzz saw named Kansas City.

 

Is this team worse?  Or was last year's team not really that good?

 

 

I would say a little bit of both. Last year was not good enough to call it a Super Bowl or bust year going forward. But to say the trajectory has still gone up this year is wrong too. They were a better offensive team last year. This year the warts are showing. Allen is not invincible. The offensive adjustments this year has been a big mistake. They blew the offseason by not doing enough to address what many would say were obvious flaws. They would have been much better off with big name starters at the expense of the high priced back ups. The money invested in guys like Addison, Butler, Matakevich could have been spent on an impact OL or DL. Knox has been up and down but could benefit from another decent TE on the roster. Even the Williams / Feliciano bet could have been spent elsewhere. Drafting two DE's instead of going OL or RB. I feel like any one of these decisions would have helped this offense. 

[corta765]

50 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

Is this team worse?  Or was last year's team not really that good?

 

This team feels like 2019 mixed with 2020 mixed with worse luck (0-4 in one score games), bit worse coaching decisions, and the team not performing at the heights on offense or defense as the 2019 or 2020 squads but not being terrible either. Much was said that this year the offense would be great again and with the defense rebounding we would be unstoppable, but no one considered what if the defense was just solid not great and the same with the offense.

[Paup 1995MVP]

9 minutes ago, ngbills said:

I would say a little bit of both. Last year was not good enough to call it a Super Bowl or bust year going forward. But to say the trajectory has still gone up this year is wrong too. They were a better offensive team last year. This year the warts are showing. Allen is not invincible. The offensive adjustments this year has been a big mistake. They blew the offseason by not doing enough to address what many would say were obvious flaws. They would have been much better off with big name starters at the expense of the high priced back ups. The money invested in guys like Addison, Butler, Matakevich could have been spent on an impact OL or DL. Knox has been up and down but could benefit from another decent TE on the roster. Even the Williams / Feliciano bet could have been spent elsewhere. Drafting two DE's instead of going OL or RB. I feel like any one of these decisions would have helped this offense. 

The overall roster is not star studded or even really good save for Allen, Diggs, Tre White, Poyer and Hyde.  Gabe Davis has talent and is getting better.  And Taron Johnson is a very good nickel.  If Ed Oliver continues to get better, he can be a top NFL D Lineman, but that's a maybe.  But we are missing solid tough players who can be counted on week in and week out to contribute in good if not spectacular ways.  A good team would have beaten the Patriots pretty easily last nite.  They threw 3 times for god sakes.  Load up the box on defense with a bunch of run stuffers and the Patriots get 3 pts playing that way.

 

We have an amazingly athletic and competitive QB with great physical tools.  He still has room to grow with how he reads the field.  But the throw down the sideline to Diggs late in the gate was as good as it gets.  But then he made a terrible read and missed throwing to a wide open Beasley on 4th and 14 that probably wins the game for us.  

 

I think we have a hard time making the playoffs this year.  Really need to beat Tampa on Sunday.  (We will need to pressure Brady.  We sit back and rush 4 and we are done.)  But it will be tough.  And then beating the Pats in NE will be difficult as well.  Heck playing Atl Carolina and Jets to end the year will not be gimmes because this Bills team is just not really good.  (see the pathetic performances against Jax and Indy) 

 

We will need a bigtime reboot this offseason at O line, RB and D Line.  Probably even at WR save Diggs and Davis.  Heck the coaching staff may look a lot different as well.  If things fall apart, Beane and McDermott need to take off the rose colored glasses and decide how they want this team looking going forward in 2022 and beyond.  Because this version has seriously run out of steam.   But as long as we have Josh Allen, we will have a chance each season.  Interesting how quickly things can sour. 

[Matt_In_NH]

So 4 straight SB losses after this year?  Cant wait.

[Paup 1995MVP]

27 minutes ago, corta765 said:

 

This team feels like 2019 mixed with 2020 mixed with worse luck (0-4 in one score games), bit worse coaching decisions, and the team not performing at the heights on offense or defense as the 2019 or 2020 squads but not being terrible either. Much was said that this year the offense would be great again and with the defense rebounding we would be unstoppable, but no one considered what if the defense was just solid not great and the same with the offense.

We have no running game unless Josh Allen is winding and weaving thru defenses.  Our O line can not protect our QB a large amount of the time when he drops back to pass.  And our run defense gets mauled by physical offenses.  And the coaching has not been top notch.  Thank god we got to play the Texans, Dolphins twice when they had not reached their groove yet, the WFT when they were struggling, the Jets, and a seriously depleted Saints team.  We seriously could be 4-8 at this point in the season otherwise.

[corta765]

16 minutes ago, Paup 1995MVP said:

We have no running game unless Josh Allen is winding and weaving thru defenses.  Our O line can not protect our QB a large amount of the time when he drops back to pass.  And our run defense gets mauled by physical offenses.  And the coaching has not been top notch.  Thank god we got to play the Texans, Dolphins twice when they had not reached their groove yet, the WFT when they were struggling, the Jets, and a seriously depleted Saints team.  We seriously could be 4-8 at this point in the season otherwise.

 

Which is why I said a mix of those two teams and underperforming plus bad luck and bad coaching. 

[dorquemada]

that team could run the ball