Who was our best PR ever?

[Special K]

6 hours ago, CLTbills said:

During those years, any return was exciting because it was either McGee on KO's, or Roscoe on punts.

 

One of my favorites was when McGee returned one in the third quarter against the Cowboys on MNF.

Terrence McGee's best KO wasn't even a TD.....it was this one against the Saints...

 

Edit: I'm blocked from embedding it, but just click "Watch on YouTube" to see it.

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Special K

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Roscoe. Dude was great.

[Blank Stare]

7 hours ago, Cripple Creek said:

This thread isn't about punt catchers.

Ha! Chris Watson. Man, been a long time on that one. Where does Micah Hyde rank on the punt catchers list?

[BillsVet]

7 hours ago, SMAKCruiser said:

Chris Watson

 

Wade had some good sound bites.  Maybe not as many as Bum, but that was a great quip.

 

For the record, Roscoe Parrish jumped into the stands where I sat with my friends upon returning a punt against Denver in the 2007 opener. 

[billsfan89]

Roscoe Parrish was great for several years, I can't think of any other really outstanding kick returners. Roberts is good, he is reliable to not muff the ball and can squeak out a few solid 7-12 yard returns here and there that can make a difference in terms of field position. 

[st pete gogolak]

How about most important punt return in Bills’ history.  Hard to top Butch Byrd’s TD punt return in ‘65 AFL Championship Game, helped seal back to back championships.  I think it was the first time I ever said a swear word out loud.

[Buffalo716]

Roscoeeeeeee

[Matt_In_NH]

Chris Watson.   End thread. 

[Manther]

14 hours ago, SMAKCruiser said:

Chris Watson

I believe he was more of a punt catcher.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

7 hours ago, Special K said:

Terrence McGee's best KO wasn't even a TD.....it was this one against the Saints...

 

Edit: I'm blocked from embedding it, but just click "Watch on YouTube" to see it.

 

probably one of my favorite bills plays of all time. McGee is in the top 5 of my favorite Bills. Great KR, great CB, and from what I have read, great guy too. 

[Prospector]

Roscoe is the really only true answer. If we are talking just punt returning, it is Roscoe, no question or debate. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Tasker

[Phil The Thrill]

15 hours ago, thebandit27 said:

Roscoe Parrish and it isn’t close

Roscoe was pretty dangerous as a punt returner.  This is a huge “if” but if he could only stay healthy, he’d be a great option for a WR4 or gadget type of player.  

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

17 hours ago, billsbackto81 said:

1.	Roscoe Parrish, 2005-11	77 GMS	135 NUM	1,622 YDS	12.0	AVG      82t LG	3 TDs
2.	Jeff Burris, 1994-97	54	100	1,045	10.4	57	0
3.	Leodis McKelvin, 2008-15	98	99	1,021	10.3	88t	3

thank you for not displaying fumbles 

[holla83]

On 4/8/2020 at 7:48 AM, Blokestradamus said:

 

I missed it live. Went to the bathroom thinking that I'd miss nothing.

 

Not my best thought process ?

I remember my girlfriend at the time trying to quiet me down. She lived in an upstairs apartment. 

[Shaw66]

On 4/8/2020 at 8:45 AM, Kirby Jackson said:

Hot take: If Roscoe came along 10 years later he would have had a really nice career. The game has evolved so much since 2005. There is a place in these spread offenses for his skill set regardless of size.

I thought the same thing.   He would be playing, in a bigger role, on some team today.   That speed, change of direction and acceleration is more valuable today than it was then.  

 

Tasker is an interesting name, but having watched the video, I'd take Roscoe as a punt returner.   Tasker, of course, was more valuable, because Roscoe was only a punt returner and sort of a gadget receiver.   Tasker was returner, gunner, all-purpose special teams, backup receiver.  

 

The other guys who need to be in the discussion are George Saimes and George Byrd.   Saimes didn't have speed Roscoe had, but he had truly outstanding elusiveness.   He just darted everywhere, start, stop, change direction, whatever.   He was the master of the 15-20 yard return, over and over.   Didn't break many because the pursuit eventually got him, and he didn't have speed.

 

Byrd didn't return punts for very long - three years, and he declined some after his first season, but he was a solid punt returner.   And he had the return for a touchdown in the AFL championship game, 23-0 over the Chargers.   

 

Still, hard to argue with Roscoe as the best.  

[Mr. WEO]

EJ Manuel?

[Shaw66]

Oh, and if you watch the video of Roscoe's great punt return, wait for the end zone view and look at the blocking.   There were some great individual blocks, and Roscoe read them perfectly.  

[Peter]

Watching the video reminded me just how much fun Roscoe was to watch.  I think my heart rate went up watching the video.

 

Roscoe could score on any play.  His moves, speed, and ability to stop on a dime were amazing.

 

I never understood some of the criticism from some of the keyboard jockeys.  Roscoe had big brass you know what playing in the NFL given his size -- much more so than his critics.

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by Peter

[Shaw66]

10 minutes ago, Peter said:

Watching the video reminded me just how much fun Roscoe was to watch.  I think my heart rate went up watching the video.

 

Roscoe could score on any play.  His moves, speed, and ability to stop on a dime were amazing.

 

I never understood some of the criticism from some of the keyboard jockeys.  Roscoe had big brass you know what playing in the NFL given his size -- much more so than his critics.

 

 

 

Well, it was easy to be a critic of him as a pass receiver.   He wasn't a great ball catcher, although he was sure handed returning punts, and he wasn't a great route runner.  He couldn't make it those days as a number 2 receiver, despite multiple opportunities.   As were saying above the game has changed, and today Roscoe would play more and get less criticism.   

 

Want an example, let me ask you this:  Who would you rather have running the jet sweep?  Roscoe or McKenzie.   That question is a joke.   McDermott and Daboll would have had Roscoe on the field a lot more than McKenzie.   

 

Finally, your big brass comment is right on.  Roscoe was fearless, truly fearless.  He ran like a scared rabbit, but he was not afraid to get hit.  

 

The single Roscoe play I remember most is one that he's criticized for:  his muffed punt with two minutes left in the worst game in history, Browns over Bills, 6-3.  Cleveland recovered and kicked the winning field goal.   I don't remember it as a low point for Roscoe.   I remember it as pure football smarts and courage.   

 

The wind was blowing like crazy from the open end of the stadium, in the Bills's face.  The Bills offense had been beyond horrible even with the win, but against the wind it was hopeless.  So the punt is falling to Roscoe, and its wind blown or he misjudged it or whatever, but he decided to go after it and make a play on it.   His hands weren't his biggest asset, and he muffed it.  Browns recover, field goal, game over. 

 

Why don't I blame Roscoe?   Because he knew he was the only guy on the field who could deliver an explosive play.  On any given punt he could get 10, 30 or a TD, and pretty much no one else on the team or the team together was going to get 30 yards, even if you gave them 20 plays to do it.   He knew.   So the best chance to win the game was to go get the punt and do something with it.   It took courage, because he knew he was making a difficult and risky play, but it was the right decision.   Didn't work, but it was the right decision.