The Effect of the Bills on Dan Marino’s Postseason Success

[LeviF]

4 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

Duper, Clayton and Jensen were "burger flippers"?

 

OK

lmao you might get Duper if I’m feeling generous but yeah those dudes were JAGs with the good fortune to have Dan Marino on the other end of the throw. 
 

Wasn't Jensen just a gourmet Steve Tasker? I suppose you’re in love with Taysom Hill too haha

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

59 minutes ago, EersN'Bills said:

Marino never had a Thurman Thomas to hand the ball off to. For awhile they had Bernie Parmalee who they got from UPS I think.

University of Pismo State?

[Beast]

16 minutes ago, LeviF91 said:

lmao you might get Duper if I’m feeling generous but yeah those dudes were JAGs with the good fortune to have Dan Marino on the other end of the throw. 
 

Wasn't Jensen just a gourmet Steve Tasker? I suppose you’re in love with Taysom Hill too haha

 

Whether you are feeling generous or not, your statement that Marino had nobody is just that....an inaccurate statement.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Beast

[Buffalo Junction]

27 minutes ago, matter2003 said:

 

They had no running game at all...so late in games when they needed to burn clock and run the ball they couldn't. That puts a lot of stress on the QB.

 

In some ways they were designed to attack weaknesses of other teams being built to defend the run so much during that era and take advantage of matchups but in other ways they weren't good enough to do that as well as they could have been. They had no real TE threat.

 

And to answer your question, a large part was the Bills were simply a better team top to bottom than the Dolphins were. More HOF caliber players and more talent.

 

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Tremaine Edmunds father go to the probowl twice in the late 80’s early 90’s as a dolphin?

[Saxum]

1 hour ago, EersN'Bills said:

Marino never had a Thurman Thomas to hand the ball off to. For awhile they had Bernie Parmalee who they got from UPS I think.

 

Marino was terrible at faking the handoff and would get his RBs demolished.

When I would watch games at bar I would say when it was fake so many times others at bar would ask and I would say "Fake" before he would do it.

He had tells opposing teams must have been seeing.

 

 

He did though very well in advertising.  In the year he broke his leg he got multiple opportunities for commercials and those chances sustained him for many years.

 

Squish the Phish!

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

I recall too often it seemed he'd give up on the run game when it was working.  Recall the 3rd Super Bowl year, we played Miami in Conference Championship game.  Miami was ahead early and running the ball well.  Think we went up like 4 points, still within one TD range, that was it after that mostly all passing and think we had 2 to 3 ints.  Too often that was his MOA, going to win with his arm.  Probably in todays game, he'd be alot more successful with that mentality.

[Beast]

6 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

I recall too often it seemed he'd give up on the run game when it was working.  Recall the 3rd Super Bowl year, we played Miami in Conference Championship game.  Miami was ahead early and running the ball well.  Think we went up like 4 points, still within one TD range, that was it after that mostly all passing and think we had 2 to 3 ints.  Too often that was his MOA, going to win with his arm.  Probably in todays game, he'd be alot more successful with that mentality.

 

Ed, I think you may have that game confused with another.

 

The Bills were never behind in that game and Miami only had 33 yards rushing the whole game.

[Matt_In_NH]

Marino would be awesome in today’s game. 

[Saxum]

Just now, mattynh said:

Marino would be awesome in today’s game. 

 

We would be a T*m Br*dy - *whine* Zebra penalize him. He hit me although I was moving in his direction when I was throwing the ball. *whine*

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

4 minutes ago, Beast said:

 

Ed, I think you may have that game confused with another.

 

The Bills were never behind in that game and Miami only had 33 yards rushing the whole game.

 

Maybe was a different Miami game, but do recall Marino always giving up on the running game in an era when running was the big thing for success.

[Bob in STL]

1 hour ago, Your Brown Eye said:

 

Actually from 1990-1999, the Dolphins overall defense was statistically ranked higher than the Bills 6 out of the 10 years. 

I looked at 90 thru 93, the super bowl years, and the two defenses were close to even every year except 93 when the Bills defense was much better.  
 

In this period the Bills defense may have had a disadvantage with the Bills running the no huddle, a case could be made that it hurt them in total yardage allowed even though they were pretty strong on points allowed.  
 

The Bills biggest advantages over Miami were Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith.  To HOF players that played big against them.  

[4_kidd_4]

Fresh stuff.

[The Jokeman]

2 hours ago, LeviF91 said:

I get flamed for this but I’ll say it again: switch out Jim Kelly with Dan Marino and the Bills win at least 5 Super Bowls in his career. With the roster the Bills had there was no excuse for not winning a championship. Those Dolphins teams had no defense and, for the most part, burger flippers at the skill positions on offense. 

The problem with this line of thought had we drafted and signed Marino in 1983 we'd likely have more success in the following years and not be in place to draft Bruce or likely not nabbed Reich in the same draft etc. Kelly's bolting allowed us to get more parts of those squads and allow him to develop some. That said I agree Dan was a better QB than Kelly and if roster were identical minus QBs the Bills with Marino are a better squad. I could see us easily beating the Giants in XXV with Dan instead of Jim.

1 hour ago, Buffalo Junction said:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Tremaine Edmunds father go to the probowl twice in the late 80’s early 90’s as a dolphin?

Yes, Ferrell Edmunds made the Pro Bowl with Miami in 1989 and 1990. Toss in Keith Jackson spent some time in Miami.

Edited November 29, 2020 by The Jokeman

[dma0034]

If the same Dolphins and Bills teams played today the Dolphins probably win half or slightly more. Back then it was harder to throw the ball and rules changed to help that. Marino today would be in the conversation with Mahomes for best QB. Fortunately for the Bills he played before the rule changes and when a rushing attack was needed to win in January.

 

Edit: For reference. Elway threw one more TD than Int for his first 10 years in the league. Meanwhile Marino was lighting it up.

Edited November 29, 2020 by dma0034

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Marino is a truly great QB and better than Kelly. No one outside of Buffalo would argue that.  Bills were just a better team than Miami primarily because of Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith.  

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, Buffalo Junction said:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Tremaine Edmunds father go to the probowl twice in the late 80’s early 90’s as a dolphin?

 

He did in 1989 and 1990...but does 31 catches for 400 yards scare anyone?

[loyal2dagame]

I think the Dolphins hurt themselves without knowing it.  Marino made an immediate impact in that team's record after getting drafted causing them to settle for mid to late picks in every draft round. 

The Bills continued to struggle with Kelly going to the USFL and kept a better draft position which in turn helped Polian to stack the team. 

I don't think Marino had the personality to make it through the bickering bills years and the team may have imploded. 

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

 

He did in 1989 and 1990...but does 31 catches for 400 yards scare anyone?

Context matters.  Back then 60% completion was excellent for a QB.  Now it’s expected 

Edited November 29, 2020 by JohnNord

[Buffalo Junction]

1 hour ago, matter2003 said:

 

He did in 1989 and 1990...but does 31 catches for 400 yards scare anyone?

Nope. Kellen Winslow aside, TE was a very different position before the late 90’s though. If those stats get a TE to the probowl that says something about how the position has evolved. 

[Big Turk]

5 minutes ago, Buffalo Junction said:

Nope. Kellen Winslow aside, TE was a very different position before the late 90’s though. If those stats get a TE to the probowl that says something about how the position has evolved. 

 

Actually his best season was his 1988 rookie year where he got 575 yards but no pro bowl that year...the next 2 he made the pro bowl with around 400 yards each season(one was in the 380s and the other maybe like 440s)

 

Then he basically did nothing the rest of his career...

Edited November 29, 2020 by matter2003