The Most Embarrassing Day in Bills’ History

[FireChans]

3 hours ago, Mister Defense said:

 

 

Jerry?

 

Jerry Jones??

 

I was at that game and yes, it was pretty devastating. But only an absolute moron would have said after it, "Time to fire Marv!"  And I am being very kind in my name calling as this is a family forum.

 

Sounds like you would run your NFL team like ol' Jerry, ordering the team to take the next step...

 

and creating a fiasco of a 'team', every man for himself, no one trusting anyone...

 

and all players, coaches, employees always looking over their shoulders.

 

Is that the kind of owner you would be?  Fan of ol' Jerry, I assume, as he makes it clear what he thinks of his players and coaches in almost every interview, whether he is outwardly (misconstrued as) positive or negative. It is all negative and undermines the foundation of his team.

 

I love you all, such a great team, so you better win it all now!--every man for himself!

 

 

 

I have to say, if I was the owner of the Bills I would be the biggest meddler in the history of meddlers. I would be picking players, wheeling and dealing picks. I would be the worst combo of Jerry Jones, Tepper and Woody Johnson you could ever imagine.

 

If I ever get the 6 billion I need to purchase the Bills, you will remember me forever.

[Old Coot]

8 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

The recent back and forth whether to move on from McDermott because he “can’t get us over the hump” takes me back to one game: Super Bowl XXVII against the Dallas Cowboys.  The Bills had an up and down 1992 season, failing to win the division and losing Kelly to injury last game of the season.  The playoffs, however, were memorable, starting with the Comeback against the Oilers, followed by impressive road wins against the Steelers with Reich again at QB, and the Dolphins, with Kelly back at QB.  
 

The Super Bowl, however, was a debacle and an embarrassment.  No question Cowboys had a very strong team and frankly a better team.  It shouldn’t have been a blowout.  It’s interesting to look at stats and play-by-play from the game.  Bills had more first downs and total yardage was relatively close.  Final score - 52 - 17!

who can forget Don Beebe chasing down Leon Lett to turn a Dallas TD into a touchback! One of the finest plays in Bills' history:

 

Beebe reflects on that play:

 

[BADOLBILZ]

8 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

The recent back and forth whether to move on from McDermott because he “can’t get us over the hump” takes me back to one game: Super Bowl XXVII against the Dallas Cowboys.  The Bills had an up and down 1992 season, failing to win the division and losing Kelly to injury last game of the season.  The playoffs, however, were memorable, starting with the Comeback against the Oilers, followed by impressive road wins against the Steelers with Reich again at QB, and the Dolphins, with Kelly back at QB.  
 

The Super Bowl, however, was a debacle and an embarrassment.  No question Cowboys had a very strong team and frankly a better team.  It shouldn’t have been a blowout.  It’s interesting to look at stats and play-by-play from the game.  Bills had more first downs and total yardage was relatively close.  Final score - 52 - 17!  Two key sequences. Down 14 - 7, Bills has second and goal from Dallas one.  Two runs and an interception followed.  Later, Bills down 21 - 7, Bills had first and goal inside the Dallas 5 and settled for a FG.  That was pretty much all she wrote.  The embarrassing part was that the Bills fumbled eight times and lost five and threw four interceptions, two each by Kelly and Reich.  Nine turnovers in the biggest game of the year!!!! 
 

It’s hard to imagine a less well prepared team going into a big game.  Levy was a good coach, not a great coach. It was clear after that game that he’d never lead the Bills to a SB win.  Do you fire a coach who has led you to three straight SB’s?  In hindsight, the answer is, yeah you probably do.  Blow it up and let your GM start the rebuild. Instead we fire the GM and keep the coach.

 

Does this give any insight to our present situation?  I think yes.  McDermott should be on the hot seat this year.  Super Bowl or bust.  If we don’t do in 2024, time to move on.

 

 

Not the same situations,  so not much insight to our present situation, IMO.

 

Those Bills were the most talented roster in the league for 4-5 years and had no real competition to their dominance in the AFC.

 

These Bills are good but decades of free agency have leveled the playing field a lot more.

 

Case in point.......those Bills had the league's greatest ever pass rusher in HOF'er Bruce Smith and another DPOY in Cornelius Bennett.  

 

The Bills best defender during their current run is who?  Jordan Poyer? 😂

 

These Bills COULD have won a SB.   THOSE Bills SHOULD have won a SB.

 

And don't let Polian off the hook for losing that game.   He was a hardhead.   He chose Levy and wouldn't fire him but he also neglected to add to those early 90's rosters in order to finish the deal.   He was determined to prove critics of his player choices wrong.    And specifically with regard to the Cowboys........he let Charles Haley get traded to the Cowboys.   There is no team the Niners hate or hated more than Dallas so they were desperate to unload him.   Haley would have been a game changer for the Bills and  his arrival changed everything for Dallas.

[Matt_In_NH]

That game was the absolute worst.  The NFC has 3-4 teams that would have crushed the Bills.  No AFC team belonged in that super bowl.  It was a total debacle.  Like someone else mentioned, 9 turnovers!  When was the last time you heard of that happening in any game?

[AlCowlingsTaxiService]

13 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

The recent back and forth whether to move on from McDermott because he “can’t get us over the hump” takes me back to one game: Super Bowl XXVII against the Dallas Cowboys.  The Bills had an up and down 1992 season, failing to win the division and losing Kelly to injury last game of the season.  The playoffs, however, were memorable, starting with the Comeback against the Oilers, followed by impressive road wins against the Steelers with Reich again at QB, and the Dolphins, with Kelly back at QB.  
 

The Super Bowl, however, was a debacle and an embarrassment.  No question Cowboys had a very strong team and frankly a better team.  It shouldn’t have been a blowout.  It’s interesting to look at stats and play-by-play from the game.  Bills had more first downs and total yardage was relatively close.  Final score - 52 - 17!  Two key sequences. Down 14 - 7, Bills has second and goal from Dallas one.  Two runs and an interception followed.  Later, Bills down 21 - 7, Bills had first and goal inside the Dallas 5 and settled for a FG.  That was pretty much all she wrote.  The embarrassing part was that the Bills fumbled eight times and lost five and threw four interceptions, two each by Kelly and Reich.  Nine turnovers in the biggest game of the year!!!! 
 

It’s hard to imagine a less well prepared team going into a big game.  Levy was a good coach, not a great coach. It was clear after that game that he’d never lead the Bills to a SB win.  Do you fire a coach who has led you to three straight SB’s?  In hindsight, the answer is, yeah you probably do.  Blow it up and let your GM start the rebuild. Instead we fire the GM and keep the coach.

 

Does this give any insight to our present situation?  I think yes.  McDermott should be on the hot seat this year.  Super Bowl or bust.  If we don’t do in 2024, time to move on.

Mass amounts of booze & coke = 9 turnovers 

[Matt_In_NH]

12 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

You left out the high wire act on Monday Night Football in 1975 

https://sportshistorynetwork.com/football/nfl/monday-night-football-fan-hanging-on-rope/

With so many fans across the airwaves watching the game, practically anything that happened during those three hours was going to be discussed along the next day’s work conversations all throughout the country. Well, what happened during the course of this game was in point of fact incredible…and extremely dangerous. An intoxicated fan…I say intoxicated, because no sober person would do what this moron did…decided to take a hold of the rope which held the placekicking net in place along the west end line of the stadium.

The spectacle of this unnamed fan dangling at least 50 feet in the air above the playing surface while the game continued was unnerving, to say the least.
Even the ABC-TV crew chimed in while watching this spectacle.

Howard Cosell, a wordsmith for the ages, described this event as “…dangerous, disgraceful, and absurd.”

The fan hung on that rope, as the fans and players watched. Many gasps could be heard over the airwaves, and certainly they were soundly heard by those who were in attendance and who were doing the gasping.

This crazy fan hung on that rope for practically 10 full minutes until he somehow miraculously made it back to his departure point on the front row of the upper ledge of Rich Stadium. He then departed the stadium with several police and security personnel giving him a much-deserved escort.

I thought I knew Bills history, this is new for me, I was about 8 months old though so long term memory hadn't started yet.  Seems very Bills fan like!

[st pete gogolak]

7 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Not the same situations,  so not much insight to our present situation, IMO.

 

Those Bills were the most talented roster in the league for 4-5 years and had no real competition to their dominance in the AFC.

 

These Bills are good but decades of free agency have leveled the playing field a lot more.

 

Case in point.......those Bills had the league's greatest ever pass rusher in HOF'er Bruce Smith and another DPOY in Cornelius Bennett.  

 

The Bills best defender during their current run is who?  Jordan Poyer? 😂

 

These Bills COULD have won a SB.   THOSE Bills SHOULD have won a SB.

 

And don't let Polian off the hook for losing that game.   He was a hardhead.   He chose Levy and wouldn't fire him but he also neglected to add to those early 90's rosters in order to finish the deal.   He was determined to prove critics of his player choices wrong.    And specifically with regard to the Cowboys........he let Charles Haley get traded to the Cowboys.   There is no team the Niners hate or hated more than Dallas so they were desperate to unload him.   Haley would have been a game changer for the Bills and  his arrival changed everything for Dallas.

I agree with this 100%.  I always wondered how those games would have turned out if you take Haley and Thomas Everett (another offseason Cowboy pickup) off the Cowboys and put them on the Bills.  Have a hard time thinking any team would be able be beat a Bills team with Haley and Bruce Smith rushing the passer.

[SoCal Deek]

15 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

You left out the high wire act on Monday Night Football in 1975 

https://sportshistorynetwork.com/football/nfl/monday-night-football-fan-hanging-on-rope/

With so many fans across the airwaves watching the game, practically anything that happened during those three hours was going to be discussed along the next day’s work conversations all throughout the country. Well, what happened during the course of this game was in point of fact incredible…and extremely dangerous. An intoxicated fan…I say intoxicated, because no sober person would do what this moron did…decided to take a hold of the rope which held the placekicking net in place along the west end line of the stadium.

The spectacle of this unnamed fan dangling at least 50 feet in the air above the playing surface while the game continued was unnerving, to say the least.
Even the ABC-TV crew chimed in while watching this spectacle.

Howard Cosell, a wordsmith for the ages, described this event as “…dangerous, disgraceful, and absurd.”

The fan hung on that rope, as the fans and players watched. Many gasps could be heard over the airwaves, and certainly they were soundly heard by those who were in attendance and who were doing the gasping.

This crazy fan hung on that rope for practically 10 full minutes until he somehow miraculously made it back to his departure point on the front row of the upper ledge of Rich Stadium. He then departed the stadium with several police and security personnel giving him a much-deserved escort.

I was there! Good times. 

[TFBillsfan]

16 hours ago, WhoTom said:

The most embarrassing day in Bills history is the day they re-signed Dick Jauron as HC, "for the sake of continuity."

 

 

Those were some dark days. You just knew if the opposing team score 10 points the game was over. After every loss, gotta look at the film became his response.

 

The Bills kept choosing door #2 with the prize being a donkey instead of door #1 being the pot of gold.

 

So many WTF decision making moments with hiring, drafting and coaching. Even the old royal deep blue jerseys were bad. 

[BobbyC81]

Another discussed detail of the SB26 INT in the end zone at 14-7 was that on a prior play Kelly was hit hard and got his bell rung.  He shouldn’t have been in there for the pass INT.

[st pete gogolak]

Forget about the McDermott “insight”. Mistake on my part.  As far as most embarrassing day in Bills history, several good suggestions but still say it has to be SB XXVII.  On the biggest stage with most of America watching you fumble the ball EIGHT times, lose five, throw four interceptions, give up TWO defensive TD’s and lose 52 - 17, that is the most embarrassing day in Bills history. Case closed.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

17 hours ago, dma0034 said:

Those Bills teams were known for their partying. Honestly a thing of legend still. Wonder how many Superbowls they could have won if they didn't.

 

Marv was a terrible coach in that regard. Those teams had ZERO discipline and we as fans suffered for it. Imagine if Bill Parcells or Jimmy Johnson had coached them instead of "aw shucks" Marv.

 

[SirAndrew]

I’ll go with an off the field moment. Anytime Russ Brandon stepped up to the microphone as the unofficial GM. 

Edited February 2 by SirAndrew

[BillsMontreal]

17 hours ago, Gregg said:

 

The Giants game was the only one they should have won. They were the better team. Washington just physically manhandled the Bills. The Cowboys were the better team although the 9 turnovers in the first game against them didn't help.

Maybe the last one, they also had a chance. They lead the game at the halftime. They were in control.

Then, the momemtum totally shifted and it was clear the first 3 lost were in their head.

[corta765]

17 hours ago, DrBob806 said:

That's when I realized Kelly was over rated, hate to say it. 

 

I would say the offenses lack of evolution caught them in the big game as the years went on then just Kelly. SB25 they were still ahead of the league with the no huddle and BB's plan was just good enough to slow them. After that it needed more and while the talent could beat most teams, once they faced WSH/DAL you needed a better gameplan and attack then just do what has made you successful because they are going to key against that.

[BarleyNY]

17 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

The recent back and forth whether to move on from McDermott because he “can’t get us over the hump” takes me back to one game: Super Bowl XXVII against the Dallas Cowboys.  The Bills had an up and down 1992 season, failing to win the division and losing Kelly to injury last game of the season.  The playoffs, however, were memorable, starting with the Comeback against the Oilers, followed by impressive road wins against the Steelers with Reich again at QB, and the Dolphins, with Kelly back at QB.  
 

The Super Bowl, however, was a debacle and an embarrassment.  No question Cowboys had a very strong team and frankly a better team.  It shouldn’t have been a blowout.  It’s interesting to look at stats and play-by-play from the game.  Bills had more first downs and total yardage was relatively close.  Final score - 52 - 17!  Two key sequences. Down 14 - 7, Bills has second and goal from Dallas one.  Two runs and an interception followed.  Later, Bills down 21 - 7, Bills had first and goal inside the Dallas 5 and settled for a FG.  That was pretty much all she wrote.  The embarrassing part was that the Bills fumbled eight times and lost five and threw four interceptions, two each by Kelly and Reich.  Nine turnovers in the biggest game of the year!!!! 
 

It’s hard to imagine a less well prepared team going into a big game.  Levy was a good coach, not a great coach. It was clear after that game that he’d never lead the Bills to a SB win.  Do you fire a coach who has led you to three straight SB’s?  In hindsight, the answer is, yeah you probably do.  Blow it up and let your GM start the rebuild. Instead we fire the GM and keep the coach.

 

Does this give any insight to our present situation?  I think yes.  McDermott should be on the hot seat this year.  Super Bowl or bust.  If we don’t do in 2024, time to move on.

 

Here’s a counter example: Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide is in the national championship game with their season long starter, Jalen Hurts, at QB. Earlier in the season I had predicted that Hurts would cost them a championship. While he has improved dramatically in the NFL, it was clear to me that he was not up to the task in college. Halfway through that game it looked like I was right - and I would’ve been if Sabin didn’t bench him for Tua. Very, very few coaches would’ve had the brass to do what he did. But he made the right move, and he got a championship that season because of it. That goes to show you the level of confidence and decision making ability that a team leader needs to possess to be truly elite. 

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, st pete gogolak said:

I agree with this 100%.  I always wondered how those games would have turned out if you take Haley and Thomas Everett (another offseason Cowboy pickup) off the Cowboys and put them on the Bills.  Have a hard time thinking any team would be able be beat a Bills team with Haley and Bruce Smith rushing the passer.

 

 

I was floored by the Haley trade.   My faith in Polian dropped like a rock that day.   It proved that he was half-stepping when the SB was right there to be had.

 

One thing I will say about Beane is that he hasn't let his ego get in the way of making moves.  

 

Polian kept Norwood in 1991 just to prove that they didn't lose because he hadn't replaced Norwood in 1990.   And Norwood was then terrible in the 1991 season.   Same sh!t with Kelso.   Soon as the media got critical of a Polian personnel decision that stubborn bastard doubled down on it.  Polian should have won at least 5 SB's with Kelly and Manning.   Great roster starter,  terrible finisher.    

 

Beane isn't nearly the pure scout that Polian was but he never had #1 overall and/or top 5 picks at his disposal either(as he reminded us when Jamar Chase at up our secondary in the playoffs).

[st pete gogolak]

Did we fail to go after Haley because of Polish or because of Ralph?

Damn autocorrect. Polian, not Polish.

[Utah John]

12 hours ago, Buffalo Super Fan said:

For me as a Buffalo Bills fan was the Bills Toronto Series and the reaction by our local politicians, business community sucking up to the Bills Ralph Wilson. Once that happened I realized it is never going to happen for Western New York economically. Some leaders willingly offering half the Bills schedule to Toronto. I knew then this Western New York areas leaders are clueless. You never give up what you already have that is a position of weakness which is what our leadership is in my opinion. Go Bills! Let’s Go Buffalo 

One fan's reaction was that this was like consenting to your wife sleeping around as a condition of staying married.  

[Fr. Jerk]

I don't know, I'd rank the day they gave Dick Jauron an extension up there as well, ya dig?