Best Player in Bills History

[dhgold]

Lot of recency bias here. That said, JA is on a trajectory to be #1.

[Peace Frog]

1 hour ago, HOUSE said:

You are messing with his shoes

 

 

[Sweats]

Today, i say Bruce Smith, however, at the end of his career here in Buffalo, it will indeed be JA.

[strive_for_five_guy]

It’s Josh.  If you trade Josh & any of our DEs from today’s team for Bruce & Kelly from the 90s teams, we have a Super Bowl already.

[Returntoglory]

Too early to anoint JA.

 

I remember a stretch of years where Bruce was the talk of the NFL. 

 

He was feared by every team he faced.

 

Josh is approaching that status. Get to a SB and then we can talk.

[GoBills808]

I said two years ago Allen was the best football player I've ever seen period lol

 

Like NFL history not just Bills

[The Firebaugh Kid]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

It's Bruce Smith.

 

Josh needs to lose 4 consecutive Super Bowls to catch up to Bruce.

I watched his entire career. The man was a game wrecker. Don't recall him having much of an impact in those SBs though, other than NYG. 

Allen will be incredible when he finally gets his chance. 

[GASabresIUFan]

How many players are even in the running?

 

Our HOFers who were primarily Bills are:

Billy Shaw, OJ, Joe D, Kelly, Reed, Thomas, and Bruce. 
 

The modern Bills are Diggs and Josh. 
 

Ultimately it’s Josh, Bruce or OJ.  These are the three most dominate players in Bills history.  
 

My first Bills game was at the Rockpile OJ‘s rookie year and that 2000 yards season was something to behold.  He is still arguably the best RB in NFL history and was virtually a one man offense.  
 

Bruce is the best defender in Bills history, but he was also part of defense with other excellent players like Talley, Biscuit, Conlan among others. 
 

That leaves Josh.  He does things on the field we have never seen, especially the last two weeks.   He is setting NFL QB records by the week and carrying this team on his shoulders.  He is also far and away the best player on arguably the longest era of sustained success in Bills history with 5 straight division championships and 7 playoffs in 8 years under McD.  The only things missing from his resume are an MVP and a Super Bowl appearance.  
 

So my vote is Bruce for now, given his records and the quality of the Bills teams he played on.   Another couple of seasons like this one for Josh and Josh will be the clear leader and there won’t even be a debate.
 

 

 

[Cash]

For me, it’s still Bruce for now, but Josh is on pace to easily overtake him. Once he gets the MVP this year, I’ll flip my vote. 

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Josh is a few more great seasons from becoming known as the single most potent offensive weapon the NFL has ever seen, something that will be further acknowledged as football shifts toward efficiency metrics.

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

We are doing this. Who is the best player that the Bills have ever had? Go on record. You can make a case for any of the 3. The “someone else” answer is not reasonable but there for the people who choose to be wrong. The Bills have had great players but there are 3 options as to the “best.”

Torn between Kelly and Allen.  Allen needs supebowls man!

[Warcodered]

It feels like it's unfair to rate Bruce and Allen against each other. Bruce as basically the best to ever play his position will effect the game as much as a DE can.

 

But Josh is a QB and is looking like he might be right there in his position rating, like there is Brady and Mahomes who else would you really compare with him. I get he doesn't have the hardware but I've got ***** eyes.

 

So Allen as a QB touches the ball essentially every offensive snap, he just has a larger impact on the game.

 

They're both top of their position. 

Edited December 16 by Warcodered

[RyanC883]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

 

I had Bruce as 1 until about the middle of the season. The positional value of QB is too great. Bruce was ridiculous but for me, it’s Allen.

 

Bruce was an absolute beast, but Allen takes over games more than Bruce did, and at a more important position.  

Edited December 16 by RyanC883

[Big Turk]

30 minutes ago, dhgold said:

Lot of recency bias here. That said, JA is on a trajectory to be #1.

 

He is the all-time NFL leader in TDs/game in the history of the NFL.

 

That's not bias, that's simply something never seen before in the history of the NFL.

 

He is the most productive player on a per game basis of all-time.

9 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

Torn between Kelly and Allen.  Allen needs supebowls man!

 

It's not even close. It's Allen

 

Edited December 16 by Big Turk

[US Egg]

1 hour ago, HOUSE said:

Most of you guys were not born when Bruce Smith played and it shows

Was drunk during most of his career. Can I get a pardon?

[Sweats]

1 minute ago, US Egg said:

Was drunk during most of his career. Can I get a pardon?

 

 

 

.......i'm drunk now

[gonzo1105]

It’s Bruce for now but Allen will be by the end of his career 

[17islongenough]

Allen will be the best player in Buffalo history.  Don't see another player surpassing him

[eball]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

It's Bruce Smith.

 

Josh needs to lose 4 consecutive Super Bowls to catch up to Bruce.

 

Bruce Smith couldn't even knock a freaking football out of Jeff Hostetler's hand...he doesn't deserve the honor.

 

[hondo in seattle]

52 minutes ago, Augie said:

My standing answer has always been that Bruce was the best player I’ve ever seen in a Bills uniform. I know there is recency bias involved, but Josh has supplanted him in my mind. What he’s doing this season is absolutely incredible! 

 

One thing I'll add... in Josh's favor despite me thinking recency bias is a problem.

 

When Brady was still playing, people were already hailing him as the GOAT largely because of the rings.  But - other than the rings - how much better was Brady than some of his contemporaries: Brees, Manning, Rodgers, etc?  These other guys often produced more yards, TDs, etc. 

 

But Brady played on better teams with better coaches and hoisted Lombardis.  And, look, he was very talented but I never saw him make throws that other elite QBs couldn't make.  His game was presnap reads, good decision making, and accuracy.  His consistency is what wowed you, not any individual play.

 

OJ, on the other hand, made plays no other RB could make.  Bruce had sacks that very few others could have duplicated.  Brady wasn't like that - but Josh is.  Sometimes your jaw drops when he does something that makes you think something like: well, maybe Mahomes could have done that but no one else.