Best Player in Bills History

[chris heff]

8 hours ago, HOUSE said:

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

I was already smoking Luckies when Bruce was born. Bruce had that rare ability to take over a game. I think Josh has that same ability. When this plays out I think Josh will be one of the greatest of all time and QB is harder position to play.

[HOUSE]

1 minute ago, chris heff said:

I was already smoking Luckies when Bruce was born. Bruce had that rare ability to take over a game. I think Josh has that same ability. When this plays out I think Josh will be one of the greatest of all time and QB is harder position to play.

If you were smoking Luckies you should be dead. God...

[chris heff]

6 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

If you were smoking Luckies you should be dead. God...

I quit at 13, switched to Old Gold filters, loved the coupons.

Edited December 17 by chris heff

[CoudyBills]

7 hours ago, Returntoglory said:

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.

Approaching that status?  I can't wait until defensive coordinators have to learn his name and actually scheme against him.  This is a joke right?

[JP51]

Great thread i am gonna go off the list ... I think Bruce is in the conversation for best ever at his position for sure. But I am gonna give Thurman some love here he made the K gun go the only NFL MVP the Bills ever had bot named OJ... Josh will hopefully be the best but gonna need some Super Bowl experience to get me there

Edited December 17 by JP51

[BillsPride12]

5 hours ago, RobbRiddick said:

I still remember the JP Losman hype when he was drafted.  That he was going to be a modern day Jim Kelly/Brett Favre kind of Quarterback.

I feel like Josh Allen ended up being everything Losman was hyped up to be(and then some!)

[Returntoglory]

22 minutes ago, CoudyBills said:

Approaching that status?  I can't wait until defensive coordinators have to learn his name and actually scheme against him.  This is a joke right?

Lighten up, Francis.

[sven233]

This is an interesting conversation that can go in many different directions.  Right now, at this moment, the answer is Bruce.  He, for my money, is the best to ever do it at his position.  I know some would argue this for sure, but for my money, I'd take Bruce.  Bruce, at his best, was an unstoppable force.

 

You could argue something similar when it comes to OJ.  His 2000+ yards in 14 games will never be broken.  He may not be the best RB overall in history, but you could argue that he was the best ever for a period of time. 

 

As for Allen, his story isn't written yet.  He's the most talented QB in Bills history.  In my opinion, he's the most physically gifted QB I have ever seen play this game.  I am as big a Kelly fan is there is, but even Kelly would tell you that Allen is a better player overall.  Now, Kelly is in the HOF because of what he did in his career and he is an all time great for this franchise, but Bruce was a better DE than Kelly was a QB.  It's a different era, and the game has changed dramatically from what it was in the 80s and 90s and it is hard to compare QBs sometimes because of this.  But, as someone who watched every Kelly game at some point or another, Allen reminds me so much of him.  Not so much in playing style, obviously, but the mentality, heart, desire, and toughness that Allen shows makes me think he could play in any era and be great.  And, when it's all said and done, I truly believe Allen will go down in history as maybe the best to ever do it.  He may never get to 7 Super Bowl wins or have the accolades that some others do, but he will set passing and scoring records that haven't been seen in the history of the league, providing he stays healthy and plays for a long time.

 

So, what's the answer?  Bruce for now.....until 1 of 2 things happen. 

 

1.  Allen leads this team to a Super Bowl win - The second this happens, he takes the number 1 spot no matter what he does the rest of his career.

2. Allen finishes his career as a Bill, MANY years from now, and continues to play at this dominant level.

 

In the end, I have have no doubt that the answer to this question will be Allen one way or another.  It's just a matter of how fast it happens.  For me, I hope he lays claim to that title this upcoming February.

[BillsPride12]

5 hours ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I'm so torn.  JK means a lot to me personally,and completely changed the culture and path of the Bills when he arrived. 

And Josh Allen didn't???

[Maynard]

It’s Allen then Bruuuuuuuuuuuce. Tough call though. 

[Billsatlastin2018]

I go back to the early 80s as an ex Season Tix holder. Before that, watched the Juice on TV

 

So, some fine players, from Ferguson through the HOFamers of the Glory Years, to the likes of Moulds, etc.

 

But 17 isn’t the best player ever on the Bills. He sets these creepy, out of this world personal records, seemingly weekly.

 

He'll simply be in the running, barring injury, to be one of the greatest NFL players EVER! 

[HereComesTheReignAgain]

OJ was such an amazing talent.  If he were on a more successful team, he may be remembered as the greatest running back ever.

 

 

[mannc]

10 hours 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.

Positional value in the 1970s was entirely different…that’s why OJ is the correct answer—for now.

[SoonerBillsFan]

57 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

And Josh Allen didn't???

Not the same way.

[Thurman#1]

As spectacular as Josh, and OJ for that matter, is, for me it's Bruce. Top two at his position all time.

 

Josh has years to catch him, and might. But right now it's Bruce.

[mannc]

1 minute ago, Thurman#1 said:

 Top two at his position all time.

 

 

So is OJ…

[skibum]

As of today, it's still Bruce and will be until (a) Josh wins a SB, or (b) Josh continues to play at his current level for just a couple more years. I think in the long run, it will be Josh no matter what. 

[Sierra Foothills]

10 hours ago, HOUSE said:

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

 

And even fewer were born when OJ played (1969-77) and it shows.

 

Personally I have OJ ahead of Bruce.

 

[Harold Jackson]

Jim Kelly should be up there

[Kirby Jackson]

6 minutes ago, mannc said:

Positional value in the 1970s was entirely different…that’s why OJ is the correct answer—for now.

I can accept that. OJ was before my time but he was historically great. He was doing things that others weren’t. I think that all 3 answers are reasonable. There’s a case to be made for each. No one else belongs in the conversation.