Bills Broncos Wildcard game remind anyone else of a certain 96’ wildcard?

[T.E.]

As a kid used to really nothing but success, I couldn't believe they lost that game.

 

Imagine how Denver fans felt the following week when Jacksonville clipped them at Mile High, though. That was an all-time stunner.

[CincyBillsFan]

Went back and looked at the play by play because my recollection was that we came close to blowing the game wide open in the 1st half and 2 bad plays by Kelly saved the Jags and gave them big time momentum.

 

Bills went up 7 - 0 in the 1st quarter.  Then after stuffing the Jags they get the ball back at their own 13.  First play Kelly hits Early for 11 yards. Then on 1st and 10 the Bills get cute and try a shovel pass to Thomas which was intercepted and returned for a TD.  Now it's 7 - 7 and the Bills then go down and score a TD to go up 14 - 7. The Jags kick a FG to cut the Bills lead to 14 - 10.  Moulds has a great KO return and the Bills drive into the Jags red zone.  Then on 4th & inches at the Jags 16 yard line Kelly is stuffed on a QB sneak.  So instead of scoring and going up 21 - 10 the Bills are stopped and the Jags take the ball and go on a TD drive. The rest is history.

 

 

 

 

[Buffalo03]

4 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Does this wildcard game vs Denver remind anyone else of that 1996 game vs Jacksonville? Vet coach with a young QB, upstart team playing with nothing to lose, big home favorite with all the pressure on them? Maybe it’s my Bills paranoia setting in but I just can’t shake the feeling. 

The difference between now and that 96 team was that was the scrap heap of what was left of the Super Bowl years. It was Kelly's final game on the downside of his career. Thurman on the downside of his career. Cornelius Bennett left the off-season before. It was a team holding on. This team is ways away better than that team was. I'm not saying the Broncos can't win. They absolutely could and that is something I don't wanna think about. But that 96 team was much worse than what this team is

 

Edited yesterday at 01:33 AM by Buffalo03

[BearNorth]

That team had a decent Wade Phillips defense, but the offense, with 36 yr old Jim Kelly was middle of the pack - not nearly as explosive as the 2024 Bills.  that team scored 14 rushing touchdowns fewer than James Cook did by himself.

 

 

[Talley56]

The Bills proceeded to not win another playoff game for 25 years from after that loss 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

[Buffalo03]

4 hours ago, pkwwjd said:

Just remember that Kelly's first SB year was year 7 of pro ball ... JA17 is there now!

Year 7 of you count the USFL. He was only in his 5th NFL season

4 hours ago, bigK14094 said:

Actually, I was remembering back to about ,85, when the Bills and Bronco's had a playoff game in the extreme January cold.  bills won it on an INT by Carlton Bailey, the MLB at the time.  Low scoring affair, as the elements were heavy on both teams.  Hope I got that year  almost right.  I was there!

85? That was 91

[JohnNord]

5 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Does this wildcard game vs Denver remind anyone else of that 1996 game vs Jacksonville? Vet coach with a young QB, upstart team playing with nothing to lose, big home favorite with all the pressure on them? Maybe it’s my Bills paranoia setting in but I just can’t shake the feeling. 

The only similarity is that the Bills are playing at home against a lower seeded team.  
 

The 1996 Bills were 10-6, lost 3 of their 4 games and barely made the playoffs.  Also their three best players on offense had seriously declined that season (QB, RB, WR).

 

Tom Coughlin wasn’t really a veteran coach.  Jacksonville was his first stop as NFL HC.  Also that Jacksonville team was filled with veterans with playoff experience.  So while it was their first first playoff appearance as a franchise, plenty of players already had experience.  
 

There’s not a lot of similarities other than is Denver wins, it will be a major upset.  

21 minutes ago, CincyBillsFan said:

Went back and looked at the play by play because my recollection was that we came close to blowing the game wide open in the 1st half and 2 bad plays by Kelly saved the Jags and gave them big time momentum.

 

Bills went up 7 - 0 in the 1st quarter.  Then after stuffing the Jags they get the ball back at their own 13.  First play Kelly hits Early for 11 yards. Then on 1st and 10 the Bills get cute and try a shovel pass to Thomas which was intercepted and returned for a TD.  Now it's 7 - 7 and the Bills then go down and score a TD to go up 14 - 7. The Jags kick a FG to cut the Bills lead to 14 - 10.  Moulds has a great KO return and the Bills drive into the Jags red zone.  Then on 4th & inches at the Jags 16 yard line Kelly is stuffed on a QB sneak.  So instead of scoring and going up 21 - 10 the Bills are stopped and the Jags take the ball and go on a TD drive. The rest is history.

 

 

 

 

Didn’t Jeff Burris also return an INT for a TD that bailed them out temporarily?  

4 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Same...remember it was quiet as a pindrop when Kelly had to leave the game...nobody said it but I think most of us were thinking that might be the last time we ever saw him play and we were right.

I remember feeling relieved when Todd Collins came into the came in at the end.  Then he tried to take a deep shot and got hit as he threw.  It was pathetic.  

[atlbillsfan1975]

4 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

I think it will be easier than we think.

Yep. It just feels like this team has been waiting to get to the playoffs. I could be really wrong, but I think we see a different performance from the D than previous playoffs. 

[DeepPass]

5 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Does this wildcard game vs Denver remind anyone else of that 1996 game vs Jacksonville? Vet coach with a young QB, upstart team playing with nothing to lose, big home favorite with all the pressure on them? Maybe it’s my Bills paranoia setting in but I just can’t shake the feeling. 

Not really.  Kelly, Thurman, Bruce were going down hill at that point.  Playing for an old dream then.

[Buffalo03]

1 minute ago, DeepPass said:

Not really.  Kelly, Thurman, Bruce were going down hill at that point.  Playing for an old dream then.

Nor necessarily, Bruce. He was still playing pretty solid for a few more years. Kelly and Thurman for sure, though. 

[BillsPride12]

5 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Nor necessarily, Bruce. He was still playing pretty solid for a few more years. Kelly and Thurman for sure, though. 

Correct.  Bruce actually won Defensive Player of the Year that season 

[dave mcbride]

45 minutes ago, BillsPride12 said:

Correct.  Bruce actually won Defensive Player of the Year that season 

Bruce Smith was the best player in the league in 1996 inclusive of all positions. He had 47 QB pressures in addition to his 14.5 sacks.

[BillsPride12]

18 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

Bruce Smith was the best player in the league in 1996 inclusive of all positions. He had 47 QB pressures in addition to his 14.5 sacks.

 

[Breakout Squad]

7 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

Do the Broncos have Natrone Means?  Otherwise, no. 

He was so good for a few years. Chewed us up big time. 

2 hours ago, JohnNord said:

The only similarity is that the Bills are playing at home against a lower seeded team.  
 

The 1996 Bills were 10-6, lost 3 of their 4 games and barely made the playoffs.  Also their three best players on offense had seriously declined that season (QB, RB, WR).

 

Tom Coughlin wasn’t really a veteran coach.  Jacksonville was his first stop as NFL HC.  Also that Jacksonville team was filled with veterans with playoff experience.  So while it was their first first playoff appearance as a franchise, plenty of players already had experience.  
 

There’s not a lot of similarities other than is Denver wins, it will be a major upset.  

Didn’t Jeff Burris also return an INT for a TD that bailed them out temporarily?  

I remember feeling relieved when Todd Collins came into the came in at the end.  Then he tried to take a deep shot and got hit as he threw.  It was pathetic.  

The stadium was the loudest I’ve ever heard it when they pinned the Jags at their own goal line. Everything was shaking. Must’ve been the extra 7k seats approx. that had Rich Stadium turnt up. 
 

Kelly played tough but looked past his prime. 

[Boatdrinks]

Nope

[ganesh]

12 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Does this wildcard game vs Denver remind anyone else of that 1996 game vs Jacksonville? Vet coach with a young QB, upstart team playing with nothing to lose, big home favorite with all the pressure on them? Maybe it’s my Bills paranoia setting in but I just can’t shake the feeling. 

The difference is that Kelly was already declining whereas Allen is on the rise..  Very different situation.  

[Bills!Win!]

8 hours ago, CincyBillsFan said:

Went back and looked at the play by play because my recollection was that we came close to blowing the game wide open in the 1st half and 2 bad plays by Kelly saved the Jags and gave them big time momentum.

 

Bills went up 7 - 0 in the 1st quarter.  Then after stuffing the Jags they get the ball back at their own 13.  First play Kelly hits Early for 11 yards. Then on 1st and 10 the Bills get cute and try a shovel pass to Thomas which was intercepted and returned for a TD.  Now it's 7 - 7 and the Bills then go down and score a TD to go up 14 - 7. The Jags kick a FG to cut the Bills lead to 14 - 10.  Moulds has a great KO return and the Bills drive into the Jags red zone.  Then on 4th & inches at the Jags 16 yard line Kelly is stuffed on a QB sneak.  So instead of scoring and going up 21 - 10 the Bills are stopped and the Jags take the ball and go on a TD drive. The rest is history.

 

 

 

 

I think part of the reason we lost is we had a receiver named Quinn Early playing. Sounds like a 5th WR to me 

[The Helmet of]

13 hours ago, DBilz2500 said:

Does this wildcard game vs Denver remind anyone else of that 1996 game vs Jacksonville? Vet coach with a young QB, upstart team playing with nothing to lose, big home favorite with all the pressure on them? Maybe it’s my Bills paranoia setting in but I just can’t shake the feeling. 

No. Not at all. People were bringing that up in week 3. Trap game. Scared of the Jags. Right.

[Doc Brown]

Quietest walk to the car ever.  I still have Natron Means nightmares.  We had some crazy home playoff winning streak too.  Kelly carted off the field.  Bad day.  On the bright side, Mark Brunell was much more experienced than Bo Nix.

[Livinginthepast]

Kelly was done at that point. The only reason we still had confidence in the team was that even an almost washed Jim Kelly was still superior to most Qbs in the league at that point. But in retrospect, all the signs were there. This was the only Bills playoff game I have ever been to. My friends I was with were enjoying copious beverages in the pregame but I had to take it easy being the driver. I do remember the sickening realization when Kelly was injured and fumbled (which was not a fumble) that they were going to lose. TBH they had this game and all the momentum and couldn't close it out.  It was a terrible drive home in silence after that game!