2009 Bills=80's Bills?

[Solomon Grundy]

Youtube is a great research tool. I started watching recasts of the 1980 Bills team and saw lots of similarities with the current team. Let's look at the defense. The Bills can have the rebirth of the Bermuda Triangle with Stroud, Mitchell and Poz. Smerlas, Nelson and Haslett were awesome. Let's hope this year's #58 is nothing like Isiah Robertson and more like Lucious Sanford. Sherman White and Ben Williams were serviceable DE's. Can Kelsay and Schobel be serviceable? The current DB's are better than the 80 class of Jeff Nixon, Charlie Romes, Steve Freeman, Mario Clark and Bill Simpson.

 

Offensively, the 80's had a RB trio of Curtis Brown, Roland Hooks, and Joe Cribbs. A revamped offensive line with Will Grant, Conrad Dobler, Joe Devlin, Ken Jones and Reggie McKenzie. A plethora of TE's in Duke Ferguson, Reuben Gant and Mark Brammer who in my opinion didn't get enough pub. T.O and (General) Lee Evans are comparable if not better than Jerry Butler and Frank Lewis. Roscoe Parrish and Lou Piccone measurables were the same in stature and heart. Last but not least is the QB position. If Trent Edwards can have anywhere near the type of season Joe Ferguson had that year, we could be in for a good year.

 

I say could because the X-factor in all of this is the coaching staff. The offense in during the 1980 season was a force to be reckoned with. If Dick Jauron and his staff can duplicate their production we can be playoff bound.

[VJ91]

Youtube is a great research tool. I started watching recasts of the 1980 Bills team and saw lots of similarities with the current team. Let's look at the defense. The Bills can have the rebirth of the Bermuda Triangle with Stroud, Mitchell and Poz. Smerlas, Nelson and Haslett were awesome. Let's hope this year's #58 is nothing like Isiah Robertson and more like Lucious Sanford. Sherman White and Ben Williams were serviceable DE's. Can Kelsay and Schobel be serviceable? The current DB's are better than the 80 class of Jeff Nixon, Charlie Romes, Steve Freeman, Mario Clark and Bill Simpson.

 

Offensively, the 80's had a RB trio of Curtis Brown, Roland Hooks, and Joe Cribbs. A revamped offensive line with Will Grant, Conrad Dobler, Joe Devlin, Ken Jones and Reggie McKenzie. A plethora of TE's in Duke Ferguson, Reuben Gant and Mark Brammer who in my opinion didn't get enough pub. T.O and (General) Lee Evans are comparable if not better than Jerry Butler and Frank Lewis. Roscoe Parrish and Lou Piccone measurables were the same in stature and heart. Last but not least is the QB position. If Trent Edwards can have anywhere near the type of season Joe Ferguson had that year, we could be in for a good year.

 

I say could because the X-factor in all of this is the coaching staff. The offense in during the 1980 season was a force to be reckoned with. If Dick Jauron and his staff can duplicate their production we can be playoff bound.

 

Let's try to be realistic, OK? :

 

1) You cannot duplicate the Bermuda Triangle with a 4-3 "2-gap" defense.

 

2) Ben Williams and Sherman White were way better then just "servicable" ends. Schobel is a little better then both of those when 100% healthy, but Kelsay would never see the field other then as back-up behind both of them.

 

3) Did you even watch Nixon, Romes, Freeman, Clark and Simspon play full games back then, or are you just going on a few old highlights from Youtube?? The current d-backs would all be bench warmers behind those guys.

 

4) All of those defensive players you seem to think are "about as good or worse" then the Bills current defenders, combined to be named the number 1 defense in the NFL after the 1980 season. Did you know that? Please tell me you don't think that the 2009 version can finish number one - if you do think that, I would love a bottle of whatever you are drinking. To be fair, I'm hoping the Bills can improve from their top 15 finish last year to inside the top 10 - that should be good enough to fight for a playoff spot.

 

On to your offensive observations:

1) "Revamped offensive line"? Well, they may have been revamped with Grant coming in at center and Dobler replacing the stupid trade of HOFer Joe D. to Cleveland, but those 5 guys sure had more experience then these current new players at every position. And did you know that Dobler set the goal from day one of training camp that the Bills would have the least amount of sacks in the NFL that 1980 season, and they went out and did it?

 

2) I really only remember watching Brammer play tight end that season. Whoever ends up starting there this season should be able to at least duplicate Brammers' production, but he was a good blocker and made the catches when he needed to.

 

3) I agree that the running backs and wide receivers are somewhat comparable.

 

4) Can Edwards duplicate Fergys' 1980 season? Now that is a huge question mark, don't you think? Stats wise, Fergy did not knock your socks off at all. That season he did throw for 20 TD's, but also 18 Ints. His final passer rating was only 74 and he got injured in the last regular season game at San Fran and was hobbling for the playoff loss to the Chargers. But despite that injury, Fergy did play in all 17 games that season, and Edwards has not made it a full season yet. The 20 TD's should be easy to duplicate with T.O. on the team ready to catch his usual 10. But the one stat that is most likely impossible to duplicate for QB play from Fergy in 1980 was the league leading 13 sacks he took. Watch for Edwards to fall many more times then that this season.

 

5) Bottom line for the offense? This year's team has more of a chance of duplicating the 1980 offense then the defense has, that's for sure. The biggest question mark is how the Bills can improve by 4 games to duplicate the overall record of 11-5-0 and AFC East Division Championship that year.

 

Good luck with that, Bills, but I do hope you can somehow do it, of course!!

[Tcali]

Youtube is a great research tool. I started watching recasts of the 1980 Bills team and saw lots of similarities with the current team. Let's look at the defense. The Bills can have the rebirth of the Bermuda Triangle with Stroud, Mitchell and Poz. Smerlas, Nelson and Haslett were awesome. Let's hope this year's #58 is nothing like Isiah Robertson and more like Lucious Sanford. Sherman White and Ben Williams were serviceable DE's. Can Kelsay and Schobel be serviceable? The current DB's are better than the 80 class of Jeff Nixon, Charlie Romes, Steve Freeman, Mario Clark and Bill Simpson.

 

Offensively, the 80's had a RB trio of Curtis Brown, Roland Hooks, and Joe Cribbs. A revamped offensive line with Will Grant, Conrad Dobler, Joe Devlin, Ken Jones and Reggie McKenzie. A plethora of TE's in Duke Ferguson, Reuben Gant and Mark Brammer who in my opinion didn't get enough pub. T.O and (General) Lee Evans are comparable if not better than Jerry Butler and Frank Lewis. Roscoe Parrish and Lou Piccone measurables were the same in stature and heart. Last but not least is the QB position. If Trent Edwards can have anywhere near the type of season Joe Ferguson had that year, we could be in for a good year.

 

I say could because the X-factor in all of this is the coaching staff. The offense in during the 1980 season was a force to be reckoned with. If Dick Jauron and his staff can duplicate their production we can be playoff bound.

Bermuda triangle??Mitchell and Poz??? hmmmm...this team..so far..has shown nothing of the fire that the 80 team had

[jester43]

Let's try to be realistic, OK? :

 

1) You cannot duplicate the Bermuda Triangle with a 4-3 "2-gap" defense.

 

2) Ben Williams and Sherman White were way better then just "servicable" ends. Schobel is a little better then both of those when 100% healthy, but Kelsay would never see the field other then as back-up behind both of them.

 

3) Did you even watch Nixon, Romes, Freeman, Clark and Simspon play full games back then, or are you just going on a few old highlights from Youtube?? The current d-backs would all be bench warmers behind those guys.

 

4) All of those defensive players you seem to think are "about as good or worse" then the Bills current defenders, combined to be named the number 1 defense in the NFL after the 1980 season. Did you know that? Please tell me you don't think that the 2009 version can finish number one - if you do think that, I would love a bottle of whatever you are drinking. To be fair, I'm hoping the Bills can improve from their top 15 finish last year to inside the top 10 - that should be good enough to fight for a playoff spot.

 

On to your offensive observations:

1) "Revamped offensive line"? Well, they may have been revamped with Grant coming in at center and Dobler replacing the stupid trade of HOFer Joe D. to Cleveland, but those 5 guys sure had more experience then these current new players at every position. And did you know that Dobler set the goal from day one of training camp that the Bills would have the least amount of sacks in the NFL that 1980 season, and they went out and did it?

 

2) I really only remember watching Brammer play tight end that season. Whoever ends up starting there this season should be able to at least duplicate Brammers' production, but he was a good blocker and made the catches when he needed to.

 

3) I agree that the running backs and wide receivers are somewhat comparable.

 

4) Can Edwards duplicate Fergys' 1980 season? Now that is a huge question mark, don't you think? Stats wise, Fergy did not knock your socks off at all. That season he did throw for 20 TD's, but also 18 Ints. His final passer rating was only 74 and he got injured in the last regular season game at San Fran and was hobbling for the playoff loss to the Chargers. But despite that injury, Fergy did play in all 17 games that season, and Edwards has not made it a full season yet. The 20 TD's should be easy to duplicate with T.O. on the team ready to catch his usual 10. But the one stat that is most likely impossible to duplicate for QB play from Fergy in 1980 was the league leading 13 sacks he took. Watch for Edwards to fall many more times then that this season.

 

5) Bottom line for the offense? This year's team has more of a chance of duplicating the 1980 offense then the defense has, that's for sure. The biggest question mark is how the Bills can improve by 4 games to duplicate the overall record of 11-5-0 and AFC East Division Championship that year.

 

Good luck with that, Bills, but I do hope you can somehow do it, of course!!

nice analysis but you overlooked the obvious...the 1980 bills had a real coach and chuck knox would never ever lose to jauron and his treadmill of mediocrity..you could trade rosters and knox would still win.

[Solomon Grundy]

Let's try to be realistic, OK? :

 

1) You cannot duplicate the Bermuda Triangle with a 4-3 "2-gap" defense.

 

2) Ben Williams and Sherman White were way better then just "servicable" ends. Schobel is a little better then both of those when 100% healthy, but Kelsay would never see the field other then as back-up behind both of them.

 

3) Did you even watch Nixon, Romes, Freeman, Clark and Simspon play full games back then, or are you just going on a few old highlights from Youtube?? The current d-backs would all be bench warmers behind those guys.

 

4) All of those defensive players you seem to think are "about as good or worse" then the Bills current defenders, combined to be named the number 1 defense in the NFL after the 1980 season. Did you know that? Please tell me you don't think that the 2009 version can finish number one - if you do think that, I would love a bottle of whatever you are drinking. To be fair, I'm hoping the Bills can improve from their top 15 finish last year to inside the top 10 - that should be good enough to fight for a playoff spot.

 

On to your offensive observations:

1) "Revamped offensive line"? Well, they may have been revamped with Grant coming in at center and Dobler replacing the stupid trade of HOFer Joe D. to Cleveland, but those 5 guys sure had more experience then these current new players at every position. And did you know that Dobler set the goal from day one of training camp that the Bills would have the least amount of sacks in the NFL that 1980 season, and they went out and did it?

 

2) I really only remember watching Brammer play tight end that season. Whoever ends up starting there this season should be able to at least duplicate Brammers' production, but he was a good blocker and made the catches when he needed to.

 

3) I agree that the running backs and wide receivers are somewhat comparable.

 

4) Can Edwards duplicate Fergys' 1980 season? Now that is a huge question mark, don't you think? Stats wise, Fergy did not knock your socks off at all. That season he did throw for 20 TD's, but also 18 Ints. His final passer rating was only 74 and he got injured in the last regular season game at San Fran and was hobbling for the playoff loss to the Chargers. But despite that injury, Fergy did play in all 17 games that season, and Edwards has not made it a full season yet. The 20 TD's should be easy to duplicate with T.O. on the team ready to catch his usual 10. But the one stat that is most likely impossible to duplicate for QB play from Fergy in 1980 was the league leading 13 sacks he took. Watch for Edwards to fall many more times then that this season.

 

5) Bottom line for the offense? This year's team has more of a chance of duplicating the 1980 offense then the defense has, that's for sure. The biggest question mark is how the Bills can improve by 4 games to duplicate the overall record of 11-5-0 and AFC East Division Championship that year.

 

Good luck with that, Bills, but I do hope you can somehow do it, of course!!

I am old enough to remember walking 5 blocks up Jefferson Avenue with my mother to watch the Bills play at "the Rockpile" so to answer your question YES I did watch Romes and Co. play and still say that they are comparable.

 

The defense, if healthy and produce some pass rush can be Top 10.

 

Fergy's sack total was helped because as I stated earlier threw the ball alot from the shotgun. It would help Trent and the O-line if he was in the "gun" more on passing downs as well.

[evilbuffalobob]

Bermuda triangle??Mitchell and Poz??? hmmmm...this team..so far..has shown nothing of the fire that the 80 team had

 

FIRE.

 

What I've been saying all along... FIRE, is what this team lacks. Love 'em or hate 'em, Turdell Owens brings a smoldering, if unpredictable smidge of fire. It should, at the very least melt-down some of the DJ wax museum candor (that seems to be contagious).

 

If they could all yell out who they are and what they're worth on the field, at least they'll go down swinging. I can live with that (till we get a new coach) and some sort of nasty maniac/animal on the D-Line.

 

Yeah. What he said. Fire.

[Dr. Trooth]

Yeah... I see their record being something like 1984's.