History of the Bills: 1994-1998

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 6:00 AM EDT in Buffalo Bills Seasonal Archives

Thurman Thomas became the Bills' all-time leading rusher in 1996.

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Sigh

I remember that Jacksonville playoff game. The last of the old guard. I never had any doubt that they’d win… until they didn’t.

After that, it just felt like the team had no identity… a problem that continues to this day. Who are the Buffalo Bills? Back then, they were a high-scoring, quarterback-pressuring, go for the throat type of team. They were coming at you full throttle on both sides of the ball and there was no hiding it. The defense declined more slowly, but between Collins, Johnson, and Flutie, they were a small island of average in a vast sea of mediocrity.

For me, Bills football will always be about attacking, just like Dolphins football will always be about choking. I don’t think any other identity (whenever we finally find one) will ever fit this team. I hope we get back to attacking this year — we certainly have the personnel for it.

Great writeup, MRW.

by Mark Parisi on Jul 19, 2009 6:35 AM EDT reply actions

The most amazing stat in this segment...

…..is from 1994:

At the time Buffalo was in the top five in league salary

And Ralph hadn’t even reached 80 by then.

Watching Steve Tasker get a chance as a WR in 1995 and 1996 made me wonder how many catches he might have had if he’d had more opportunities when he was younger. Probably would’ve, too, if he were 3 or 4 inches taller.

Once again, a very thorough and informative history lesson, MRW. Even though this relatively recent history, there were things that either hadn’t crossed my mind in awhile or that were out-and-out surprises, e.g., I was surprised at how many positive references to Todd Collins there were, not that there were many.

by Gino Parilli on Jul 19, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

Collins wasn't as bad as I remember when I look at stats...

he had a decent record in his one season they gave him.

People who call Ralph cheap aren’t looking at the whole story. He has spent money in the past but he likes to do it on known commodities.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Antoine Smith? I think you mean Antowain Smith!

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Jul 19, 2009 6:08 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry...

:-)

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Changed it...

and I am going to go back and add links to your top 50 players.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

When Kelly and Co. retired, I expected the bottom to fall out

I just didn’t expect it to be a bottomless pit.

"I BET YOU IF WE PUT A 12 DOZEN GLAZE DONUTS AT THE OTHER END ON KICK RETURN JAIME DUKES WILL BE OUR NUM # 1 RETURNER …… HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES DUKE APPLE PIE PUNKEN EATER DWINKE SMASHER DING DONG FLABER" - abayarde

by Joe P. on Jul 19, 2009 6:22 PM EDT reply actions

We made the playoffs after Kelly retired...

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I know.....but did you really think that team was the start of something,

or just a flash in the pan?

by Joe P. on Jul 19, 2009 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Man that's tough to say...

Team can reload and I hoped we reloaded. Smith was not Thomas and Flutie/Johnson/Collins weren’t Kelly but Moulds was good and the defense was good. I mean my entire memorable life the Bills had been good so I just expected them to stay good.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Can't blame you

The Bills had me going when we got Bledsoe.

by Joe P. on Jul 19, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

His first year was the best by a Bills QB ever...

that would sucker anybody in. :-)

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

by MattRichWarren on Jul 19, 2009 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions

and that was even after him being terrible the second half of that season….

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Jul 19, 2009 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Tasker would have been a dynamite slot receiver if Marv had let him. I remember Jim Kelly saying that noone could cover him. It was tough seeing him retire, along with many of the others from the Super Bowl teams of the early ’90’s.

I’m pretty good at forgetting the bad Bills games, but that loss against NE (“just give it to’em”) made me crazy. I couldn’t believe the officiating was that blatantly awful. 11 years later, it’s still upsetting, although it’s a lot easier to put it aside as irrelevant today.

Flutie was good enough to get us to the playoffs, but we always seemed to lose in the first round. Lack of scoring punch was pretty evident in those games. I never will completely understand the decision to go away from the K-Gun offense.

There were some good memories from this era, but nothing like the previous one. We Bills fans had to relearn how to temper our expectations after a long period near the top of the league.

Get the Bills back to the big game!

by Blitz on Jul 20, 2009 11:26 AM EDT reply actions