Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

http://nflfootballjournal.blogspot.com/ ... areer.html

Buffalo Bills All Career-Year Team
OPINION
By John Turney

Finally, my hometown team. I've been waiting for this one.
Not many complaints at all. At first I was surprised you went with Cribbs '81 over Cribbs '80. But you can make the case with the recieving TDs. I am glad you went with Simpson '75 over Simpson '73. '73 is more famous for obvious reasons but there was definitely more overall offensive production in '75. At our regional PFRA get together in April someone was trying to make the case that Simpson '73 was the greatest RB season ever. (or greatest in team history? - I can't remember) Based on he was such a greater percentage of the offense in '73 and still, nobody could stop him. A compelling argument. I won't name names but he was featured in the most recent Coffin Corner. I think the only thing I definitely would have done different is included Metzelaars '93 instead of either of your TE spots. Not that that season was THAT great. The Bills are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of historical TE production.

ChrisBabcock wrote:Finally, my hometown team. I've been waiting for this one.
Not many complaints at all. At first I was surprised you went with Cribbs '81 over Cribbs '80. But you can make the case with the recieving TDs. I am glad you went with Simpson '75 over Simpson '73. '73 is more famous for obvious reasons but there was definitely more overall offensive production in '75. At our regional PFRA get together in April someone was trying to make the case that Simpson '73 was the greatest RB season ever. (or greatest in team history? - I can't remember) Based on he was such a greater percentage of the offense in '73 and still, nobody could stop him. A compelling argument. I won't name names but he was featured in the most recent Coffin Corner. I think the only thing I definitely would have done different is included Metzelaars '93 instead of either of your TE spots. Not that that season was THAT great. The Bills are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of historical TE production.

I had Metz at first, then went with the 18 yards a catch----but it was very close. And yes, the TDs was difference in 80 versus 1981 for Cribbs and that he was 2nd team AP in 1981 and in 1980 highest was 1st team all afc.

[quote="ChrisBabcock" The Bills are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of historical TE production.[/quote]

The Seahawks, who Metzelaars ironically also played for, are another.

ChrisBabcock wrote:Finally, my hometown team. I've been waiting for this one.
Not many complaints at all. At first I was surprised you went with Cribbs '81 over Cribbs '80. But you can make the case with the recieving TDs. I am glad you went with Simpson '75 over Simpson '73. '73 is more famous for obvious reasons but there was definitely more overall offensive production in '75. At our regional PFRA get together in April someone was trying to make the case that Simpson '73 was the greatest RB season ever. (or greatest in team history? - I can't remember) Based on he was such a greater percentage of the offense in '73 and still, nobody could stop him. A compelling argument. I won't name names but he was featured in the most recent Coffin Corner. I think the only thing I definitely would have done different is included Metzelaars '93 instead of either of your TE spots. Not that that season was THAT great. The Bills are one of the worst teams in the league in terms of historical TE production.

Costa held the Bills TE record for yards in a season until just recently ... and he and Ernie Warlick are the only Bills TEs to ever make a pro bowl ... Metz was a good TE but his production was rather pedestrian ...

I have been waiting for this for months. I was so excited when I saw the list was out.. I actually wrote out my entire team back in February. Of course, when I looked for it today, I couldn't find it. I'll just hit some of my points from memory.

My entire offensive line was in near sync with your team. (Some of the players I chose different years.) I may have chosen Richie Incognito's 2015 season, but I recall agonizing; who do I take off? Joe D and Shaw were HOF players, McKenzie was OJ's main man, and Reuben Brown went to the Pro Bowl for years. I think I went with 2002 for Brown, just because the Bills had a better offense. They didn't run the ball well in 2000, and gave up a lot of sacks, though most of that was due to the stable of backs they had, and Rob Johnson's indecision. Brown may well have peaked in 2000.
(One note; John, you listed Jim Ritcher in 1991 as an HM at C, but he was a guard. He played C in college, and early in his career with Buffalo, but in 1991, he was entrenched at LG, right next to Kent Hull.)

Same 1st choice for QB and both RB positions. OJ had more total yards in 1975 than in 1973 and almost twice as many TD's. (23-12.) My #2 QB was a toss between 1998 Flutie and 2002 Bledsoe (which was really an MVP half season.) 2002 Travis Henry and 2012 CJ Spiller were my #2 RB's.
My fullbacks were Cookie and 1975 Jim Braxton. I know we had different criteria for FB's.

At WR, same players but I picked Reed's 1994 season. I may have overlooked Costa at TE; I had Pete and Warlick.

My defensive line is almost identical, but I had 2 DT's and a NT. 2003 Sam Adams and 2013 or 14 Kyle Williams were my other #1 and #2 DT's. (Kyle had All Pro recognition in 2010, but the Bills had a better defense in 2013 and especially in 14.)
LB's are identical to the player and year, except I had London Fletcher in 2006 instead of Matsos. I may reconsider, though. I was looking for someone else to put at #2 ILB/MLB, and just didn't think of Matsos. Fletcher had a decent year in 2006, but the Bills were one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.

Secondary was also nearly identical, except I know I didn't have Terrence McGee at CB in 04. He was a great kick returner that year, and was a very good CB in later years, but I didn't think he was that good in 2004. I think I either chose 03 Winfield or Booker Edgerson. Nate Clements had a lot of talent, but I thought he wasn't as consistent as Winfield or Thomas Smith in the late 90's.

At kicker, Scott Norwood in 1988 was an easy pick. I just had Dan Carpenter in 2013 as my #2.

Wow, that was a lot longer then I thought it would be, but I've been holding it in for months.