Why didn't the 1990's Bills win a SB?

[Mike]

In 1990 I was an eight year old kid that did not speak an english. By 1993-4 Season I was a fluent Bills fan. I never got to watch those earlier Bills SB against the Giants, Redskins, and Cowboys. However, I did hear many fan's opinions on why the Bills Lost those earlier games. This is what I remember:

vs. Giants
They out-coached us. Kept Kelly on the sideline and ran the ball and the time. By the time the offense got on the field they were cold and misfiring. Reason the Bills lost: were out-coached

vs. Redskins
I read somewhere where they Bills players stated that that Redskins team was the best team that they ever faced.

vs. Cowboys
Lost to a much better team.

vs. Cowboys
I actually watched this game. They fumbled it away. The pressure might have been too much.

I have also heard that the Bills players really liked to party before the games.

So, for those of you that watched these games, why do you think the Bills lost?

[Skooby]

The NFC was loaded with talent & won many times during that period.

[acehole]

Get rid of this thread.

[ServoBillieves]

This is getting... no wait it's already... ugh it's not beyond sad.

[The Jokeman]

Simply put Jim Kelly was a good but not great QB. Yet he was fortunate to play with a great RBin Thurman Thomas and Marchibroda developed an offense that played to his strengths but the reality is Kelly's inability to avoid turnovers or get points when it mattered most killed us. I still wonder if we played in a more traditinal offense with a less risky QB like Ken O'Brien could we have won a Super Bowl. As time consuming drives would have allowed our D more rest and be better than they were and say what you want but those bend but don't break defenses were pretty good in spots in shutting down better QBs like Elway and Montana in AFC Championship games or making critical plays to get us the ball back against Warren Moon in the greatest comeback etc. Super Bowl XXV's final drive is a great example of why have issues with Jimbo. Kelly could have easily called off another player and tried to get us closer for that final kick. Also in Super Bowl XXVIII I still lament we had to settle for a FG just before half time as to me if we score a TD there that game would have been over at the half as we could have tried to milk the clock in the second half if were up by more than 2 scores. I know it might get me quite a few negative rep points in say so but this site posts some interesting numbers

http://maricopa360.com/?p=4880


Jim Kelly (9-8) - 322 completions, 545 attempts, 3,863 yards, 21 touchdowns, 28 picks, and a 72.3 QB rating – With the exception of the 1990 season, Kelly just played small time after time in the playoffs. In the two games against Miami and Oakland, he combined to go 36-for-52 with 639 yards, five touchdowns, two picks, and a QB rating of 127.00. That means that in the other 15 playoff games he combined to throw 16 touchdowns, 26 picks, and post a 66.5 QB rating. Other than those two games, he only posted one playoff game with over a 100.00 QB rating.

Jim Kelly played well in spots, but played three horrible Super Bowls. He threw an interception once every 19.5 attempts in the postseason, which is horrendous. He threw at least one pick in 14 of his 17 playoff starts. As a result, Jim Kelly is tied with Brett Favre for the most playoff interceptions in Super Bowl history with 28. Favre started five more playoff games and threw a pick only once every 25.8 times. Kelly is easily one of the most turnover prone quarterbacks in NFL history.

[EDS]

Bills were the more talented team in the SB vs. the Giants. Not that it matters.

[CoolBreeze]

Let's not forget the "Bend, not Break" defense.. It broke miserably. Other than the safety against the Giants, Bruce Smith was dominated. They faced 4 Superior,Big, and Physical offensive lines, and couldn't stop the run. The secondary was dreadful as well. As good as the Bills were, they were head cases when they got behind. After the 1st SB, I don't believe they had any confidence at all.

[G Wolly]

Because the other teams scored more points.

[Oaf]

Because the other teams scored more points.
Way to go.

[Beebe's Kid]

Kelly ran the entire offense. To say that he wasn't that good sounds like you migh be on to something... Unfortunately we will never know if your right. There have just been so many QBs that have done that, and there aren't your upon hours of tape showing differently. I think the proof is in how long it took him to get into Canton... I mean " if" he sneaks in.

The best part was the analysis.

There is the answer...the Bills dominated the competition four years in a row on the way to the Super Bowl with one of the best offenses ever, which was run completely by the QB, and was even named after him, but alas they were never to win a SB because they had a good, but not great QB.

I have heard just about everything as to why they lost, but Kelly not being a good QB? This is the first time for that.

[Novacane]

They were out coached in the loss to NY. They just got beat by better teams in the other three.

[G Wolly]

There is the answer...the Bills dominated the competition four years in a row on the way to the Super Bowl with one of the best offenses ever, which was run completely by the QB, and was even named after him, but alas they were never to win a SB because they had a good, but not great QB.


If you're referring to K-Gun being named after Kelly, you're wrong.

EDIT: unless your whole reply was sarcastic.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

the offense was awesome. the d only had 3 super bowl caliber players

bruce/hansen/bennett

the d was just not good enough vs great teams.

its also didnt help our d-cord sucked.

whats so funny is, if we would have played the 49ers, i always thought we matched up better with them.

could have happened 5 times...

[Mike]

all very informative

[Meathead]

alcoholism

[Buckets]

None of the above!
1 Kelly choked
2 Official time outs (for commercials) took away our K-gun. Its hard to run a hurry up offense when there's a time out every other series.

[Stewie]

IMO, we had a chance in the first and last one.

The first one we got outcoached and outplayed, and we still had a chance to win at the end.

In the last one, they had the lead at halftime, and had to play 30 minutes of solid football to put the previous 4 years behind them and finally win one. And they choked it away.