Best Team of the last 13 Years.

[ServoBillieves]

No playoffs, and we're all dealing with the failures of the regime(s), but honestly which is the only team that gave you sincere hope?

'08 on this end. Trent had the arm, we had Lee and Sco, Jackson and Lynch (that is insane), we had a good line, our D had Poz/McGee/McLovin/Stroud/Kwill/Kelsay/et cetera. How could that not turn in to success? Miserable ownership.

Meanwhile, watch this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlesjDoRsWo

So many pieces in even Schouman and Fine, and we couldn't get them the ball? Just too many sad decisions by Ralph. Let me know your thoughts.

[Dr. Lecter]

No doubt the year with Bledsoe, Henry, Moulds and Price tearing it up. That was a fantastic offense for about 10 games.

[MTBillsFan]

Servo-
I have to agree that the 08 team was pretty good. Although the year (03?) we lost to Pittsburgh's 3rd stringers, I'd say they were better.

[ServoBillieves]

Servo-
I have to agree that the 08 team was pretty good. Although the year (03?) we lost to Pittsburgh's 3rd stringers, I'd say they were better.

Willie Parker... I had to hear that incessantly while I lived in PA.

[Ginger Vitis]

2004.. Onl y Bills team in the last 13 years to win at least 9 games and be in wild card contention the last game of the season

[The King]

Pittsburgh was 15-1 that year. A lot of those back-ups took on leading roles in their super bowl run the next year.

[Pinkerton Security]

No doubt the year with Bledsoe, Henry, Moulds and Price tearing it up. That was a fantastic offense for about 10 games.

x2

[mjt328]

2003. No doubt.

As a team, we had improved the previous year from 3-13 to 8-8. Our talent level was very good on both sides of the ball.

Drew Bledsoe had played very well his first year with us and was coming off a Pro Bowl season. The QB position was finally set again. Not to mention, Bledsoe was surrounded by Travis Henry and Eric Moulds. We had two young promising tackles in Mike Williams and Jonas Jennings, along with stud Ruben Brown. On defense, Donahoe had just gone on a spending spree and added Takeo Spikes, Sam Adams and Jeff Posey - to pair with Pat Williams, London Fletcher, Aaron Schobel, Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements. Right before the season, we also grabbed Lawyer Milloy.

I was fully expecting a return to the playoffs. When the team shot out of the gate and stomped New England (33-0 if I recall), I immediately thought we would contend for the Super Bowl.

We haven't had a squad even CLOSE to that talent level in a decade, and they only finished 6-10. I know the offensive line turned out to be horrific, but I'll never understand how that squad underachieved so bad with so many good players.

[Pinkerton Security]

2003. No doubt.

As a team, we had improved the previous year from 3-13 to 8-8. Our talent level was very good on both sides of the ball.

Drew Bledsoe had played very well his first year with us and was coming off a Pro Bowl season. The QB position was finally set again. Not to mention, Bledsoe was surrounded by Travis Henry and Eric Moulds. We had two young promising tackles in Mike Williams and Jonas Jennings, along with stud Ruben Brown. On defense, Donahoe had just gone on a spending spree and added Takeo Spikes, Sam Adams and Jeff Posey - to pair with Pat Williams, London Fletcher, Aaron Schobel, Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements. Right before the season, we also grabbed Lawyer Milloy.

I was fully expecting a return to the playoffs. When the team shot out of the gate and stomped New England (33-0 if I recall), I immediately thought we would contend for the Super Bowl.

We haven't had a squad even CLOSE to that talent level in a decade, and they only finished 6-10. I know the offensive line turned out to be horrific, but I'll never understand how that squad underachieved so bad with so many good players.

That Pats game is probably the most fun Bills game I've attended and I probably only had about 2 beers lol.

[PTI]

Willie Parker... I had to hear that incessantly while I lived in PA.

Lindell missed a pretty easy FG and the game went downhill after that.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

2003. No doubt.

As a team, we had improved the previous year from 3-13 to 8-8. Our talent level was very good on both sides of the ball.

Drew Bledsoe had played very well his first year with us and was coming off a Pro Bowl season. The QB position was finally set again. Not to mention, Bledsoe was surrounded by Travis Henry and Eric Moulds. We had two young promising tackles in Mike Williams and Jonas Jennings, along with stud Ruben Brown. On defense, Donahoe had just gone on a spending spree and added Takeo Spikes, Sam Adams and Jeff Posey - to pair with Pat Williams, London Fletcher, Aaron Schobel, Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements. Right before the season, we also grabbed Lawyer Milloy.

I was fully expecting a return to the playoffs. When the team shot out of the gate and stomped New England (33-0 if I recall), I immediately thought we would contend for the Super Bowl.

We haven't had a squad even CLOSE to that talent level in a decade, and they only finished 6-10. I know the offensive line turned out to be horrific, but I'll never understand how that squad underachieved so bad with so many good players.

The QB position is what let us down that year. When the OL collapsed, Bledsoy simple couldn't do jack all for most of the year. Seriously, we had a Top 5 defense and a nearly 1400 yard rusher and could only manage six wins? Bledsoe was sacked almost 50 times! 50!

That was also the year Donahoe got too cute for his own good and drafted a halfback with a blown knee in the first round over guys like Dallas Clark and Nnamdi Asomugha

[ThunderGun]

The QB position is what let us down that year. When the OL collapsed, Bledsoy simple couldn't do jack all for most of the year. Seriously, we had a Top 5 defense and a nearly 1400 yard rusher and could only manage six wins? Bledsoe was sacked almost 50 times! 50!

That was also the year Donahoe got too cute for his own good and drafted a halfback with a blown knee in the first round over guys like Dallas Clark and Nnamdi Asomugha


I would say that the OLine is what let us down. It wasn't just Bledsoe. How many times did Travis Henry get swarmed in the backfield as soon as he received the handoff? Our interior OLine was complete and utter garbage. Teams just brought a little heat up the middle every play, and we could barely get the snap off.

Sad thing is, it was still another 6 years before we drafted a lineman before the 5th round (and the only 5th rounder was Brad Butler, who looked really good, and then promptly retired).

[Bill Cody]

The QB position is what let us down that year. When the OL collapsed, Bledsoy simple couldn't do jack all for most of the year. Seriously, we had a Top 5 defense and a nearly 1400 yard rusher and could only manage six wins? Bledsoe was sacked almost 50 times! 50!

That was also the year Donahoe got too cute for his own good and drafted a halfback with a blown knee in the first round over guys like Dallas Clark and Nnamdi Asomugha

The problem was the OL not Bledsoe. I am not a letter writer, never sent one to a GM before or since but I was so pissed at the pile of **** we were fielding at OL that I wrote TD about it- actually exchanged several notes back and forth. I honestly think that team was 2 or 3 good OL players away from a championship.

[The King]

It was a combination of the two. Bledsoe was our QB, we knew he wasnt mobile, but the line was never built up to help him compensate for that. We kept drafting receivers, rb's and db's and ignored the line. And Bledsoe could not adjust, he needed to check down far more than he did. He trusted his arm too much and threw it 20 yards down field consistently that's part of why he was getting killed.

But the Oline killed the Bills in the Pitt game, Bledsoe got killed.

If we had built a proper line for his skill set things would've ended up a little differently I think.

[BillsFever21]

No playoffs, and we're all dealing with the failures of the regime(s), but honestly which is the only team that gave you sincere hope?

'08 on this end. Trent had the arm, we had Lee and Sco, Jackson and Lynch (that is insane), we had a good line, our D had Poz/McGee/McLovin/Stroud/Kwill/Kelsay/et cetera. How could that not turn in to success? Miserable ownership.

Meanwhile, watch this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlesjDoRsWo

So many pieces in even Schouman and Fine, and we couldn't get them the ball? Just too many sad decisions by Ralph. Let me know your thoughts.

It didn't matter what weapons we had when we had a QB in Trent Edwards who was a scared little girl in the pocket and was afraid to even attempt a pass where the receiver was covered or more then 10 yards down the field. Bad coaching also played a part in it but an offense that couldn't give us anything was the biggest reason. Edwards was terrible and shouldn't have lasted as long as he did.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

I would say that the OLine is what let us down. It wasn't just Bledsoe. How many times did Travis Henry get swarmed in the backfield as soon as he received the handoff? Our interior OLine was complete and utter garbage. Teams just brought a little heat up the middle every play, and we could barely get the snap off.

Sad thing is, it was still another 6 years before we drafted a lineman before the 5th round (and the only 5th rounder was Brad Butler, who looked really good, and then promptly retired).


The problem was the OL not Bledsoe. I am not a letter writer, never sent one to a GM before or since but I was so pissed at the pile of **** we were fielding at OL that I wrote TD about it- actually exchanged several notes back and forth. I honestly think that team was 2 or 3 good OL players away from a championship.

I said "The OL collapsed" right in the post you quoted. They were bad, but most QBs and coaches could have made it work considering that talent they had around them. But Bledsoe was so immobile that a blind defensive end could have found him in the pocket on any given play, and he held the ball forever just like Johnson.

[BillsFever21]

I said "The OL collapsed" right in the post you quoted. They were bad, but most QBs and coaches could have made it work considering that talent they had around them. But Bledsoe was so immobile that a blind defensive end could have found him in the pocket on any given play, and he held the ball forever just like Johnson.

He was another horrendous bust for us. We gave up a 1st round pick for one good season and then to have him choke in the last game with the playoffs on the line. Outside of his first season here he was average at best the rest of the time along with his final stint in Dallas.

[mjt328]

It was a combination of the two. Bledsoe was our QB, we knew he wasnt mobile, but the line was never built up to help him compensate for that. We kept drafting receivers, rb's and db's and ignored the line. And Bledsoe could not adjust, he needed to check down far more than he did. He trusted his arm too much and threw it 20 yards down field consistently that's part of why he was getting killed.

But the Oline killed the Bills in the Pitt game, Bledsoe got killed.

If we had built a proper line for his skill set things would've ended up a little differently I think.

Yes. It was definitely a mix of the two. An immobile quarterback and a terrible offensive line are a terrible combination.

I don't think it's fair to say we never did anything to address the O-Line though. Donahoe spent a Top 5 pick on Mike Williams and a 3rd round pick on Jonas Jennings. We already had a multiple-time Pro Bowler in Ruben Brown. That group just failed miserably.

[BillsFever21]

It was pretty hard to block for Bledsoe though. He was so immobile all the defensive ends/pass rushers had to do is rush to a certain spot where he would most likely be after his drop back since he could've move at all. Then when he was rushed he crumbled under the pressure most of the time. That makes their job a lot easier as pass rushers.

Bledsoe started his career off with a bang but he faded early and after his later 20's he was never close to the QB he was early on. He had all the physical talents but he didn't have the work ethic or the mental side of the game to sustain a long successful career.

[cookie G]

That Pats game is probably the most fun Bills game I've attended and I probably only had about 2 beers lol.

Highlights are still on Youtube.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3nyFGYDYVFw?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Major contributions from each of the 3 FA signings in that game. That was a hell of a welcome to Buffalo.

Then they went about 3 or 4 games without scoring a TD..and the balloon deflated.

And Schobel would have been ejected from teh game, and probably suspended the rest of the year, if he put a hit on Brady like that today.

[cookie G]

The QB position is what let us down that year. When the OL collapsed, Bledsoy simple couldn't do jack all for most of the year. Seriously, we had a Top 5 defense and a nearly 1400 yard rusher and could only manage six wins? Bledsoe was sacked almost 50 times! 50!

That was also the year Donahoe got too cute for his own good and drafted a halfback with a blown knee in the first round over guys like Dallas Clark and Nnamdi Asomugha

Partly..and Gilbride didn't help, especially as the year went on. The guy refused to call running plays (sound familiar?).

He'd do things like send Sam Gash, one of the greatest blocking FB's ever, out wide in motion on a 3rd and 2. He really got into a play calling rut that year.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

No playoffs, and we're all dealing with the failures of the regime(s), but honestly which is the only team that gave you sincere hope?

'08 on this end. Trent had the arm, we had Lee and Sco, Jackson and Lynch (that is insane), we had a good line, our D had Poz/McGee/McLovin/Stroud/Kwill/Kelsay/et cetera. How could that not turn in to success? Miserable ownership.

Meanwhile, watch this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlesjDoRsWo

So many pieces in even Schouman and Fine, and we couldn't get them the ball? Just too many sad decisions by Ralph. Let me know your thoughts.

The best team was 2004, while its true that that team benefited from one of the easiest schedules we ever have or ever will again, and if they had just not choked against Pitt's 2nds and 3rds and beaten Jacksonville in the opener it would have been in the playoffs. Of course nothing was ever heard of that team again because our first of three straight dumbass GMs decided that we should let Fat Pat go because he was 29 and old and was a locker room cancer. This was also the same genius who decided an untested JP Losman was a capable successor to Drew Bledsoe. Sure, Drew was on the downside of his career but he still had a little bit left in the tank. 2004 was the best team of the decade.

My runner up is the 2000 Bills who started out 7-4 before the single worst quarter of the single worst game in Bills History. A game so awful that it would collapse us into abysmal mediocrity for the next thirteen years and counting. Yes, the third quarter of our 2000 matchup with the Bucs destroyed what was a good team and that changed the culture of the Bills from one of resilience to surrender. Yes, the 2000 Bills should have slugged their way into the post season. Before we lost something like six starters against the Bucs we had a very damn good defense. Also, RJ was actually showing signs that just maybe he was the long term answer. Yes, Flutie was always better but the 21-17 game at KC the week before dooms day in Tampa showed me a Robosack who was capable of playing with Balls. That loss was so deflating that two weeks later Wade Philips infamously stated that neither the Bills or Colts would compete for the post season only to see Indy clinch a playoff spot and the Bills go home.

Also, at the end of 2000 Butler and Philips get released and Donawhore comes in and keeps RJ over Flutie and its all been downhill ever since.

[BillsFever21]

Partly..and Gilbride didn't help, especially as the year went on. The guy refused to call running plays (sound familiar?).

He'd do things like send Sam Gash, one of the greatest blocking FB's ever, out wide in motion on a 3rd and 2. He really got into a play calling rut that year.

Gregg Williams definitely didn't have good control over him. He basically let him run the offensive play calling however he wanted with little control over the strategy that he wanted to use. His main focus was on the defense and he didn't get involved enough in the game planning and play calling on offense. I don't know if it was because he was a new HC and left Gilbride alone because of his experience or if he was too weak with him to control the strategy and just let the inmate run the asylum.

Gilbride proved he could be a good OC before then and after the Bills when he went to the Giants as long as the HC was willing to keep him in check. Tom Coughlin had control of him and made the game plan and made sure Gilbride stuck with it along with the play calling strategies during the game. All of a sudden Gilbride was running the ball a lot more unlike his stint in Buffalo and as a HC.

[Ginger Vitis]

I don't think it's fair to say we never did anything to address the O-Line though. Donahoe spent a Top 5 pick on Mike Williams and a 3rd round pick on Jonas Jennings. We already had a multiple-time Pro Bowler in Ruben Brown. That group just failed miserably.

I cant remember if Ruben Brown was the LG or the RG but the other guard spot was manned by Marques Sullivan and Mike Pucillo and Pucillo was absolute garbage.. Trey Teague was a below average center and Mike Williams was better his rookie season(2002) in 2003 he was barely average at best.. Ruben Brown was complaining about Gilbrides playcalling during the season.. Like Cookie G said Gilbrides playcalling was bad he called pass plays like Peerless Price was still on the team.. And what compounded the problems was Josh Reed had a bad case of the dropsies in 2003 and Eric Moulds was hurt for a decent part of that season it was just a all around clusterfudge in 2003 offensively

[Ginger Vitis]

Since we are kinda reminiscing about the 2003 season one of the all time boneheaded play calls in Bills history was in that Sunday night Miami game in Miami when the Bills were 2-0.. near the end of the 1st half Travis Henry threw that half back option pass in the Miami endzone that was picked off that killed a lot of momentum.. The Bills defense wilted in the hot weather in the 2nd half and Ricky Williams got huge chunks of yards and the Miami offense controlled the Ball in the 2nd half.. In the post game press conference Gregg Williams kinda threw his players under the bus and criticized them for wilting in the heat and I remember Ruben Brown really being pissed off at Williams for doing that and that might have been when Williams lost the players