what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

[NOT THE DUDE...]

interested in your thoughts for some of the older fans, im only 26 so i cant remember that far... could we be headed for a 2-14 season?

[capitolneal]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

just like it is now but with kelly coming in there was hope

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

but kelly didnt arrive until 86... so is this team similar to the 85 team?

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

This could be a 3-13 team.

Their are major differences though.

Those teams were very bad. I would say worse than now. The coaches, Stephenson and Bullough, make Gailey look like Lombardi. The QBs (Dufek, Ferragamo, Mathison) make Trent look like Montana or Brady. But the defense in those years was decent. Guys like Fred Smerlas and Eugene Marve made the defense more than respectable.

And those teams were before the major rebuilding started - they were on the downward spiral.

I would say that now the team is trying to do the right thing, although it might be too late.

The only similarity was how bad the teams were and that the records should be about the same.

[Ebenezer]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

This could be a 3-13 team.

Their are major differences though.

There

[Ebenezer]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

I refuse to open that sealed vault of my memory...

I will say that there were PLENTY of weeks where the game (which were radio only) were turned off at halftime...or earlier.

[Coach Sal]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

Lecter made some great and true points.

Also, the 84-85 teams had no direction at all. They were made up of vets who shouldn't have been on the team anymore, or were on their last legs, as well as really young guys who were no where near ready to play in the NFL on a consistent basis.

They didn't have those solid 4-5 year guys who were entering their prime and also had that veteran presence. At least no one good enough. GM Terry Bledsoe didn't do much to change that.

Polian is the one who changed everything. As much as getting Kelly was of course a major part of the process, Polian gave the team direction. He had a plan and stuck to it.

This team has better players overall than the 84/85 teams. It now has a better head coach....and the FO is at least starting to become more of what is needed, but it's nothing like the Polian/Butler levels post 2-14 seasons.

Kelly did bring excitement and swagger, though. Something we haven't seen out of our QBs since, except for maybe Flutie, but he was no where near the player Kelly was.

I don't think we're headed for 2-14 because I think there's more talent here and a better staff overall.....and that should be good enough to squeeze out a couple wins the 84/85 group never would have had.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

You see and this is where the problem seems almost, because we are simply mediocre and we are not bottoming out we cant get a top 3 pick and therefore we cant get guys like jim kelly or bruce smith... we will probably go 5-11 or 6-10 again and miss out on getting a top qb...

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

You see and this is where the problem seems almost, because we are simply mediocre and we are not bottoming out we cant get a top 3 pick and therefore we cant get guys like jim kelly or bruce smith... we will probably go 5-11 or 6-10 again and miss out on getting a top qb...

Jim Kelly was drafted in the 20s, not top 3.

[Coach Sal]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

Jim Kelly was drafted in the 20s, not top 3.

EXACTLY!

When it comes to players, it has nothing to do with where you draft and everything to do with who you draft, who you sign, and who you develop.

I'm so sick of everyone wanting to "bottom out" because it's supposedly some sort of cure-all recipe for failing to make the playoffs.

Tell that to the Lions, Rams, and Browns.

[Cntrygal]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

Another difference is the media... Back then, we didn't have 24 hour sports coverage - (tv/internet). IMO, it was much easier to let the disappointing loss of the previous week fade a bit and get excited about the next game.

[YardRat]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

I'll have to disagree with the "This team has better players overall than the 84/85 teams" comment, but it's easy to do that in hindsight.

84-85 had a solid, veteran offensive line; young future HOFers; and some other vets sprinkled on the roster that had already proven they could play/succeed at the NFL level.

The biggest difference is the team was 'old' in spots back then, and ripe for a youth movement. Currently we just have a lot of young guys that we really don't know what they've got.

[YardRat]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

Jim Kelly was drafted in the 20s, not top 3.

He was #14, two spots behind Hunter.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

EXACTLY!

When it comes to players, it has nothing to do with where you draft and everything to do with who you draft, who you sign, and who you develop.

I'm so sick of everyone wanting to "bottom out" because it's supposedly some sort of cure-all recipe for failing to make the playoffs.

Tell that to the Lions, Rams, and Browns.

the lions and rams have franchise qbs now..... we dont...

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: what was it like during the 84 and 85 season before kelly arrived?

the lions and rams have franchise qbs now..... we dont...

The Rams have a franchise QB? Really?

And who is that?