Many times I have been in debates with my family or friends over whom the best quarterback was of all time, or the most destructive defense, or the most talented wide receiver.
And while names such as Favre, Montana, Rice, and "the Steel Curtain" spring up in the conversation, my mind has often wandered into a debate with myself. A debate starting with the names Kelly, Thomas, and Simpson. What is the best team the Buffalo Bills could have sent on the field in a fantasy world?
Here is was I came up with.
QB
Jim Kelly
Basically a no brainer. Led the Bills to four-straight AFC Championships (a better way to word it, right Bills fans?). And when I say led, I mean led. His attitude and toughness on and off the field made him one of the most favorite Bills players ever. He could throw the ball a little, too.
Backup: Jack Kemp—A little before my time, but from what I've gathered, he could play the game as well. He gets the nod as Kelly's backup because he was the quarterback when the Bills won their last real "championship."
RB
O.J. Simpson
First 2,000-yard rusher in league history. Tough, quick, and everything you'd need in a back, he had. I really applaud him for his production on some pretty bad Bills teams as well. Writing this part of the article makes me drool over the vision of seeing Kelly handing the ball off to "the Juice."
Backup: Thurman Thomas—Ok, all you Thurman fans out there, the vision of Kelly handing the ball off to the Thurmanator is a pretty good one, too, and it actually happened. This guy won an MVP on the team that I believe is the best Bills team ever. He could do it all. Marshall Faulk was the second coming of Thurman Thomas.
WR
Andre Reed
12th in all time TDs and was there for all the clutch moments in Buffalo. Also, he had a 14-year stay in the Queen City, where he was always the go-to receiver. He wasn't the biggest or most fleet of foot, but he got in done, week in and week out. This guy made the blizzard games in December in Buffalo a little bit warmer.
Eric Moulds
One of my favorite Bills. Mould's biceps alone probably scared DBs across the league, and he wasn't afraid to go up against any of the them. Big, physical, fast, great route runner, and great hands, we really couldn't have asked for more out of this guy. His attitude and hard work really defined the Bills to me.
Don Beebe
I needed a slot guy, and he was one of the best. Similarly to Thurman and Marshall, he was Wes Welker before Wes Welker. Beebe might have been a bit faster and was definitely more of a deep threat. To put the icing on the cake for No. 82, who can forget his play on Leon Lett in the Super Bowl in Pasadena?
WR: (Reserves) Dubenion and Lofton—Had to be on here, and "Golden Wheels" is such a cool nickname.
O-Line
Delamielleure, Hull, Brown, Members of Electric Company
5 comments Last one added 6 months ago — Leave a Comment
Andrew Mason 11 months ago
very nice team definitely some of the best players to ever play in the NFL.
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Greg Campbell 11 months ago
Fun list. One name that's missing is NT Fred Smerlas. He was a perennial pro-bowler, and was a scrappy, tough-as-nails run stopper and pass rusher. Probably should add the special teamer category for Steve Tasker also, since he really was (probably) the best of all time. (In the NFL, I mean.)
Also, I'd imagine there are some names from Jack Kemp's era that should make this list as well. Some might argue that Cookie Gilchrist would rank above Sam Gash, though I'm not sure he was technically a fullback...
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Todd Morse 11 months ago
This is why I should have done a real list
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RT White 11 months ago
Nicely done. I would add LB Cornelius Bennett. He used to be my sack king in Tecmo Super Bowl.
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dennis venhuis 6 months ago
QB -- Kelly, Ferguson, Kemp
HB -- Thomas, Simpson, Cribbs
FB -- Gilchrist, Carlton
WR -- A. Reed, Moulds, Dubenion, Lewis, Butler, Chandler
TE -- Metzelaars, Riemersma
OL -- Shaw, Barber, Bemiller, Devlin, Dellaimielleure, Hull, Ritcher, K. Jones, R. Brown, McKenzie, Fina
DL -- B. Smith, Sestak, Smerlas, McDole, Dunaway, Hansen, B. Williams, Schobel, Kadish
LB -- Stratton, Talley, Bennett, Sanford, Haslett, Conlan, Fletcher
DB -- Byrd, H. Jones, R. James, M. Clark, Odomes, Romes, Saimes, Kelso, T. Greene, S. Freeman, Clements
K -- Christie
P -- Moorman
ST -- T. McGee, Tasker
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