10. 1968 LOS ANGELES RAMS at 7. 1990 AFC CHAMPION BUFFALO BILLS
7. 1990 AFC CHAMPION BUFFALO BILLS
Record: 13-3
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 1st
Def: 6th
1st AFC East
d. Dolphins Div Rnd 44-34
d. Raiders AFC Title 51-3
lost Super Bowl Giants 20-19
HC Marv Levy OC Ted Marchibroda DC Walt Corey
Rich Stadium: 50 degrees
Van Miller/Greg Brown
Offense
QB Jim Kelly 30 Miami
RB Thurman Thomas All Pro 26 Ok St
WR James Lofton 34 Stanford
WR Andre Reed 26 Kutztown
WR Don Beebe 26 Chadron St
TE Keith McKeller 26 Jacksonville St
LT Will Wilford 26 Vandy
LG Jim Richter 26 NC St
C Kent Hull 29 All Pro Miss St
RG John Davis 25 Geo Tech
RT Howard Ballard 27 Ala A&M
Defense
LDE Leon Seals 26 Jack St
NT Jeff Wright 27 Missouri St
RDE Bruce Smith 27 All Pro Va Tech
LOLB Cornelius Bennett 25 Alabama
LILB Shane Conlan 26 Penn St
RILB Ray Bentley 30 C Michigan
ROLB Darryl Talley 30 WVA
LCB Kirby Jackson 25 Miss St
RCB Nate Odomes 25 Wisc
SS Leonard Smith 30 McNeese St
FS John Hagy 25 Texas
K Scott Norwood 30 J Madison
P Rick Tuten 25 Florida St
KR Don Smith 27 Miss St
PR Al Edwards 23 NW St
Just 1 Bills team is currently moving forward - the '90 group is the 7th seed in the region, top offense in football. Jim Kelly's 30, 24 scores and 9 picks. Thurman Thomas is a 24 year old All Pro, he had over 1800 yards from scrimmage and 13 TDs. 29 year old Kent Hull was an All Pro. The defense is about 27 year old All Pro Bruce Smith who had 19 sacks.
10. 1968 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 10-3-1
Pythag: 10-4
Off: 5th
Def: 3rd
2nd NFC Coastal
Did not make playoffs
HC George Allen
Offense
QB Roman Gabriel 28 NC St
RB Willie Ellison 23 Tex Southern
RB Dick Bass 31 Pacific
WR Bernie Casey 29 BGSU
WR Jack Snow 25 N Dame
TE Billy Truax 25 LSU
LT Jack Carollo 28 N Dame
LG Tom Mack 25 Michigan
C Ken Iman 29 SE Mo St
RG Joe Scibelli 29 AIU
RT Charlie Cowan 30 Highlands
Defense
LDE Deacon Jones 30 All Pro Mis Vall St
LDT Merlin Olsen 28 All pro Utah St
RDT Roger Brown 31 ME Shore
RDE Lamar Lundy 33 Purdue
LLB Jack Pardee 32 A&M
MLB Myron Pottios 29 NDame
RLB Maxie Baughan 30 Geo Tech
LCB Clancy Williams 26 Wash St
RCB Irv Cross 29 NWestern
LS Ron Smith 25 Wisconsin
RS Eddie Meador 31 All Pro Ark Tech
K Bruce Gossett 27 Richmond
P Pat Studstill 30 Houston
KR/PR Ron Smith 25 Wisconsin
2 slots left - the '68 Rams want one, 3rd in defense, 5th in offense. 3 All pros on defense, 30 year old Deacon Jones, 28 year old Merlin Olsen, 31 year old Eddie Meador. On offense, Roman Gabriel is 28, 23 scores and 16 picks, three lineman made the Pro Bowl.
We head to Buffalo for the kick.
1st Qtr
Rams start at the 33.
1/10 - Dick Bass for a yard.
2/9 - Willie Ellison busts a 39 yard run to the Bills 27.
The drive ends here - Rams get the FG and go up 3-0.
Bills start at the 15. 3 and out including a Merlin Olsen sack. Ron Smith takes the punt back to the Buffalo 26 and LA is in business.
1/10 - Bass for 1
2/9 - Roman Gabriel -- End Zone -- Bernie Casey --- TOUCHDOWN RAMS --
Gabriel goes 25 to Casey and the Rams are quickly up 10-0.
Bills at the 19. They get 2 first downs Thurman Thomas 10 yard run, Jim Kelly to Keith McKeller, 13 yards. But the drive ends in a punt.
Rams at the 19. They get a first down, Bass 11 yard run -- but Bruce Smith sacks Gabriel and LA punts.
Bills at their own 46. 3 and out. Rams at the 35.
2 plays net 6 yards and on 3rd and 4 Gabriel goes downfield -- 25 yards to Casey, LA is at the Bills 34 as the qtr ends.
2nd Qtr: Rams 10 Bills 0
Rams all over Buffalo so far on both sides of the ball-- LA first down at the 34.
1/10 - Tommy Mason 1 yard.
2/9 - Bass for 2.
3/7 - Gabriel to Pat Studstill, 15 yards to the Bills 16.
The drive ends here -- Gossett kick makes it 13-0 LA.
Bills at the 12. They get 2 first downs on Thurman Thomas runs, 12 and 18 yards.
But again - a punt - Rams at the 26.
1/10 - Ellison busts one - busts one -- 52 yards all the way to the Bill 26, the Rams are just all over Buffalo today, dominating both lines of scrimmage.
The drive ends here and this time, Gossett misses the FG - the Bills get the ball back, still trailing 13-0.
Bills at the 20. 2 first downs, Kelly 15 to McKeller, Kelly 13 to Don Beebe - but on third and 8 after the 2 minute warning from around midfield -- Deacon Jones levels Kelly, just buries him -- it's a Fumble -- Eddie Meador picks it up and Streaks Home for a Touchdown -- the Rams go up 20-0 -- LA just putting it on the Bills here in Region 16.
Bills at the 29. They take the rest of the half, pick up first downs on short and midrange passes, Kelly to Andre Reed for 14 the biggest play - and hit a FG at the whistle.
Third Qtr: Rams 20 Bills 3
All Rams in the first half, utter domination.
Bills at the 32.
They get a first down on a unneccesary roughness call on Deacon Jones, but punt, Rams at the 14.
They go on a 7 minute drive. Ellison 11 yard run, Bass 30 yard run, Gabriel 20 yards to Snow, Bass 11 yard run the biggest plays -- Gabriel ends the drive by hitting Mike Dennis with a 5 yard TD pass. With less than 6 to play in the third the Rams lead 27-3. It's a whupping.
Bills at the 20. 3 and out. Rams at the 47. They stay on the ground, get a couple first downs on runs, Bass for 12 the biggest of them. The drive ends in a missed FG.
Bills at the 30, it'll be second and 10 when the 4th starts.
4th Qtr: Bills 27 Rams 3
All that remains is the final score - the Rams get a spot in rnd 2. One remains.
The Bills don't pick up a first down, Roger Brown sack ends the drive. Rams at their own 45.
They stay on the ground - Tommy Mason fumbles and with 10 minutes left the Bills have the ball at their own 42.
Maxie Baughan Picks Off Jim Kelly 3 plays later, the Rams have the Ball at the Bills 35.
They get a first down, Gabriel 17 yards to Casey - but Bruce Smith's second sack ends the drive - another missed FG and Buffalo has possession with 6 minutes left.
They get a first down when Kelly scrambles for 16 - but turn the ball over on downs. 4 minutes left, Rams ball at their own 36.
3 and out - LA runs the ball 3 times and punts, Rams have to burn all 3 timeouts. Buffalo gets the ball back with 2:30 left, Frank Reich comes on for the Bills - Deacon Jones gets his second sack -- the Bills again turn the ball over on downs and the Rams kill the rest of the clock.
Final: Rams 27 Bills 3
Easy money here, Rams dominate in every phase and move to rnd 2.
Gabriel: 8 for 11 130 yds 2 TD
Kelly: 8 for 20 85 yds INT
Ellison: 18 carries 122 yds
Thomas 17 carries 70 yds
Casey: 3 catches, 67 yds TD
McKeller: 2 catches, 28 yds
Jones/Smith: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Deacon Jones
