For many NFL fans their fierce loyalty can be as blinding as it is flat out depressing. If you consider yourself a die-hard Buffalo Bills fan, then take that level of frustration to the tenth level of hell… The Buffalo Bills have not been to the NFL playoffs since 1999. From some horrible drafting, to pitiful head coaching choices hired, this franchise has consistently become a laughing stock to other NFL fanbases. (Yes, even worse than Cleveland)
However, it dawned on me today there’s an incredible amount of uncanny similarities to the last Bills team to make the playoffs to the one that is about to enter the 2015-2016 NFL season. First and foremost, a happy go lucky head coach. Good ole Wade Philips did things his way as Bills coach from 1998-2000, so much that he refused to even wear a headset on the sidelines. I still have a vivid memory of him bopping around to Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to be Real” during warm ups of a Sunday Night Football game between his Bills and the Jets early into the 99 season. He was indeed his own person, and didn’t feel the need to be accepted by public perceptions, right down to that awesome blue jump suit (pictured below)
Enter: Rex Ryan. Another down-home persona that many would love to have a beer with, or talk shop about football, woman’s feet, and a variety of other down-home concepts. Although Rex certainly displays much more bravado than Wade did, I still can’t but help see the similarities with their strong defensive coaching backgrounds, goofy sense of humor personas (I mean that in a nice way), and the fact that both will have coached the Bills when they had a top 5 defense in place. Come to think of it, both Wade and Rex have something else in common as both had very famous dads who coached in the NFL in regards to Bum Philips, and Buddy Ryan.
Additionally, since Wade had Doug Flutie (until he was inexplicably yanked in favor of Rob Johnson during the 99 playoffs) as his primary starting QB, it almost seems priceless that the going chatter for Rex Ryan’s Bills is pointing towards another shorter, yet mobile QB potentially becoming the Bills opening day starter: Tyrod Taylor. Flutie-Mania was running wild back when Flutie first joined the Bills in 1998, and the same can already be said for Tyrod’s reception from Bills fans thus far…
Perhaps the return of a shorter, mobile QB, and a head coach that most closely resembles the last head coach of the Bills to take them to the quasi “promised land” is just what the doctor ordered for the Buffalo Bills to end their streak of 15 plus years of not making the NFL playoffs. It certainly won’t hurt that sexy Rexy will have a defense that can make life a living hell for opposing defenses much in the way the Bills 99′ team was arguably the best in the business. 99’s team had the likes of Ted Washington stopping the run (pictured below), and you fast forward to now with the current beast of a Defensive Tackle in Marcell Dareus. (also pictured below) It also doesn’t hurt that the 99 team had Bruce Smith still rushing the quarterback, and now you’ve got Mario Williams fulfilling the same critical role.
It would be easy for me to leave out some comparisons between both teams so I implore anyone reading this to jump in and take your best shot. Either way, barring crazy injuries (knock on wood), it’s a heck of a time to be a Bills fan as if not now, then when?
I’ll leave you all with a couple of classic videos. One of Wade Philips, and one of Rex Ryan being themselves. Both have their own personality and swagger, and it’s an element that’s has been missing from every Bills coach in between Wade’s departure and Rex’s arrival in B-lo. Go Bills! Nuff said.
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