This week’s Throwback Thursday feature game was played on a Monday night, October 8, 1980 between a pair of clubs who meet on this week’s NFL slate. They are the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins.
If you’re as old as I am, you’ve witnessed a number of “where were you when you heard the news?” moments in your life. The Kennedy assassination, the space shuttle Challenger explosion and of course, the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This week’s feature game was one of those “where were you when you heard the news” moments for a lot of football fans. The game itself was not a very memorable one. The first 3 quarters were a boring field goal fest, with New England’s John Smith hitting a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter, and Miami’s Uwe Von Schamann matching him in the third quarter. Both clubs finally found the end zone in the final quarter. The Patriots took a 13-6 lead when Matt Cavanaugh found tight end Russ Francis open for a 38 yard touchdown pass. Then Dolphin QB David Woodley hooked up with Nat Moore from 8 yards out to tie the game.
The shocking moment then came after the telecast returned from a commercial break, with Smith taking the field to try a winning field goal with 3 seconds left. Then play-by-play man Frank Gifford implored his counterpart, Howard Cosell, that he had to let the viewing public know the news they had just confirmed. Cosell reluctantly agreed:
“Remember, this is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses. An unspeakable tragedy confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City: John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the West Side of New York City — the most famous, perhaps, of all the Beatles — shot twice in the back; rushed to Roosevelt Hospital; dead on arrival. Hard to go back to the game after that news flash, which, in duty bound, we have to take.”
It was a terrible moment that gets permanently etched in your memory. Watching the game myself, I remember my first thought was “why the hell would anyone shoot John Lennon? He was all about peace and love.” Lennon was a friend of the Monday night crew, and especially Cosell, having been present at an earlier game in 1975 where Cosell interviewed him at halftime. It was reported by MNF producers later that the crusty announcer struggled to break the news as he was overcome with emotion.
For the record, Miami blocked Smith’s field goal attempt to send the game to overtime, and Von Schamann eventually won it 16-13 for the Dolphins with, of course, a field goal. John Smith had a 10 year career as the Patriots’ placekicker, but his name will be forever linked in my mind to that tragic announcement on a Monday night in December of 1980.
Howard Cosell interviewing John Lennon on MNF (11/20/75)
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams clash on this week’s NFL schedule, and we’ve chosen a game played between these 2 long-time clubs to feature for this week’s Throwback Thursday post. The contest was played on October 2, 1955 at the L.A. Coliseum. In the ’50s, both teams had reputations. The Rams were known as an offensive powerhouse, led by their future Hall of Fame quarterback Norm Van Brocklin. The Steelers, on the other hand, were an annual bottom feeder but always played tough defensively. Both teams were coming off opening week victories, but the Rams were favored due to a better 1954 finish. After a scoreless first quarter Los Angeles took advantage of their home field to jump out in front 17-0 by halftime. Fullback Deacon Dan Towler ran in from a yard out to open the scoring, then after a Les Richter field goal Van Brocklin connected with Bob Boyd on a 74 yard bomb for another touchdown.
Pittsburgh regrouped in the second half. Lynn Chandnois scampered into the end zone from 8 yards out, followed by a 1 yard quarterback sneak by Jim Finks . When Chandnois scored again on a 2 yard run, the Steelers took the lead. However, in what would come to haunt them later, they missed both extra points on the last 2 scores, and their lead was only 19-17. Van Brocklin righted the Rams’ ship in the fourth period, finding Tom Fears on a 17 yard touchdown pass to regain the lead at 24-19. The lead didn’t last long, however. On their next possession, Pittsburgh defensive back Richie McCabe, who had intercepted Van Brocklin earlier in the game, scooped up a Ram fumble and raced 50 yards to paydirt and suddenly the Steelers were back in front 26-24 and poised for an upset win.
Los Angeles refused to buckle and drove into position for Richter to kick a game winning 32 yard field goal in the waning seconds to pull out the victory 27-26. Boyd was the offensive catalyst for the Rams with 3 catches for 114 yards and his long touchdown. Obviously the missed extra points were costly for Pittsburgh. The teams’ fortunes went in opposite directions as the season progressed also. The Rams won the Western Division title while Pittsburgh languished to a 4-8 mark and a sixth place finish in the Eastern Division.
For this week’s Throwback Thursday feature, we’ll highlight the Dallas Cowboys for the second week in a row, this time with a game played against a team they meet on the week 6 NFL schedule, the Los Angeles Chargers. It was played on November 5, 1972 at the Chargers’ old home in San Diego and was a match between the defending Super Bowl champion Cowboys and the sad sack Chargers, who were 2-5-1 under coach Harland Svare at that point. The new realignment of the merged leagues, the NFL and AFL, was only in it’s third year in ’72, so this was the first ever meeting between the 2 franchises.
There were no surprises for the first 2 1/2 quarters, as the Cowboys scored early. Mike Montgomery scooped up a fumble and returned it 54 yards for the opening touchdown. Then, after a Toni Fritsch field goal, Dallas’ offense took over. Walt Garrison rumbled 9 yards for a score, quarterback Craig Morton found Mike Ditka open from a yard out for another, then, early in the third quarter, Morton scrambled 7 yards to paydirt to give his club a commanding 31-0 lead over the overmatched Chargers.
It was at this point that San Diego signal caller John Hadl, one of the AFL’s top stars in the 1960s, regained some of that old AFL magic. He got his team on the board to wrap up the third quarter scoring with a 46 yard TD pass to Chuck Dicus, and carried that momentum into the final quarter. Hadl and the Chargers mounted a furious comeback as the balding QB fired 3 scoring passes, 42 yards to Gary Garrison, a second one to Dicus from 20 yards out and a 47 yard bomb to Dave Williams. Although the Charger comeback struck a little fear in the Cowboys, they did manage to sneak in another Fritsch field goal among the onslaught, and eventually extinguished the fire to pull out a 34-28 win. Amazingly, Hadl’s 4 scoring passes came on only 11 completions for the day, and he also was victimized for 3 interceptions. The Chargers outgained Dallas in both rushing and passing yards, but 4 turnovers sealed their fate. 1972 would be Hadl’s last year with the Chargers, as they traded him to the Los Angeles Rams prior to the ’73 season. He would earn All Pro honors with the Rams that year.
Walt Garrison churns out yardage (James Flores photo/Getty Images)
Two NFL franchises that have had epic battles over the years meet this week on the league schedule – the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. We’ll feature them in this week’s Throwback Thursday post, with a divisional playoff game played on December 23, 1972 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Dallas, as defending Super Bowl champs, was favored over the NFC West Division champion 49ers despite being a wild card team. The 49ers used their home field advantage to jump out to an early lead as Vic Washington returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Dallas settled down and got on the scoreboard as starting quarterback Craig Morton led a drive that resulted in a Toni Fritsch field goal to cut the margin to 7-3. In the second quarter veteran San Fran signal caller John Brodie engineered a pair of scoring drives, both ending in 1 yard Larry Schreiber touchdown runs to put his club up 21-3. Morton, although mostly ineffective, got Dallas back in the game as he led the Cowboys on another drive that yielded a second Fritsch field goal, then hit Lance Alworth with a 28 yard TD throw to cut the lead to 21-13 at halftime.
Both teams’ defenses tightened in the third stanza with the only scoring coming on another 1 yard Schreiber run. The 49ers now entered the final quarter with a seemingly commanding 28-13 lead, made to look even more insurmountable by how poorly Morton was playing. After seeing his starter complete only 8 of 21 throws for a paltry 96 yards to go with a pair of interceptions, Dallas coach Tom Landry decided to insert Roger Staubach to lead the offense, and Captain Comeback delivered. The Cowboys scored 17 unanswered points in the final quarter, first adding another field goal before Staubach rifled a pair of touchdown passes – to Billy Parks from 20 yards out to bring the score to 28-23, then adding the winning points with a 10 yard toss to Ron Sellers to give the defending champs a 30-28 victory, earning a trip to the conference title game. Parks wound up catching 7 passes for 136 yards and the winning touchdown, but another major contribution to the win came on the ground from Calvin Hill, who provided 125 valuable yards on 18 carries.
Their success for the ’72 season would end on this day, however, as the Cowboys were manhandled the following week in the NFC Championship game by the archrival Washington Redskins, 26-3.That win by Washington’s “Over The Hill Gang” earned them a trip to Super Bowl VII, where they fell to the NFL’s only unbeaten team in history, the Miami Dolphins.
The Los Angeles Rams tangle with the Indianapolis Colts this week in the NFL, and we decided to take some liberties with the Throwback Thursday post by featuring a game that was played at the L.A. Coliseum on September 28, 1951. That day the Rams took on an NFL club called the New York Yanks. That New York franchise has a sketchy past, and here’s how it played out. After moving from Boston, the team had 2 less than successful seasons in the Big Apple, and in 1951 was sold to a group of Dallas businessmen who moved it to Dallas. That team failed after a single season, and what was left of the franchise was awarded to a group from Baltimore. They then started the Baltimore Colts franchise. Even though the NFL doesn’t recognize this team as the ancestors of the current Colt team, we will for the sake of being able to feature this memorable game.
It was the opening week of the ’51 season, and in an era of three yards and a cloud of dust football, it turned out to be a record-setting passing day for one Norm Van Brocklin, the Rams’ quarterback. He torched the Yanks’ secondary for 554 yards and 5 touchdowns on 27 of 41 passing, with the yardage mark a record that still stands today, 72 years later. The Rams won the game 54-14, with a dominant display on both sides of the ball. They racked up 735 yards of offense and the 54 points despite turning the ball over 5 times, three times on interceptions to go with 2 lost fumbles. The Los Angeles club, known as an offensive powerhouse in the 1950s, was relentless with their attack all day. Three of their receivers totaled over 100 yards, with Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch leading the way with 9 catches for 173 yards and 4 TDs. Another future Hall of Famer, Tom Fears, grabbed 7 passes for 162 yards, while a guy named Vitamin Smith added some pep to the attack with 2 receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown. The Rams also had a pair of rushing touchdowns on runs from Dick Hoerner and Deacon Dan Towler to round out the scoring.
The L.A. defense actually pitched a shutout in the game also, as the Yanks’ 2 touchdowns came on a 79 yard punt return by Buddy Young and a 30 yard return of a recovered fumble by Art Tait. New York only amassed 166 yards of total offense, and the 569 yard difference between the 2 teams stood as a record yardage spread until 2009, when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots crushed Tennessee 59-0 and piled up 619 more yards than the Titans. The game turned out to be very indicative of the fortunes of the clubs in the 1951 season, as the Rams would go on to defeat Cleveland for the league title, and the Yanks would win only a single game before being sold to the new Dallas owners prior to the ’52 season.
The game we’re highlighting today on Rayonsports for the Throwback Thursday feature is an old American Football League game that took place on October 16, 1966 between the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins, who meet on this week’s NFL schedule. 1966 was Miami’s inaugural season in the AFL, and this contest, which was played in week 6 of that year, was significant even though both clubs were league doormats. The Broncos, who never enjoyed a winning season in the 10 year history of the AFL, entered the game at 1-4 while the expansion Dolphins were winless in their first 5 games. Denver’s inept franchise represented Miami’s first real chance of breaking through into the win column, and they were ready for the challenge.
A pair of former Broncos exacted a bit of revenge in the opening quarter for the young Fish. Fullback Billy Joe, a Denver rookie in 1964, took a George Wilson Jr. pass 67 yards to paydirt, followed by a 35 yard field goal from another former Denver standout, Gene Mingo. The Broncos cut the lead to 10-7 on a 5 yard touchdown run by one of the AFL’s early and underrated stars, Abner Haynes. That lead held for the rest of the first half and Miami’s defense took charge in the second. They held Bronco quarterback John McCormick to 90 yards passing on 9 completions in 25 attempts, and intercepted him 4 times. Veteran Tobin Rote replaced McCormick and had no success either as the Dolphins sacked him 4 times.
The Dolphins’ offense, led by the head coach’s son, George Wilson Jr., wasn’t that impressive either, but did manage a short scoring run by halfback Joe Auer in each of the last 2 quarters. The final result was a 24-7 Miami victory, the first in franchise history. The Dolphins would go on to win the following week also, defeating the Houston Oilers, and would manage one more win to finish 3-11 for the year, tied for the basement of the Eastern Division with the Oilers. Denver went 4-10 and finished in their usual spot at the bottom of the Western Division.
The Buffalo Bills host the Las Vegas Raiders this Sunday as week 2 of the NFL season gets underway, and we’ll feature these 2 clubs for Throwback Thursday this week. Let’s travel back to January 20, 1991, to then Rich Stadium, for the AFC Championship game. Buffalo was attempting to reach the Super Bowl for the first time, while the Raiders, based in Los Angeles then, were looking to spoil that party.
It was never even close to being a contest. Jim Kelly led a drive that ended with a 13 yard touchdown pass to James Lofton to open the scoring, and after a Raider field goal the Bills drove downfield again and scored, this time on a 12 yard run by Thurman Thomas. The defense then got in on the action as linebacker Darryl Talley intercepted a Jay Schroeder pass and returned it 27 yards to the end zone to give his team a 21-3 lead after a quarter. The Bills didn’t let up in the second quarter either. Kenny Davis spelled Thomas at running back and scored twice on short runs, followed by another short Kelly to Lofton TD throw of 8 yards. At some point the beleaguered Raiders called what amounted to a basketball timeout to catch their breath as the vaunted no-huddle K-Gun attack of the Bills overwhelmed them. When the dust settled Buffalo held a commanding 41-3 lead at halftime.
I was in the stadium at that game, and across the field from me some fans were spelling out “Hello Tampa” in the stands. (Where the Super Bowl was to be played the next week) I saw that and immediately thought “Holy s**t, the Bills are going to the Super Bowl!” Later that day at home after the game, they showed earlier clips of workers at Tampa Stadium painting the Bills’ logo in the end zone, at halftime of the game! It was just an incredible experience.
Happy Bills’ fans with a message
Coach Marv Levy called off the dogs somewhat in the second half. The Bills scored only 10 points, on another short Davis run and a Scott Norwood field goal, to account for the final score of 51-3, launching the team to the big game. Kelly wound up throwing for 300 yards and the 2 TDs, while Thomas, although leaving the touchdown runs to Davis, racked up 199 yards of total offense. Lofton’s 2 TDs were among his 5 catches for 133 yards. The beleaguered Shroeder was intercepted 5 times by the Buffalo defense before being replaced by Vince Evans, who threw another pick. Little did the Bills and their fans know that what came next was the ultimate heartbreak of “Wide Right” by Norwood in Super Bowl XXV.
It was a long wait, but the 2023 NFL season is finally upon us, and that also marks the return of our weekly Throwback Thursday feature, in which we travel back in time to highlight a game from the past played between teams who are matched against each other that week on the league slate. For opening week, we chose a matchup of 2 historic franchises, played on October 20, 1957. It pitted the Chicago Cardinals against the Washington Redskins at old Griffith Stadium in Washington. Those teams go head to head on opening day this season, although the Cardinals are based in Arizona and Washington’s club is now known as the Commanders.
Neither of these teams was very good that season, as they finished fourth and last respectively in the Eastern Division standings. The lowly Cardinals, who would only win 3 games all year, did boast one of the league’s most dynamic stars – halfback Ollie Matson. On this day, they rode a dominating performance from their future Hall of Fame back to a rousing 44-14 victory. He wasted no time as he broke off a 56 yard scamper to the end zone to open the scoring. The Cards’ other 2 star offensive weapons on this day, quarterback Lamar McHan and end Woodley Lewis, provided the next points, hooking up on a 39 yard touchdown pass, followed by an 18 yard McHan run to paydirt to put Chicago ahead 21-0. Washington regrouped somewhat and cut the lead to 21-7 when Eddie LeBaron tossed a short TD pass to Ed Podoley, but McHan and Lewis regained the momentum by hooking up for another score. Kicker Pat Summerall, who we all know would go on to become one of the most beloved football broadcasters of all time, added a field goal, and the Cardinals now owned a commanding 31-7 lead at halftime over the future Commanders.
Showing no mercy, McHan struck for the big play again to start the second half scoring when he found Matson open for a 50 yard touchdown. Matson had now showcased his talents as both a runner and receiver. LeBaron engineered another scoring drive for the Redskins before the third quarter ended, but the game was pretty much over by then. In fact, Washington only added to their ineptness when they fumbled on their own goal line in the final quarter. Leo Sugar accepted the gift, recovering the loose ball and traveling the 1 yard into the end zone to finalize the scoring. On a historic note, despite the one-sided nature of the contest, Washington did have a play made from a future Hall of Famer of their own, as McHan’s otherwise perfect game of 8 completions on 13 passes for 182 yards and 3 TDs was spoiled when he threw an interception into the waiting arms of Redskin defensive back Don Shula.
Matson, although today a mostly overlooked star from the NFL’s past, was a much coveted player in his era. In fact, the Cardinals, in 1959, traded him to the Los Angeles Rams for what amounted to 9 players (7 players and 2 top draft picks). That deal was orchestrated by the Rams’ general manager at the time, future NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.
Ollie Matson (second from left) with his HOF classmates of 1972
The 2022 NFL season for the Buffalo Bills, filled with preseason hype that the team was primed to win a Super Bowl, instead evolved into a crucible of obstacles put in front of them that included:
Death of Dawson Knox’s brother
Kim Pegula’s illness
Injuries to key players (Von Miller, Micah Hyde, etc.)
Dealing with multiple blizzards/home game relocated
Damar Hamlin’s near death
Josh Allen’s elbow injury
Despite the setbacks, the Bills managed 13 wins, another AFC East title and a wild card playoff win. They enter 2023 battle-tested and much more under the radar, to the point where some analysts are writing them off. Here is our preseason preview of where the three-time AFC East champs sit entering the upcoming season:
Front Office/Coaching
Buffalo still has a solid roster top to bottom thanks to the work of GM Brandon Beane and his staff, and if early indications on this year’s draft class prove to be true, they could be better than last year’s group. It’s a sign of how strong of a roster they have that both seventh round draft picks – Nick Broeker and Alex Austin, failed to make the final 53 man roster, yet both were claimed off waivers when they were released. Beane has also done his annual job of adding some low-key free agents who should strengthen certain areas. As for coaching, the major change has Sean McDermott taking over the defensive play calling from the departed Leslie Frazier. Most expect this change to result in a more aggressive approach on that side of the ball, a change that will surely be popular with the players.
Quarterbacks
QB Kyle Allen, Bills’ annual new backup QB
Following in the footsteps of Matt Barkley, Mitch Trubisky and Case Keenum, Kyle Allen is the newest backup option behind Josh Allen in the Bills’ quarterback room. Josh is the unquestioned starter, and with Kyle Allen, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, QB coach Joe Brady and Barkley (on injured reserve for the year) there is plenty of support for the team’s top player. As long as Josh Allen is calling signals and not his golfing buddy Kyle, the Bills will be in the hunt for a Super Bowl title.
Running Backs
James Cook, the Bills’ new bell cow RB
Buffalo has been trying, mostly unsuccessfully, to develop a rushing attack in the last few years. They are a passing offense so they only need a slightly above average run game to keep defenses honest. This season, they have an almost completely new stable of running backs to try to finally accomplish that goal. James Cook isn’t new, but he is entering his first year of being counted on to be the main back in the offense. He has skills as both a runner and pass receiver, and has flashed brilliance at times. Now he has to prove he can be a positive contributor consistently. His backups are a pair of veterans who offer different skill sets than Cook. Latavius Murray is a solid short yardage back who should be valuable on the goal line while Damien Harris is an under the radar free agent signing who could play a major role in spelling Cook with no dropoff in production. He was a major thorn in the side of the Bills in his time in New England, rushing for over 100 yards in 3 of the 4 games he played against them. The Bills keep only one fullback on the roster, and that’s Reggie Gilliam. He’s mostly a blocker and special teamer, but occasionally is involved as a receiver out of the backfield.
Receivers
Trent Sherfield, Bills’ new slot receiver
Pundits are always downgrading Buffalo’s receiving corps, claiming that after the alpha dog Stefon Diggs there is no threat. “Big Play” Gabe Davis, a newly minted captain on the team, begs to differ. He is primed for a big season after battling drops and an injury last year. A new slot receiver was brought in from Miami in free agency – Trent Sherfield. He was a key piece for the Dolphins despite being overshadowed by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and his value for Buffalo is enhanced by a trait the Bills’ coaches like – versatility. Although likely playing mostly in the slot, he is capable of manning any of the WR spots, helping Dorsey be creative with formations, etc. GM Beane was determined to add speed to the receiving corps also, thus the signing of Deonte Harty from the Saints. He’ll be another slot option as well as returning kicks. Khalil Shakir starts the year a little banged up, but he for sure will have an impact down the line as the fifth receiver. Draft pick Justin Shorter, a big, physical wideout, starts the season on short-term injured reserve where he’ll get a chance to develop his game. Buffalo has a trio of capable tight ends entering the 2023 season thanks to the addition of rookie top draft pick Dalton Kincaid, who has high expectations. Along with established starter Dawson Knox, the Bills can employ double tight end formations to get favorable matchups and also help the run game. Quinton Morris is the third TE, and he has solidified his place on the team as a dependable backup and top special team guy.
Offensive Line
Connor McGovern adds beef to the Bills’ interior line
The divisional playoff loss to Cincinnati last year was a wake-up call that Beane needed to beef up the offensive line as Josh Allen was under duress the whole game. Both starting guards will be new this season, with free agent Connor McGovern replacing Rodger Saffold at left guard and impressive rookie O’Cyrus Torrence taking over on the right side. Center Mitch Morse returns to anchor the line, and starting tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown are also back. Brown is still a work in progress and he’ll be pushed for playing time by newcomer Germain Ifedi, a late waiver acquisition, and Ryan Van Demark, who earned his way onto the roster after serving time on the practice squad last year. Reliable Ryan Bates is the main backup, and he can play any position on the line. Alec Anderson, who like Van Demark elevated himself from the PS to the roster, is being groomed to mirror Bates in that he can man any spot. Another interior reserve is veteran free agent signee David Edwards.
Defensive Line
DT Daquan Jones, an underrated defender
The Bills’ defensive line will automatically be improved once future Hall of Famer Von Miller returns from his injury, but the team also added some extra help on both the inside and at defensive end in tackle Poona Ford and pass rusher Leonard Floyd, who will be counted on to replace at least some of Miller’s production in getting after opposing quarterbacks. Newly extended Ed Oliver mans one starting tackle spot, alongside an underrated star of the D-line in DaQuan Jones. His absence in the divisional playoff loss was a big factor. Greg Rousseau starts on the outside and is expected to improve on his 8 sack season of a year ago, with Floyd starting the year opposite him. Ford, Jordan Phillips, the one man hype machine, and Tim Settle will spell the starting tackles in the team’s D line rotation, while on the outside Shaq Lawson, Kingsley Johnathan and A.J. Epenesa (who bagged 6 sacks in a rotational role) will tag in for the starters.
Linebackers
LB Terrel Bernard has been hampered by injuries
The glaring missing piece from the linebacking corps, of course, is departed Tremaine Edmunds, who left for the Bears in free agency. Buffalo only employs 2 ‘backers most of the time, and All Pro Matt Milano is one of them, so they still should be OK there. Edmunds’ spot is still up in the air. Veteran Tyrel Dodson is the presumed starter at this point, but he hasn’t exactly put a stranglehold on the job. Second year LB Terrel Bernard was expected to compete to start, but he was hampered by a hamstring injury all through the preseason. An interesting option was signed to the practice squad on cutdown day in veteran Christian Kirksey. He was a starter and captain with the Texans and his statistics are actually better than what Edmunds provided here. Rookie Dorian Williams is starting out as a backup to Milano, but could be moved to MLB if none of the others provide the answer. Also on the LB depth chart is special teamer Tyler Matakevich.
Defensive Backs
S Micah Hyde was sorely missed last season
The Bills will open the season with a secondary manned by a veteran group that didn’t play a single down together in 2022. The reliable veteran safety tandem of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer is back together, joined by cornerback Tre’Davious White and nickel corner Taron Johnson. The other outside cornerback spot is still undecided, with Dane Jackson, Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford all competing. In any event, the cornerback position is steeped in depth. Cam Lewis and Siran Neal are listed as CBs on the roster also, and both can fill in at safety if needed. They are also valuable special teamers. Veteran Taylor Rapp, signed away from the Rams, and Damar Hamlin are the main reserves behind Hyde and Poyer.
Special Teams
Special teams ace Siran Neal
The Bills value special teams highly, and are blessed with a veteran kicking game trio of dependable players in punter/holder Sam Martin, kicker Tyler Bass and long snapper Reid Ferguson. They have one of the NFL’s top gunners in Siran Neal, and other bomb squad vets like Tyler Matakevich, Cam Lewis, Tyrel Dodson, Damar Hamlin and Reggie Gilliam. One area that might still be unsettled is in the kick return department. They’ll have to choose between options such as Deonte Harty and Khalil Shakir for those roles.
Here’s your annual song to get psyched up for the upcoming season, the Bills’ Shout song:
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane had the tough task of trying to add to his Super Bowl-contending team with a low spot in each round of the draft this year, and due to trades, a meager total of only 5 picks. Through another series of trades on draft weekend, Beane added an extra late round pick and acquired extra draft capital for 2024. Here’s how he fared adding players for this year’s roster competition:
Round 1 – Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah) – after a wide receiver run just ahead of them depleted that position, Beane traded up and grabbed the best of the tight end class in Kincaid. He’s an excellent route runner who can line up in multiple positions and be a safety valve for QB Josh Allen once he earns playing time. His blocking skills are also good.
Round 2 – O’Cyrus Torrence (G, Florida) – considered a first round talent, the Bills were lucky to get this mountain of a man in the second round. Equally tough in pass protection and run blocking, he gave up 0 sacks and was charged with 0 penalties in his 2023 college season. He could be a plug and play starter on the offensive line, where the Bills need to improve.
Round 3 – Dorian Williams (LB, Tulane) – the Bills drafted Terrel Bernard in the third round last year so picking another linebacker was a bit of a head scratcher, but with a big hole to fill after Tremaine Edmunds departed in free agency, the more competition for his spot the better. He’s known as a physical player.
Round 5 – Justin Shorter (WR, Florida) – this pick must have been made using traits rather than production. Shorter is a big target at 6’4 and 230 lbs. but his production in college was limited. He was, however, a blue chip prospect coming out of high school so there’s a massive amount of untapped potential with him.
Round 7A – Nick Broeker (G/C, Mississippi) – more competition for the offensive line. According to Beane, he isn’t athletic and doesn’t look impressive but on film he rarely gets beat. A solid prospect for a seventh rounder.
Round 7B – Alex Austin (CB, Oregon State) – the obligatory late round cornerback prospect choice by Beane. He has good size at 6’1 and 191 lbs. and was a 4 year starter so he has plenty of experience and is a solid locker room guy.
The team is always late in announcing added undrafted free agent signings, but with leaks from agents and the players themselves a few interesting additions are Alabama defensive tackle D.J. Dale, wide receiver Jalen Wayne from South Alabama and 3 offensive linemen – tackles Noah Henderson (East Carolina) and Joshua Donovan (Arizona) and guard Richard Gouraige (Florida). With the Bills thin on the interior defensive line, Dale could have a shot at making the roster. Wayne is the nephew of former Colts receiver Reggie Wayne. Gouraige was an O-line teammate of draftee Torrence. Wide receiver Tyrell Shavers from San Diego State is a big 6’4 target with special teams experience which should help him. Also, Buffalo is bringing in a running back candidate in Fresno State’s Jordan Mims.
