1971 Bills Linebacker Profiles

EDGAR CHANDLER

Middle Linebacker

No. 52

Georgia

"The middle linebacking job was turned over to Edgar Chandler last year, and his outstanding play prompted coach Rauch to think of him as a 'potential longtime fixture.' Chandler, now entering his fourth year with Buffalo (he was a fourth-round draft choice in '68), has good speed and is a tough tackler. Last season Ed made off with his very first interception- including high school and college- and ran it back 59 yards for a touchdown.

An All-America tackle at Georgia, the 6-3, 235-pounder put in most of his rookie time on the special teams and then replaced the injured Paul Guidry at left linebacker midway through the '69 season."

-Brenda Zanger, Pro Football 1971

"The Bills' fourth draft selection in 1968, Edgar's play in his rookie season was largely restricted to specialty teams and late-game work at middle linebacker. He had trouble maintaining his weight in 1968 but took over for the injured Paul Guidry at left linebacker in mid-season 1969 and played there the rest of the year, proving himself a rugged tackler and possessor of good speed. Edgar moved to middle linebacker in 1970 and became a regular at that position.

Edgar was an All-American tackle at Georgia in 1967 and was voted as the outstanding lineman in both the Liberty Bowl and in the Southeast Conference in his senior year. The captain of the Georgia team in 1967, he played in the Cotton Bowl, Liberty Bowl, North-South Game, Hula Bowl and Coaches All-America Game."

-1971 Topps No. 86

MIKE STRATTON

Linebacker
No. 58
Tennessee
"Not only did Mike Stratton's consecutive game streak end at 130 last year, but he became the first player in the Bills' 11-year history to suffer a torn Achilles' tendon. The medical reports say Stratton will be as good as new this year. If so, he won't have any trouble fighting off the competition for his right linebacking job.
Considered one of the best blitzing outside linebackers in the NFL, Mike was originally drafted out of Tennessee as a tight end. In college he played both offensive and defensive end. The Bills shifted the 6-3, 241-pounder to linebacker in his rookie year (1962)."

-Brenda Zanger, Pro Football 1971

"Senior among Bills in years of service, but just 30 years old because his pro career began at a young age. Statton played both ways as an end in college and was drafted as a potential tight end. He was moved to linebacker as a rookie and has been a starter since. He has made 17 interceptions, including six in 1962.

Last season was going fine until he sustained an ankle injury and had to miss five games. In fact, his Achilles tendon tear was the first such injury ever suffered by a Bill. It happened in a game with Baltimore with no one around him. Stratton had played 130 straight pre-season and regular-season games until then. He once played 80 games in a row, including three AFL title games, with the same set of linebackers.

He's an insurance representative in his home state and is married, with two daughters."

-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1971 Edition)

PAUL GUIDRY

Linebacker

No. 59

McNeese State

"Came into his own in 1970 when he played in all games and won second-team All-AFC mention in UPI poll. Guidry was an eighth-round draft choice out of a small college who worked his way up the ranks by starring on special teams. His rise to stardom began in 1969, but then he suffered a shoulder injury halfway through the season.

Guidry reads plays well. He began his college career at LSU but transferred to McNeese where he concentrated on [playing] tight end. He wants to coach someday.

Nicknamed 'Gomer' by his teammates, he's an outdoorsman and TV game-show viewer in his spare time. He's married and has a daughter."

-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1971 Edition)

"Paul enjoyed his finest season as a pro in 1970 as he was named to the UPI second-team AFC All-Star squad. As a rookie with the Bills in 1966 he impressed the coaches with his speed, agility and ability to adjust to linebacking play. Paul was an end in college at LSU and McNeese State and was All-Gulf States Conference as an end in both his junior and senior years.

He did a fine job in his first full season as the starting left linebacker in 1968 after assuming that spot for the final four games of 1967. Paul was having his best season as a pro in 1969 when a shoulder injury sidelined him in the eighth game of the year. He came back in '70, proving he as the equipment to be the complete linebacker, including the ability to read plays.

Paul likes to watch television game shows."

-1971 Topps No. 138

"The Buffalo Bills have some 'name' players like O.J. Simpson, Dennis Shaw, Marlin Briscoe and J.D. Hill. Then there's little-publicized Guidry, the left-side linebacker. He's out of McNeese State, an eight-round draft choice in 1966 and he comes to hit.

He has a penchant for being around the ball. Quick, mobile and a contact player, he 'reads' plays well. The Bills have liked him from the outset because of his aggressive ways.

A punishing type of tackler, he's not easily handled by blockers and is getting better all the time. He looks and acts the part of a sound professional. Guidry is adept at infiltrating the blocking cordon on screen passes and breaking them up before they ever develop."

-John Steadman, from "5 Most Over-Rated and Under-Rated NFL Players" (Football Digest, December 1971)