"The progress in Buffalo under Chuck Knox is undramatic, plodding and tedious. But it's progress, steady progress.
Small triumphs are still be celebrated in Buffalo. The Bills improved from five victories and eleven losses in 1978 to 7-9 last year. They are almost always in the game. Five of their nine losses were by a touchdown or less. The Buffalo fans will have to be content with small triumphs again. The Bills will be better, but the schedule- which includes Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Oakland- is tougher.
When Knox came to Buffalo two years ago, his priority was to overhaul a personnel department which was almost a scandal in its failure. He is still weeding out deadwood and replacing it with players of his own choosing, mostly from the draft.
The big draft choice, the No. 1 in the entire 1979 draw as the result of the O.J. Simpson deal with San Francisco, got away from the Bills when Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau shocked the Buffalo organization by signing with Montreal of the Canadian Football League. But Knox still ended up with the top two rookies in the AFC: linebacker Jim Haslett and wide receiver Jerry Butler. He also vows that sooner or later, this season or next, Cousineau will end up in a Buffalo uniform.
The most measurable progress the Buffalo club made last year was on defense. Knox decided to switch the defense to the 3-4 alignment and it paid off. The Bills allowed 75 fewer points than they did in 1978. Only seven other NFL teams allowed fewer than Buffalo.
Knox's formula for defensive success is, 'first you stop the run, then everything else follows.' The Bills really didn't stop the run last season, but compared to their recent past it was almost a total halt. In 1978, they ranked dead last against the run in the NFL, allowing 201.8 yards [per game]. For the first six weeks of last season, the yield was almost as generous, and the 3-4 decision was questioned openly. Then, for the rest of the season, it came together. The average yield dropped by nearly 50 points a game and the final figure was 155 [yards per game].
Three rookies played key roles in the improvement. Haslett, a second-round draft choice from little Indiana, Pennsylvania, State, was originally meant to spend a learning season behind veteran Isiah Robertson on the outside, with Cousineau starting at one of the inside linebacker positions. But when Cousineau defected, Haslett was shoved into the starting assignment and flourished. He made 124 tackles and set up the winning field goal in overtime against New England by making a sensational one-handed interception.
Jeff Nixon won the free safety job from All-Pro Tony Greene in the last third of the season. Nixon, a fourth-round draftee, led the Bills in interceptions with six, as the team increased its overall total from 14 to 24 over the previous season.
A third rookie, rugged Fred Smerlas, shared the nose tackle position with veteran Mike Kadish and those two were responsible for a large share of the improvement against the run.
In addition, two 1979 draftees who missed all or most of their rookie seasons should be prominent on this year's defensive unit. Ken Johnson, a big, amazingly swift defensive end, will be used frequently as a pass rusher since the Bills' pass rush was not one of the improved areas last year. Johnson suffered a badly sprained ankle at the start of last season and played just briefly at the end of the year. Rod Kush came to training camp with a broken foot, a result of a family basketball game, or he may have won the strong-safety assignment. Kush will challenge incumbent Steve Freeman from the start this time.
The defensive improvement wasn't just a matter of inserting kids into the lineup. Knox also succeeded in getting some of the veterans interested. End Sherman White had his best year as a Bill, blocking six field goal attempts, plus an extra point, and leading the team in sacks with five and a half. Kadish, who had played out his option, was outstanding in a position new to him.
The biggest help may have been Robertson, whom Knox obtained from his old team, the Los Angeles Rams, after Butch had burned his bridges there. In Buffalo, Robertson played the strong side for the first time and provided the experience and leadership the young linebacking corps needed. To inspire him, Knox made him the highest paid linebacker in the NFL.
Shane Nelson, who got unsatisfactory marks as the strong-side backer in the previous 4-3 alignment, was switched to inside linebacker, alongside Haslett, and he, too, flourished. Lucius Sanford, who made the all-rookie team the season before, was the lone disappointment as the weak-side backer.
An improved pass rush could put the two cornerbacks, Mario Clark and Charles Romes, in the company of the best NFL players. Clark started off like a Pro Bowler, but his aggressiveness tailed off in the last half of the season.
It was an odd season for the Bills in that after five games they led the NFL in scoring. For the next 11 games, they averaged 10 points. What happened was that the opposition learned that an old Buffalo staple, running the football, was no longer one of its staples. Terry Miller, the rookie star of 1978, was terrible. Curtis Brown, his running mate, was out of position at fullback.
'One of the top priorities this season will be to get our running game going,' says Knox. He'll probably have to rehabilitate Miller to do that. Terry, a 1,000-yard rusher as a rookie, dropped o 484 yards last year. He didn't have even have one good game, but rather just one long run, a 75-yarder against Green Bay. Miller went on a new off-season conditioning program which Knox hopes will make him stronger and more durable. Brown, at 5-10 and 203 pounds, is not built for the heavy-duty stuff he had to perform last year. He is an excellent talent, but the Bills need a genuinely big back for the short-yardage and blocking duties.
Knox also thinks the poor year suffered by the offensive line is one of the reasons for the deficient running. The strength of the line is in the veteran guards, Pro Bowler Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie, both of whom played hurt last season. Tim Vogler, who had to be used as a backup guard last year, gained 25 pounds and a lot of muscle, so he'll be aimed at Willie Parker's center job, or he may be used more at guard. Ken Jones improved as the left tackle last year, but Joe Devlin had a penalty-packed season and could be challenged by pro sophomore Jon Borchardt.
While the running sagged, the passing game perked up considerably. Joe Ferguson, who has been Buffalo's starter since his rookie season in 1973, arrived as a pro quarterback last year.
'He has been the most underrated quarterback in the league for years,' says John Brodie, the ex-San Francisco star. 'Before he's through, I think he'll be one of the best quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL.'
Ferguson threw for 5,732 yards last year, but he's always had an outstanding arm. What distinguished last year from the others which preceded it was Fergy's mastery of the finesse areas of quarterbacking. He also emerged as the team leader after reticent seasons in the shadow of O.J.
Ferguson has two explosive targets. Frank Lewis, the ex-Steeler who seems to have defeated his old injury jinx, became the third Buffalo receiver ever to catch 1,000 yards worth of passes. The biggest explosion was Jerry Butler. The slick rookie set Buffalo records for a first-year player by catching 48 passes for 834 yards. In one game against the Jets, he caught ten passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns.
Butler never saw a single-coverage after that show, and the expectation is that both he and Lewis will get extra attention from opposing defensive coordinators this season. If that happens, the tight end would have to figure far more prominently in the pass offense than Reuben Gant did last year. Since Gant does not help the running game much with his blocking, Knox may have to look elsewhere [for help] at the position. When Butler missed three games due to a shoulder injury, super sub Lou Piccone stepped in and exceeded his career totals with 33 catches for 556 yards.
Nick Mike-Mayer, signed four games into the season, gave Buffalo its best place-kicking in five years. He hit on 20 of 29 field goals, including 16 of 18 within the 40. The punting is a different story. Knox ran out of patience with Rusty Jackson after a second season of poor kicks in clutch situations.
Buffalo's first-round selection produced an almost certain starter, North Carolina State center Jim Richter. Another possible starter came in a deal with Oakland. He is veteran linebacker Phil Villapiano, who was acquired in a trade for veteran wide receiver Bob Chandler. Villapiano may be stationed at the strong-side linebacker spot, with Robertson switched to the weak side, more familiar for him, where he would compete with Sanford.
The draft also brings Auburn running back Joe Cribbs, a small, versatile and strong player who could make Miller expendable. At any rate, Cribbs should help the Bills in the return department.
It is possible that another rookie, Mark Brammer of Michigan State, could replace Gant at tight end. Brammer does not have deep route speed, but he has hands, can block and was an overachiever in college.
The draft also brought quarterback Gene Bradley, a strong-armed basketball player from Arkansas State who is a future project; big guard John Schmeding of Boston College; linebacker Ervin Parker of South Carolina State; and Georgia quarterback Jeff Pyburn, who will be converted to safety."
-1980 Street & Smith's Official Pro Football Yearbook
"Quietly and almost without any sign of fanfare seeping southward from the Niagara frontier, Chuck Knox is rebuilding the Buffalo Bills from the ground up and, right now at least, the name of the game is defense. After years of emphasis upon an offensive unit that whirled on O.J. Simpson's winged cleats, the Buffalo fans are getting a different football fare- one that glorifies the stonewall, not the run-for-daylight amid a splash of Orange Juice.
During the five seasons he was head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, Knox won five divisional championships. His Rams were noted for two things: their unexciting offense, and their inability to get into the Super Bowl. When he arrived in Buffalo two years ago, he was just in time to miss the exciting overland attack generated by O.J. and the Buffalo offensive line which did such a magnificent job of clearing his path. It was the Buffalo defense that was dull and unexciting- and probably the main reason O.J. Simpson never had a chance to run in the Super Bowl.
Now, the Buffalo fans are witnessing an exchange of sorts. Gone is that flashing offense, gone with O.J. who returned to his West Coast home to finish out his career in San Francisco. There wasn't really anyone to take his place, although quite a case for his successor was made for Terry Miller, the Oklahoma rookie. And Miller did look like a Simpson replacement for one season, his first, when he ran for a thousand yards. But all that faded last season when Miller's yardage total dropped dramatically, or undramatically, according to one's viewpoint. He managed to run only 484 yards for reasons no one has been able to fathom.
Miller's failure to fill Simpson's shoes, and O.J. a tough act to follow, somehow caused the entire Buffalo defense to roll over and play dead- almost. By the season's end, the Bills ranked exactly last among the 28 NFL clubs in the matter of yards gained rushing. Their average of 101.3 yards per game on the ground was the league's worst- quite a comedown for a team that once had O.J. Simpson in its offensive backfield.
Still, there was another side to this dismal offensive picture- and that was the defensive unit, the 'other side of the coin' for any football team. As the 1979 season began, the Buffalo defense was slow to fall into place for at least four weeks. The scores, both for and against, were either strangely low or lopsidedly high. Then, certain decisions affecting the defensive unit began showing through all the turmoil.
For one thing, Knox and the Bills' management had traded for linebacker Isiah Robertson of the Los Angeles Rams- a player, quite naturally, well known to Knox. Robertson was unhappy in L.A. and wanted to join Knox in Buffalo for a new run to the top. The 1979 college draft brought the Bills linebacking sensation Jim Haslett who had played college football in the Pennsylvania Conference at Indiana (Pa.). The same draft produced still another rookie whose play in the secondary helped turn the Buffalo defense around. He was Jeff Nixon, out of the University of Richmond in Virginia.
Knox switched to the 3-4 defense and Haslett teamed with veteran Shane Nelson in a middle linebacking operation that put a virtual blockade on opposing ground-gaining attacks. In 1978, the Bills gave up 201 yards rushing per game. That figure dropped to 155.1 yards in 1979.
The combination of a record-setting passing game by Joe Ferguson and an improved rushing defense enabled the Bills to win more games than they had in four years. And there were several very narrow defeats. Five of the nine losses came by a touchdown or less. And at the finish, the Bills were in fourth place in the AFC East.
'By winding up fourth in the AFC East, we earned a 1980 schedule that must rank with the most difficult the Bills have played in many years.' That's Chuck Knox talking as he examines what's ahead for his club. 'Not only do we get the Pittsburgh Steelers,' and everyone knows who they are, 'we also get their Super Bowl opposition,' and that, of course, is Knox's old team, the L.A. Rams. 'Throw in Oakland, San Diego and the rest of the AFC East and the task ahead is obvious.'
How will he go about getting the Bills in shape for these challenges? Knox has some ideas about that, too. 'One of our priorities this fall will be to get that running game going again while, at the same time, improving our pass offense. A number of factors contributed to our inability to move the ball on the ground last season- blocking breakdowns (which are remedial), poor running and key penalties all hurt our running attack.'
Knox, however, is making no wide-ranging claims for the 1980 Bills. No doubt he feels there's plenty of time in which to issue announcements like the one John McKay of Tampa Bay made a year ago when he said, 'We're no longer pretenders, we're contenders.' Still, Knox does have a view of the immediate future, in these words: 'I said it last year and it bears repeating: our improvement as a football team next season may not necessarily be reflected in the record. In other words, we could be a better team and not have as good a record.'
Yes, even in pro football, things are sometimes not what they seem."
-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1980
OFFENSE
"Quarterbacks: Ferguson set Buffalo club records last season with 238 completions, 458 attempts and 3,572 passing yards. He also became the club's first 3,000-yard passer in a statistical arena long dominated by O.J. Simpson's rushing numbers. Bill Munson, if he continues this season, is 17 years in the NFL. He can still complete three out of seven, as he did last season.
Running Backs: Buffalo ranked last in AFC rushing yardage last season, gaining 101.3 yards on the average. Miller hasn't lived up to his all-star promise of two years ago, although he did gain 1,000 yards his first year. That dropped off to 484 in '79. Some claim Miller hasn't had good blocking, and blame Dennis Johnson for that. Johnson, however, did have injury problems.
Curtis Brown led the team in rushing, but his 574-yard total was only the second time in the last eight years that Buffalo has been without a 1,000-yard rusher.
Wide Receivers: Frank Lewis caught 54 passes for 1,082 yards for his career high, thereby becoming only the third 1,000-yard receiver in club history. Rookie Jerry Butler, fresh out of Clemson, missed three games with a hurt shoulder but still finished with 48 catches for 834 yards and four touchdowns. He had his best pass-catching game of the year against the Jets with a record 255 yards on 10 receptions.
Brown caught 39 for 401 yards as a running back. Bob Chandler was lost for most of '79, but Lou Piccone stepped in and replaced anyone who was hurt- and performed with distinction.
Reuben Gant played steadily at tight end until the final two games when an injury sidelined him. Joe Shipp caught three passes for 43 yards as a rookie replacement. Gant's healthy return would strengthen this unit greatly.
Interior Linemen: Coach Knox has this to say about the offensive line: 'It did a good job on pass protection. The fact that our rushing production fell off underlies that we need to do a better job of run blocking. We did have a lot of nagging injuries. Some played hurt. DeLamielleure, Parker and McKenzie all suffered nicks that affected their efficiency. We look for Vogler to challenge for center and Borchardt to make his presence known at tackle. We are thin in backup people at both center and guard.'
Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie, with 103 and 117 consecutive starts, are the iron men. Joe Devlin is becoming consistent at tackle. Ken Jones was the most improved offensive lineman, say Buffalo insiders. Jim Richter, the Bills' No. 1 draftee, won the highly coveted Outland Trophy in 1979 as the outstanding lineman in college football.
John Schmeding is 25 and a rugged blocker. Dee Hardison is being switched from defensive nose guard to offensive tackle.
Kickers: Nick Mike-Mayer enters the 1980 season with a string of 17 consecutive extra points. He led Buffalo in scoring last year with 17-for-18 on points-after and 20-for-29 on field goals, even he didn't join the club until the fourth game. He's being hailed as the best kicker Buffalo has had since Pete Gogolak, 15 years ago in the old AFL.
Knox calls the punting 'inconsistent, needful of improvement.' Rusty Jackson got off 96 punts last season, averaging 38.2."
-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1980
DEFENSE
"Defensive Linemen: The Buffalo defense showed marked improvement last season, especially against the run. Against the pass, the Bills actually led the AFC by limiting their opponents to 158.1 yards per game through the air. Mike Kadish had one of his best years at nose tackle, and Fred Smerlas gained all-rookie recognition. Sherman White blocked five field goals and extra points from his end position. Ben Williams also had a better than average year, while Scott Hutchinson is proving a good backup. Phil Dokes was out all season with an injured shoulder.
Linebackers: Haslett's debut was impressive. The big linebacker, who played high school ball in Pittsburgh and college ball at Indiana (Pa.), proved he could tackle, intercept passes and recover fumbles with the best of them. Nelson led the club in solo tackles with 81. Old pro Robertson intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown. With all that, there is a lack of depth at linebacker.
Defensive Backs: Nixon won the free safety post from Tony Greene in the season's last four games. As the Bills' top pass thief, Nixon came on like the furies in his rookie year. He was a fourth-round choice from the University of Richmond whose birthplace is listed as Fursten Feld, Germany. Greene, a one-time Pro Bowler, can play at either safety or cornerback in the 'new look' Bills secondary.
Keith Moody is a kick-return specialist who holds almost all Buffalo club return records. Among other marks, he's the only player in Bills' history with 2,000 or more career yards on kickoff returns."
-Herbert M. Furlow, The Pocket Book of Pro Football 1980
OFFENSE
"Terry Miller, Terry Miller, Terry Miller. You can't say it enough. He is the difference between the Bills going places and going nowhere. If he can play back to his 1,000-yard rookie season after last year's sophomore slide, the Bills are in business. Miller finished 20th in AFC rushing with 484 yards after placing fifth with 1,060 the year before.
He's capable of a complete turnaround, although no one can be quite sure of fullback Curtis Brown, who slipped badly himself. The Bills' ground attack limped into last place in the NFL when only a half-dozen years ago it was first.
The passing game never looked better than 1979, with Joe Ferguson having, perhaps, his finest season at quarterback. There were two reasons why: Daddy Old Legs receiver Frank Lewis, who did have his finest year, and rookie wunderkind Jerry Butler, who caught four touchdown passes in one game. Big Reuben Gant wasn't used much (19 catches), but coach Chuck Knox keeps his tight ends busy blocking.
The offensive front isn't the Electric Company but guards Joe DeLamielleure and Reggie McKenzie can still open wide holes."
-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1980 Edition
DEFENSE
"Where are you, Tom Cousineau? Blending into the Canadian sunset, we can only imagine. With Cousineau, the Bills wouldn't be 24th against the rush. Oh, Shane Nelson, Jim Haslett, Lucius Sanford and Isiah Robertson aren't a bad linebacking corps, but none of them was the first player taken in the entire draft, either. Who knows, Cousineau could be back with the Bills in 1981, but until then ... Haslett was a genuine surprise, a rookie who took over Cousineau's projected position and played very well.
The Bills' secondary is impressive- sixth in the NFL against the pass- led by Mario Clark. Rookie Jeff Nixon, the team's Renaissance man, took over at strong safety and led the club in interceptions with six. Charles Romes and Steve Freeman complete a strong secondary.
Defensive end Sherman White finally lived up to his potential last year, playing alongside Ben Williams and Mike Kadish. But watch the progress of youngsters Fred Smerlas, Ken Johnson, Scott Hutchinson and Phil Dokes, former No. 1 who missed last year with a shoulder injury."
-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1980 Edition
KICKING GAME
"Nick Mike-Mayer, who started his career in Atlanta, caught on with the Bills and delivered- 20 of 29. He doesn't have long range, however. Punter Rusty Jackson (38.2) is average at best. Once-dangerous Keith Moody slipped as a return man but could rebound."
-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1980 Edition
THE ROOKIES
"Buffalo has a center who can play for 12-13 years in Jim Richter, the team's top draft pick. Second-round choice Joe Cribbs, a running back who looks like a fireplug, serves notice to Terry Miller and Curtis Brown that one of them will be on the bench if they run like last year. The Bills may have a sleeper in linebacker Ervin Parker."
-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1980 Edition
OUTLOOK
"The Bills keep getting better and better under Chuck Knox but don't have all the parts necessary to threaten for the playoffs. Another running back, some offensive tackles and a Leroy Selmon-type up front would really help the team.
Say, .500 potential, at best."
-Dave Newhouse, The Complete Handbook of Football, 1980 Edition
