4 most underrated teams in Buffalo Bills’ franchise history
By Adam Hayward
The Buffalo Bills are a team with a history full of many ups and downs. While the franchise did have a dominant stretch in the 90s, being a perennial Super Bowl contender behind the arm of Jim Kelly, there was a time when Buffalo also had a long playoff drought, which lasted for seventeen years, fourth-longest in NFL history.
Some Bills teams in franchise history ranged from good to great, while other teams were pretty bad – almost to the point of being easily forgettable. There are a few Bills teams that while a good team overall, however, often go overlooked in the grand scheme of things. These four squads happen to fall under that umbrella.
4 most underrated teams in Buffalo Bills’ franchise history
1966 season
A year removed from their second championship victory, the Bills continued their dominance in the AFL in 1966. Finishing the season at 9-4-1, the 1966 Bills yielded the lowest point total in the league, with 18.2 points per game. Mike Stratton, John Tracey, and Harry Jacobs proved to be a formidable linebacking corps, with Stratton and Tracey both receiving AFL All-Star nods.
Stratton and Tracey weren’t the only stars on Buffalo’s stout defense, however. Defensive tackle Jim Dunaway recorded 3.5 sacks in 1966, en route to being named to the All-Pro team. Cornerback Butch Byrd and George Saimes held down the Bills secondary, while cornerback Tom Janik led the unit with eight interceptions.
On the offensive side of the ball, Buffalo was second in the AFL in points scored and third in total offense. The running back duo of Bobby Burnett and Wray Carlton combined for 2,161 yards of offense, while also scoring 15 touchdowns (four of them being receiving touchdowns from Burnett.) Burnett earned AFL Rookie of the Year honors, with his 1,185 yards from scrimmage being 5th in the league.
The Bills were unable to three-peat in the AFL title game, being blown out by the Kansas City Chiefs 31-7.