4 most underrated teams in Buffalo Bills’ franchise history
By Adam Hayward
1988 season
The Buffalo Bills were obviously an AFC powerhouse in the early 90s, having made four straight Super Bowls (and sadly losing all of them). However, it’s important to know that their reign of dominance first started in 1988. That was the year in which they drafted Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas, in the second round of the draft.
For the most part, Thomas’s rookie season was solid, rushing for 881 yards on just 207 carries. But as for the team as a whole in 1988, it was a very successful year. Not only did the Bills achieve its first winning season since 1981, but it also won twelve games for the first time since its championship season in 1965. Buffalo finished 2nd in the AFC that year, falling to the Cincinnati Bengals in the conference title game.
The hallmark of the 1988 Bills was the defensive unit, which was the best in the conference that year. Buffalo’s defense surrendered the fewest points and total yards in the AFC, having only yielded 237 points and 4,578 yards. Four players on the defense – defensive end Bruce Smith, and linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Shane Conlan – were named to the All-Pro Team.