Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Joe Ferguson of the Bills played with a cracked bone in his ankle the last game of the regular season at San Francisco and a playoff loss in San Diego. The Bills beat the 49ers 18-13. The 49ers were a pretty good team by the end of the 1980 season. Ferguson was practically immobile and the Bills had to use the shotgun all game because Ferguson couldn't drop back and set up (usually one of his strong points).

By the way, I recall a Pro Football Weekly column at the end of the 1980 season by Glenn Dickey. Bill Walsh was quoted as saying his 2nd year QB, Joe Montana, "could be as good as Joe Ferguson and Danny White."

JohnH19 wrote:Sorry to get off topic here but I'm still pissed about the Bills starting him over Flutie in the Music City Miracle game. Didn't Johnson do some serious whining to the brass about Flutie being the starter ahead of himself?

I don't know about that. Flutie supposedly did some heavy bitching in 2000 about Johnson. I believe the decision to start Johnson came from above....Ralph Wilson. It was the wrong decision, not in hindsight, but considering the circumstances. Johnson had poor pocket presence, but had a much better arm than Flutie, who could make plays with his legs and mind, but his arm seemed to tire down as the season progressed. The Bills would be going to Tennessee, in what figured to be a large crowd, facing a potent Titan pass rush led by a dominant Jevon Kearse. Also, both offensive tackles (and I believe one guard) were injured. (LT John Fina started, but was so hobbled he was benched. RT Robert Hicks didn't start but came in when another lineman was injured during the game.) It didn't take a genius to,figure out that Flutie's ability to avoid the pass rush would be a big asset in the game...and it probably would have been. It was a courageous performance by Johnson, to move back on topic, who overcame 6 sacks to lead a seemingly game winning drive. But considering the dominance of the Buffalo defense, an average Flutie game probably would have won it.

Bryan wrote:Bobby Douglass throwing 4 TDs against the Bills in 1970...three of them after breaking the wrist on his throwing arm/hand. His long TD pass to Jim Seymour is the greatest thrown pass I have ever seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGaczuyWtCU#t=72

Here ya go.