The 1997 Season

Note: 1997 was the first season that I wrote down thoughts the entire year. Therefore, the 1997 season summary will come in multiple additions to my blog. Today's 1997 entry will be Week 1 at Buffalo thoughts.

Week One: at Buffalo

A seemingly impossible case to solve. A call goes out for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson? No, for this was no literary case but instead a mystery of the sporting kind: The Buffalo Bills 3-4 defense that up until opening day of the 1997 season had remained unsolved by the Minnesota Vikings.

Instead of Holmes, we found Viking offensive coordinator Brian Billick. Playing the surgeon, Dr. Watson, was the young quarterback Brad Johnson.

The strong, masterful personality of Billick dominated the play calling from the sidelines. The surgical preciseness of Johnson’s arm dominated on the playing field, and all the supporting cast were equally puppets in his hands.

We could imagine the following conversation on the Viking sideline right before kick-off:

BB: Come, Dr. Johnson! The game is afoot!
BJ: My good Billick. Have you solved the singular case of the 3-4 defense?
BB: Elementary, my dear Johnson, elementary!
BJ: Enlighten me, old boy!
BB: Inside to CC in the first half, then let Robert Smith run all day in the second.

Sherlock Billick’s game plan went as planned in the first half as Dr. Johnson threw at will to Cris Carter for seven first half receptions and one touchdown. In the second half, Robert Smith took any remaining steam out of the Bills’ defense when he ran untouched for a 78-yard touchdown, the longest run of his Viking career. Smith did receive a tongue lashing from Carter, though, for laughing towards the end of his run as Cris was busily blocking, ensuring the Smith touchdown.

Then, as from a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel, came the “Hounds of the Sackervilles” defense. John “Big Dog” Randle, Ed “Mad Dog” McDaniel and Robert “Junkyard Dog” Griffith all delivered memorable hits on various Bill players that they undoubtedly felt well into the next week. But the game was put out of reach when Jeff “Hound Dog” Brady went sniffing for a fumble and came up with his first NFL touchdown on a 30-yard fumble recovery when Bills quarterback Todd Collins dropped the snap from center. Orlando “Howlin’ Dog” Thomas and Dewayne “Huntin’ Dog” Washington came up with interceptions for the Vikes while Dixon “Pretty Dog” Edwards had a fumble recovery as the “Hounds of the Sackervilles” defense came up with four Bills’ turnovers. “Big Dog” Randle came away with two sacks to lead the team.

The first challenge of the season was accepted and met by Sherlock Billick and Dr. Johnson and impressively so. And it made for a good read.