Highlighted Year: Greg Bell, 1988

Running Back, Los Angeles Rams

Age: 26

5^th season in pro football, 1^st complete with Rams

College: Notre Dame

Height: 5’10” Weight: 210

Prelude:

Bell had an injury-riddled college career but still was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the first round (26^th overall) of the 1984 NFL draft. He made an impact as a rookie, rushing for 1100 yards, including 206 in an upset of the Cowboys, and catching 34 passes, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Bell followed up with another productive season in 1985, gaining 883 yards on the ground and catching 58 passes for another 576 yards and a total of 1459 yards from scrimmage. However, injuries limited him to six games and 377 rushing yards in ’86 and Bell was dealt to the Rams as part of the three-team trade that sent RB Eric Dickerson to the Colts during the strike-interrupted 1987 season. He saw little action while RB Charles White had a big year in Dickerson’s place, but with White missing time in 1988, Bell moved to the forefront.

1988 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 288 [6]

Most attempts, game – 31 (for 112 yds.) at NY Giants 9/25

Yards – 1212 [4]

Most yards, game – 155 yards (on 21 carries) at Atlanta 10/9

Average gain – 4.2

TDs – 16 [1]

100-yard rushing games – 5

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 24

Most receptions, game – 4 (for 24 yds.) vs. Phoenix 10/2

Yards – 124

Most yards, game – 24 (on 4 catches) vs. Phoenix 10/2

Average gain – 5.2

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 18 [1]

Points – 108 [9, tied with Chuck Nelson]

Postseason: 1 G (NFC Wild Card playoff at Minnesota)

Rushing attempts – 17

Rushing yards – 91

Average gain rushing – 5.4

Rushing TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

NFL Comeback Player of the Year: AP

Rams went 10-6 to finish second in the NFC West and qualified for a Wild Card playoff slot while leading the conference in scoring (407 points). Lost NFC Wild Card playoff to Minnesota Vikings (28-17).

Aftermath:

Bell followed up by rushing for 1137 yards in 1989 and again leading the league in rushing touchdowns with 15. But he did not get along well with teammates or the front office and, when he threatened to hold out in ’90, he was traded to the Raiders. Bell appeared in just six games due to an ankle injury and rushed for 164 yards in what ended up being his last active season. He was released the following preseason and retired after being let go by Green Bay prior to the 1992 season. Overall, Bell rushed for 4959 yards on 1204 carries (4.1 avg.) and caught 157 passes for 1307 yards (8.3 avg.), scoring a total of 58 touchdowns. Of those totals, 2375 rushing yards and 31 TDs, came with the Rams. He was chosen to one Pro Bowl. 

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

1984: Greg Bell’s 206 Rushing Yards Spur Bills Upset of Cowboys

It had been a long and disappointing season in Buffalo as the winless Bills (0-11) prepared to take on the visiting Dallas Cowboys (7-4) at Rich Stadium on November 18, 1984. The Cowboys were tied with Washington atop the NFC East and couldn’t be blamed for believing that they had little to fear from the hapless Bills.

The Bills were a team in transition under Head Coach Kay Stephenson. The offense had been particularly disappointing, with the exception of rookie RB Greg Bell, replacing the talented Joe Cribbs who had jumped to the USFL. Bell had carried the ball 158 times for 646 yards thus far, a 4.1 average gain, with two hundred-yard performances. On this day he set the tone by taking off on an 85-yard scoring run on Buffalo’s first play from scrimmage. It would prove to be all the points the Bills would need.

The defense played inspired football, holding the Cowboys to just 78 rushing yards on 24 attempts (virtually all by RB Tony Dorsett, who had 70 yards on 17 carries). Dallas QB Gary Hogeboom completed fewer than half his passes (22 of 45) and the Bills intercepted him twice.

Buffalo missed opportunities to score twice more in the first half. Don Wilson returned a punt 34 yards to put the Bills in good field position, but the resulting field goal attempt failed due to a bad snap. LB Joe Azelby blocked a Danny White punt, but Bills QB Joe Ferguson promptly threw an interception that led to the only Dallas score of the game, a 20-yard Rafael Septien field goal that made it 7-3 at the half.

Thanks to Bell’s running, the Bills were able to control the ball for extended periods during the second half, including a total of 11:34 in the fourth quarter alone. A nine-play, 70-yard drive resulted in the only other touchdown of the day, fittingly scored by Bell on a four-yard pass from Ferguson. Safety Rod Kush and CB Brian Carpenter both intercepted Hogeboom passes to snuff out Dallas drives. The final score was 14-3 as Buffalo entered the win column.

Bell, the star of the game, ran for 206 yards on 27 carries and caught two passes for another 12. QB Ferguson had an ordinary performance, completing just 13 of 29 passes for 117 yards with a TD and two interceptions. WR Byron Franklin topped the Buffalo receivers in both receptions (6) and yards (55).

In the euphoric mood after the game, Bills DE Ben Williams said “this is kind of like our Super Bowl.” Owner Ralph Wilson added “I feel like we’re leading the league.” Meanwhile, Dorsett summed up the feeling of the stunned Cowboys by saying “I’m totally embarrassed…it’s total humiliation.”

The joy didn’t last long for the Bills – they lost decisively at Washington the next week, although they did win once more to the floundering Indianapolis Colts to conclude the season with a league-worst 2-14 record. However, they used the first overall pick in the 1985 draft to select Bruce Smith from Virginia Tech, who would become a bulwark at defensive end. The Cowboys split the remainder of their games and finished with a 9-7 record, which was the same as that of the Giants and Cardinals in the NFC East but, with tie-breakers applied, left them in fourth place and out of the postseason.

Greg Bell ended up compiling 1100 yards on 262 carries for the year with seven TDs, and caught 34 passes for 277 yards and another score. He was selected to the AFC Pro Bowl team.