One of the craziest finishes in team history spearheaded a rare playoff season for the Bills of this era
Showing my ignorance to Buffalo Bills history, this was a moment I did not know existed before doing research for this series. I’d never heard it mentioned in passing once, even during the drought-era years that were ripe for nostalgia.
The only “Hail Mary” win in team history breathed life 44 years ago, back in 1981 when the Bills hosted the New England Patriots in what would be a deciding victory for Buffalo’s playoff chances.
The Bills came into the game 6-5 in what was a tough AFC East (three teams ended with 10-plus wins) and badly needed a victory. Buffalo led 13-7 after an 11-yard touchdown from quarterback Joe Ferguson to running back Roland Hooks. The Patriots would go on a 10-0 run and now trailing 17-13, Buffalo had 73 yards to the end zone but no timeouts left and just 35 seconds on the clock.
Hooks would make an incredible, Lynn Swann-esque grab over the middle of the field for 37 yards to set the Bills up for their final play after catching a soaked ball. Ferguson credited Hooks saying “that was the key catch of the day.” The game’s final play saw Ferguson with a clean pocket as six Patriot players flooded the end zone. His throw was high and came down fast, New England’s defenders scrambled over themselves to knock it down and when the ball met humanity, Patriots linebacker Mike Hawkins flew in from in front of the goal line to tip the ball away. The ball careened right into the waiting belly of Roland Hooks who crumbled to the ground, securing the ball and the 20-17 win.
This win would spark a four-game winning streak and Buffalo would make the playoffs off a head-to-head tie breaker with the Denver Broncos who also finished 10-6, although both teams lost in the final week of the season so the Hail Mary could’ve easily been squandered. The impact of this moment has been lost to time but the sheer nature of the play itself will live on.
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