In the sunset season for the concrete cathedral so often overflowed with as many as 80,000 passionate patrons, WIVB News 4 Buffalo is taking a daily look back over 400 games played in the Orchard Park stadium’s 52 years.
Nov. 1
1981 — Buffalo 22, Cleveland 13 — Joe Cribbs had the most productive day of his NFL career with 248 yards from scrimmage and three touchdown receptions. Joe Ferguson passes for 297 yards, more than half of that (163) going to Cribbs. While rushing for 85 yards on 23 carries with five catches, the second-year running back averaged 8.9 yards per play. But three fumbles from Cribbs kept the game close into the fourth quarter when Ozzie Newsome’s touchdown catch got the Browns within 15-13, trailing only by virtue of an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone by backup QB Paul McDonald. Ferguson found Cribbs for a 60-yard TD following their 58-yard hookup in the first quarter. Bill Simpson had two interceptions and Mario Clark picked off reigning MVP Brian Sipe at the goal line on the final play. The Bills improved to 6-3 with the victory. Attendance at Rich Stadium was 78,266.
1987 — Washington 27, Buffalo 7 — A crowd of 71,640 returned to Rich Stadium two weeks after the final game with scab players during the ’87 strike drew 15,737, yet many left long before Jim Kelly threw a touchdown pass to Andre Reed in the fourth quarter to prevent a shutout loss against the eventual Super Bowl champions. Kelly was intercepted three times and Chris Burkett lost a fumble as Buffalo dropped below .500 at 3-4. Kelly passed for 292 yards, with Reed gaining 108, but the Bills had 21 yards rushing, their fewest in stadium history to that point. Fred Smerlas was penalized for running into the kicker on a missed field goal that led to a touchdown in the second quarter. Washington (6-1) got two TD passes from Jay Schroeder to Kelvin Bryant, preceded by two takeaways by Todd Bowles, and Schroeder scrambled for another score.
1992 — Buffalo 16, New England 7 — A win is a win but this one wasn’t pretty against a winless opponent. Favored by 19 points, the Bills went ahead late in the third quarter scoring a safety on an aborted punt snap, and while Jim Kelly had two touchdown passes in the second half, he also threw two later interceptions to keep things interesting. Cornelius Bennett factored in three of five sacks for a Bills defense that essentially shut out the Patriots, who only scored on defense returning a Thurman Thomas fumble in the second quarter. New England was threatening to go back in front before Biscuit forced a fumble in the red zone leading to James Lofton’s 13-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Pete Metzelaars also scored a TD. Attendance was 78,268 and the Bills improved to 6-2.
1993 — Buffalo 24, Washington 10 — On a cold Monday night in front of 79,106 fans, Jim Kelly and Andre Reed connected on a touchdown for the 50th time, Bruce Smith got the 100th sack of his career, and the Bills moved to 6-1 during their fourth Super Bowl season, while their opponent in the big game just two years prior was now 1-6. Reed had 159 yards receiving after his 65 score in the first quarter, and Thurman Thomas rushed for 129 yards with a touchdown. Bill Brooks also caught a TD from Kelly, who was 18 of 24 passing for 238 yards. Washington QB Mark Rypien, a recent Super Bowl MVP in his final season as a full-time starter, was intercepted four times, twice by Nate Odomes. Darryl Talley and J.D. Williams had the other picks. The ‘Skins were the last team Marv Levy had not beaten in his coaching career.
1998 — Buffalo 30, Miami 24 — Doug Flutie spun a 48-yard touchdown pass to Eric Moulds and Steve Christie kicked three field goals in the fourth quarter as Buffalo rallied for its fifth straight victory. Ted Washington forced a fumble sacking Dan Marino and the Bills defense made a fourth down stop in the last two minutes during the comeback. Marino completed a 41-yard pass to O.J. McDuffie down to the 4-yard-line but the Dolphins couldn’t get off. final play before time expired. Flutie passed for 206 yards with a couple touchdowns to tight end Jay Riemersma, who needed only one hand to haul in the second one. Marino had 168 net passing yards, counting three sacks. Phil Hansen had two of them and recovered the late fumble. Attendance was 79,011. Both teams were 5-3 after this game having split the season series, but the Dolphins coached by Jimmy Johnson would win one more game in the second half of the season to win the AFC East and gain home-field advantage for a rubber match in the wild-card playoffs.
2009 — Houston 31, Buffalo 10 — Ryan Moats had a 151 yards from scrimmage and scored three rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Texans beat the Bills for the first time as a franchise. Terrell Owens took an end around for a 29-yard touchdown and Jairus Byrd had two interceptions to give the Bills a 10-6 lead at halftime. Buffalo’s offense had 204 yards and nine first downs with a time of possession of 20:52. Ryan Fitzpatrick was 15 of 23 passing for 117 yards with two interceptions. The loss dropped the Bills to 3-5 on the season. Attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium was 69,790.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.