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. 7
2004 — Bills 22, Jets 17 — Battling back from an 0-4 start in what would eventually become a winning ’04 campaign, Buffalo beat an opponent that was tied for the AFC East division lead with only one loss to that point getting to 3-5 midway through Mike Mularkey’s first season as coach. Willis McGahee rushed for 132 yards with a touchdown run on fourth down, and Drew Bledsoe threw a touchdown pass to rookie receiver Lee Evans on a 77-yard drive coming out of halftime to lead the Bills on a windy Sunday at The Ralph. Lawyer Milloy had an interception to set up a field goal. Chris Kelsay knocked Chad Pennington out of the game in the fourth quarter, and Jets backup Quincy Carter handed the ball off to Curtis Martin five yards deep in the end zone for a safety that boosted Buffalo’s lead. Offensive tackle Mike Williams was taken off the field in an ambulance after taking a hit to the head but avoided serious injury. Attendance was 72,574.
***
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.