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.
Oct. 16
1977 — Bills 3, Falcons 0 — Buffalo’s first victory of the ’77 season was far from enthralling for the crowd of 27,348, the lowest ever at that point in stadium history. O.J. Simpson rushed for 138 yards to become the second NFL player to surpass 10,000 for his career, and Neil O’Donoghue’s 30-yard field goal in the second quarter was the game’s only scoring play. The Bills defense allowed just 200 yards and came up with a fourth down stop deep in the red zone at the end of the game. The win was Buffalo’s first in 13 games under coach Jim Ringo.
1989 — Bills 23, Rams 20 — Attendance at Rich Stadium was 76,231 and beer sales were banned to try and control the crowd for this manic Monday night comeback that marked the opening chapter of Frank Reich’s legend in Buffalo. Making his first NFL start after Jim Kelly got injured in a Bills loss the week before, Reich threw touchdown passes to Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed in the final three minutes to topple the league’s last unbeaten team. Thomas’ touchdown capped an 87-yard drive, and Reed scored at the end of a 64-yard series in which Reich completed all seven of his pass attempts in the final minute. In between, Jim Everett threw a 78-yard TD pass to Flipper Anderson to regain the lead for L.A. Thomas had 172 scrimmage yards (105 rushing), Reed gained 106 yards receiving, Bruce Smith had two sacks and Mark Kelso made an interception in the first of three games the Bills would win with Reich at QB.
1994 — Colts 27, Bills 17 — Quarterback Jim Harbaugh and his backup, the Depew native Don Majkowski, were efficient in combing to complete 20 of 24 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns without taking a sack or turning the ball over in one of only two wins for the Colts at Rich Stadium in the final 16 years of the century, with the other coming in ’87 using replacement players. Jim Kelly had 250 net yards passing with a touchdown to Thurman Thomas (111 yards from scrimmage). Indianapolis held the ball for more than 35 minutes of the game. Buffalo, favored by 9.5 points, dropped to 4-3 in what would eventually become a losing season. Attendance was 79,404.
2005 — Bills 27, Jets 17 — Willis McGahee had 167 scrimmage yards (145 rushing) and a touchdown, Kelly Holcomb threw scoring passes to Eric Moulds and Jonathan Smith, and the Bills possessed the ball for more than 38 minutes in a victory that improved their record to 3-3. Ryan Denney had two of five sacks on Jets QB Vinny Testaverde, who also was intercepted by Terrence McGee and Angelo Crowell, the latter coming in the red zone. Rian Lindell kicked a 50-yard field goal at the end of the first half. New York got 148 yards rushing and a touchdown from Curtis Martin on 18 carries.
2016 — Bills 45, 49ers 16 — LeSean McCoy scored four touchdowns while amassing 142 yards from scrimmage in a fourth straight win for Buffalo following two losses to begin the season. Tyrod Taylor passed for 179 yards with touchdowns to Robert Woods and Justin Hunter, while the QB ran for another 68 yards. Mike Gillislee rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown as the Bills totaled 492 yards. Woods and McCoy scored 23 seconds apart in the fourth quarter after Nickell Robey-Coleman forced a fumble on kickoff coverage. Seven different Bills had runs for positive yardage, including Reggie Bush.
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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.