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. 30
1983 — Bills 27, Saints 21 — In the Saints’ first Rich Stadium visit, Joe Ferguson threw for four touchdowns while Buffalo’s defense knocked Ken Stabler out of the game before halftime. Mike Mosley had two of his three career scoring receptions, Jerry Butler and Tony Hunter also hauled in TDs as the Bills jumped out to a 20-0 lead. Joe Cribbs rushed for 84 yards. Steve Freeman and Charles Romes had interceptions and Ben Williams recovered a fumble. The Bills improved to 6-3 but wouldn’t win another home game in finishing 8-8. Attendance was 49,413.
1988 — Bills 28, Packers 0 — There were 79,176 fans in the stadium for the Packers’ second all-time visit and a dominant performance from Buffalo’s defense. Ruining the homecoming game for Depew native Don Majkowski, the Bills sacked the Packers QB six times and had four takeaways. Mark Kelso returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown, Cornelius Bennett had a hand in half of the Bills’ sacks and stripped Majkowski on one of them, and Leon Seals scored a touchdown on a fumble forced by Pro Bowl special teamer Mark Pike. Thurman Thomas rushed for 116 yards, the first 100-yard game of his rookie season, Jim Kelly threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Butch Rolle, and Robb Riddick leapt for one of his 12 rushing TDs in his final NFL season.
1994 — Bills 44, Chiefs 10 — In a warm and sunny rematch of the previous year’s AFC championship game, the Bills breezed to victory before a crowd of 79,501, reaching midseason at 5-3 before the wheels fell off Buffalo’s Super Bowl run. Andre Reed and Pete Metzelaars caught two touchdowns apiece from Jim Kelly, the other score came from Thurman Thomas who combined with Kenneth Davis to rush for 160 yards. Reed had 106 yards receiving and both scores to put the Bills up 31-7 at halftime. Bruce Smith led a pass rush that sacked Joe Montana four times and forced three fumbles before the Hall of Fame quarterback was mercifully pulled from the game in the third quarter. Henry Jones and Jeff Burris got interceptions against backups. Steve Christie kicked three field goals to break Scott Norwood’s team record in making 15 consecutive attempts.
2016 — Patriots 41, Bills 25 — Tom Brady passed for 315 yards and four touchdowns, including 53-yarders to WNY native Rob Gronkowski and former Bills receiver Chris Hogan, in matching an NFL record with his 26th victory against a single opponent. Tyrod Taylor accounted for 224 yards with a rushing touchdown, and Mike Gillislee ran for 85 yards with a touchdown for Buffalo, missing injured star LeSean McCoy. Marcell Dareus made his season debut after a suspension followed by a hamstring injury, and the Bills defense sacked Brady five times while giving up 72 yards rushing. Buffalo (4-4) had won 16-0 at New England (7-1) earlier in the season when Brady was suspended for deflating footballs. Attendance at New Era Field was 70,442.
2022 — Bills 27, Packers 17 — Josh Allen totaled 267 yards with touchdown passes to Stephon Diggs (108 yards receiving) and Dawson Knox on Sunday Night Football. Devin Singletary and James Cook combined for 102 yards rushing nd Isaiah McKenzie had a short rushing touchdown as the Bills improved to 6-1. A year before joining the Bills, cornerback Rasul Douglas intercepted Allen, as did Jaire Alexander, who got engaged with Diggs in a pregame shouting match. Matt Milano picked off Aaron Rodgers, who passed for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Attendance was 70,863.
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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.