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. 31
1976 — Jets 19, Bills 14 — The first Halloween game at Rich Stadium got off to spooky start for the home team. The Jets opened a 16-0 lead before Garay Marangi connected with Bob Chandler for two touchdown passes in the third quarter. But that wasn’t enough on a day the Bills turned the ball over five times. O.J. Simpson had 166 of Buffalo’s 224 yards rushing. Marangi was 10 of 30 passing for 94 net yards, counting three sacks, and the quarterback who would go 0-7 as a starter during the ’76 season threw three picks. Jets QB Richard Todd was 6 of 20 passing for 79 net yards with one touchdown and two interceptions by Bills defenders Mario Clark and Tony Greene.
2004 — Bills 38, Cardinals 14 — Willis McGahee rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns, Terrence McGee returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and Drew Bledsoe threw TD passes to Eric Moulds and Tim Euhus as Buffalo began to turn around its ’04 season after a 1-5 start. Nate Clements had 34 and 40-yard punt returns to set up Bills touchdowns. Both offenses combined for 422 yards (166 passing) in gusty winds at Ralph Wilson Stadium with punts ending 17 of 28 possessions, an average of 15 yards and one first down per drive. Emmitt Smith, in his final NFL season, ran for 64 yards for Arizona. The NFL’s all-time rushing leader had 25 yards in his only other appearance at the stadium with Dallas in ’96. Attendance was 65,887.
2021 — Bills 26, Dolphins 11 — Josh Allen dressed up as Phil Mickelson pregame and totaled 304 yards and three touchdowns in front of 69,355 at Highmark Stadium. Starting slow coming out of a bye week, Allen found his groove on the back nine when the Bills (5-2) scored on four consecutive drives after halftime. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis caught touchdowns, and Allen ran one in. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 205 yards with a short rushing touchdown for the Dolphins (1-7) and was intercepted by Jordan Poyer in the fourth quarter. Tyler Bass kicked a 57-yard field goal for Buffalo’s only points in the first half.
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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.