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 more than 400 games played in the stadium’s 52 years of existence in Orchard Park, N.Y.
1993 — Bills 38, Patriots 14
In quarterback Drew Bledsoe’s NFL debut and coach Bill Parcells first game with the Patriots, the Bills broke open a close game with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Two came on Jim Kelly passes to Andre Reed and the last was a 47-yard return by Russell Copeland, the first on a punt in eight Bills seasons. Kelly also threw connected with new receiver Bill Brooks to give the Bills an early 10-0 lead, and Reed finished with 110 yards receiving and three TDs. Bledsoe was 14/30 passing for 148 yards, 2 TD, INT and was sacked three times, twice by Bruce Smith.
Earlier this week
Sept. 4
1983 — Dolphins 12, Bills 0
The Bills out-gained the Dolphins 258 to 177 but Joe Ferguson got sacked six times and Fred Steinfort missed three field goal attempts before a crowd of 78,715 at Rich Stadium. Miami’s Uwe von Schamman made all four of his kicks and the Dolphins won without scoring a touchdown in Orchard Park for the second year in a row. Despite the home dud, the Bills would win in Miami for the first time since 1966 later that season.
1988 — Bills 13, Vikings 10
Thurman Thomas rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown in the first game of his NFL career, and a Buffalo defense missing suspended star Bruce Smith compiled six sacks, led by Art Still’s 2.5. A sellout crowd celebrated the Bills’ first season-opening win since 1982, part of an unbeaten home slate that culminated in an AFC East division title (and torn-down goal posts). Coming off an appearance in the NFC championship game, the Vikings finished 11-5 in ’88.
1994 — Jets 23, Bills 3
The first signal that the Bills would not be going to a fifth Super Bowl in a row came in a forgettable loss to a Jets team in its first game under coach Pete Carroll. Jim Kelly bruised his hand getting sacked four times and turning the ball over twice, while Thurman Thomas gained only 7 yards on the ground. The Bills would bounce back to win five of the next seven games before another loss against the Jets hastened a 2-6 finish and the first non-playoff season since ’87.
Sept. 3
1978 — Steelers 28, Bills 17
In Buffalo’s first regular season game since trading star O.J. Simpson, and first under new coach Chuck Knox, a crowd of 64,147 saw the eventual Super Bowl champions opened a 21-0 lead and rushed for 142 yards against a Bills defense that would set an NFL record allowing 3,228 on the ground. Bill Munson replaced Joe Ferguson at QB after the first quarter and threw two late touchdowns. The Steelers would not win again in Orchard Park until 2001.
2000 — Bills 16, Titans 13
The dawn of the drought. After parting ways with all-time greats Bruce Smith, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed in the offseason, the Bills got some measure of revenge from the Music City Miracle in the previous year’s playoffs. Rob Johnson opened the Sunday night game with a touchdown pass to Peerless Price but left in the fourth quarter with a foot injury. With Doug Flutie also hurt, Alex Van Pelt found Eric Moulds on a 36-yard pass that set up Steve Christie’s 33-yard field goal with 29 seconds left. Craig Hentrich missed a 60-yarder for the Titans as time expired.
Sept. 2
1979 — Dolphins 9, Bills 7
Tom Dempsey missed a 34-yard field goal on the final play as Miami extended its decade of dominance with a 19th consecutive win against Buffalo. Gaining just five first downs and 121 yards of offense, the Bills scored their lone TD when Sherman White blocked a field goal and Charlie Romes returned it 76 yards. Larry Csonka punched in the winning score on the Dolphins’ 14-play drive in the fourth quarter. The next season opener, in a new decade, would go differently for the Dolphins. And the goalposts.
1984 — Patriots 21, Bills 17
Debuting their new red helmets combined with home white jerseys — a color scheme thought to help Joe Ferguson stop throwing interceptions — the Bills allowed Pats QB Steve Grogan to throw two quick touchdowns and stake a 21-0 lead. Attendance was only 48,528 in the opening game of a 2-14 campaign that would allow the Bills to draft Bruce Smith with the No. 1 overall pick the following spring.
Sept. 1
1991 — Bills 35, Dolphins 31
Thurman Thomas began his MVP season with a 268-yard gem, becoming the first Bills player to surpass 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game. Jim Kelly came back from a sprained ankle in first half and had 381 yards passing, his most in a regular season game. And the Bills set a team record with 582 total yards to jumpstart their run back to the Super Bowl after Scott Norwood’s wide right miss. Miami ignited the shootout by taking a 14-0 led and was ahead 24-21 early in the fourth quarter.