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.
1980 — Bills 17, Dolphins 7
The Talking Proud era kicks off with one of the most monumental triumphs in team history. After an entire 1970s decade of Dolphins dominance, the Bills broke a 20-game losing streak and fans demolished the goalposts at Rich Stadium for the very first time. It wasn’t a pretty win: Joe Cribbs rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown, Roosevelt Leaks added 57 yards and a scoring reception from Joe Ferguson, and the Bills defense had six takeaways to balance against seven offensive turnovers. Buffalo would build on this victory during a 5-0 start that led to an AFC East division title.
1986 — Jets 28, Bills 24
A then-record 79,951 fans welcomed Jim Kelly in his Bills debut, three years after he was drafted and three weeks since the parade from the airport to downtown Buffalo celebrating his arrival. The savior under center threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, while 1983 draft classmate Ken O’Brien had 318 yards passing and two scores in leading the Jets to the comeback win. It wouldn’t be long before Kelly was commanding the glory years of Bills football, and this game was a seminal moment in that story.
2003 — Bills 31, Patriots 0
For one sun-splashed Sunday it felt like the crumble of a dynasty. Uplifted by the addition of Lawyer Malloy, the Bills beat down Tom Brady, made Bill Belichick look foolish, gave Drew Bledsoe fleeting redemption, and big Sam Adams rumbled onto the cover of Sports Illustrated when that still meant a great deal. The largest defeat of the Brady-Belichick era in New England was avenged by the exact same score at season’s end, but that was no matter in an unforgettable opener at The Ralph.
2008 — Bills 34, Seahawks 10
A promising 5-1 start to the season began with a rollicking win highlighted by punter Brian Moorman throwing a touchdown pass on a faked field goal. Roscoe Parrish returned a punt for another score, Marshawn Lynch totaled 94 yards with a TD, and Marcus Stroud had two of the Buffalo’s five sacks in defensive tackle’s first game since joining the Bills in an offseason trade.
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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.