The Buffalo Bills still hold one of the most incredible accomplishments in NFL history. Beginning in 1990, the Bills appeared in four straight Super Bowls. The incredible part is that they did not win one of them.
While there will not be any of those games on this list, the Bills have had some great times since being founded in 1960. The franchise is hoping that the combination of Sean McDermott and Josh Allen could be the next great coach and quarterback duo. Buffalo is coming off a 10-6 season that landed them a wild card berth in the 2019 postseason.
The Bills are hoping that more great times are ahead. Until they get there, here are the top five moments in the history of the franchise.
5. Final AFL Championship victory
Lou Saban coached his final season in 1965. He had led the Bills to an AFL Championship in 1964 and was looking to make it two in a row.
Buffalo finished 10-3-1 in 1965 and won the division once again. They earned a bid in the AFL Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers. After a scoreless first quarter, the Bills scored twice in the second. It began with an Ernie Warlick touchdown reception from Jack Kemp followed by a 74-yard punt return from Butch Byrd.
This would be all the scoring that was needed. Pete Gogolak would add three field goals but the defense was the real star unit. They pitched a shutout and led the way for a 23-0 victory. This would be the final AFL Championship Game before the AFL winner began meeting a representative from the NFL, better known as the Super Bowl.
4. O.J. Simpson makes history
In 1972, Simpson led the NFL in rushing on his way to his first All-Pro selection and second Pro Bowl appearance. Heading into the 1973 season, Simpson was expected to be one of the top running backs in the game but no one expected what he would end up accomplishing.
Jim Brown held the single-season rushing record with 1,863 yards at the time. Simpson let the league know that he was after that mark with a 250-yard performance in Week 1 of the 1973 season. He would rush for 100 or more yards in the first five games of the season and six of the first seven.
Entering the final game of the regular season, Simpson was 60 yards shy of Brown's record. He was able to pass that mark in the first quarter. When the game was over, Simpson totaled 200 yards which gave him 2,003 on the season. This was the new single-season record and Simpson became the first running back in NFL history to go over 2,000 yards in a season.
3. 1990 AFC Championship Game
When the 1990 season began, the Bills were reigning two-time AFC East Champions. They would participate in the postseason but could never take the next step into the Super Bowl. They finished 13-3 in 1990 which earned them another division title and chance in the playoffs.
The high-powered Bills' offense that would average nearly 27 points per game would score 44 points against the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round. They would march into the AFC Championship Game against the Los Angeles Raiders looking to dominate with their no-huddle offense. That is exactly what happened.
Buffalo jumped out to a big 21-3 lead after the first quarter. Two touchdowns from Kenneth Davis and a Jim Kelly touchdown to James Lofton would give the Bills an insurmountable 41-3 lead heading into the locker room. The Bills would add 10 fourth quarter points and take home a 51-3 victory. Thurman Thomas would rush for 138 yards and Davis scored three touchdowns. Jim Kelly would finished with 300 yards and two touchdowns.
This would send the Bills to their first ever Super Bowl. This would begin the streak of four straight losses in the big game.
2. Drafting Jim Kelly
The 1983 NFL Draft saw six quarterbacks go in the first round. The Bills held the 12th and 14th pick in the draft. They selected Notre Dame tight end Tony Hunter with the No. 12 selection. Just two picks later, they would make a pick that would change their franchise.
The Bills selected Kelly with the No. 14 overall pick. He was the third quarterback selected after Jim Kelly and Todd Blackledge. Kelly would not play for the Bills until 1986. He received an offer from the USFL prior to signing a contract with the Bills. After the 1985 season, the USFL folded and Kelly arrived in Buffalo.
Within two years, Kelly had the Bills at the top of the AFC East and a Super Bowl contender year in and year out. He spent 11 years in Buffalo and went to the playoffs eight times. Kelly led the Bills to four Super Bowl appearances and six AFC East titles. To this day, he is the top player in franchise history.
1. The Comeback
After two straight Super Bowl appearances, the Bills finished 11-5 in 1992 and entered the playoffs as a wild card team. They were up against Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers in the wild card round.
Kelly did not play in this game and Thomas was forced to leave with a hip injury. It was not looking good for the Bills early in the third quarter when Frank Reich threw a pick six. This gave the Oilers a 35-3 lead. In the blink of an eye, the comeback was on. Davis would score from one yard out followed by four touchdown passes from Reich, three going to Andre Reed.
Miraculously, the Bills held a fourth quarter lead. Houston would tie the game on a field goal and the game went to overtime. In the extra period, Buffalo would win on a Steve Christie 32-yard field goal. Buffalo stole a 41-38 win and completed the largest comeback in NFL history. Reich threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns in the place of Kelly. Davis carried the ball 13 times for 68 yards and a touchdown after replacing Thomas.
The Bills would pick up two double-digit wins on their way to yet another Super Bowl appearance. This is still one of the most memorable games in NFL history and certainly the greatest moment in Bills' franchise history.
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