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.
Sept. 28
1980 — Bills 24, Raiders 7 — Buffalo’s defense dominated the eventual Super Bowl champions in a classic Talkin’ Proud performance in front of 77,259 at Rich Stadium. The Bills took the ball away five times and had four sacks in allowing just 179 yards, with the Raiders only points coming on a Joe Ferguson interception that Lester Hayes returned for a touchdown. Bills rookie running back Joe Cribbs totaled 126 yards (90 rushing) and scored two touchdowns, Curtis Brown also ran for a score, Jim Haslett and Jeff Nixon made interceptions, and Buffalo raised its record to 4-0 a quarter of the way through its division title quest.
1986 — Chiefs 20, Bills 17 — Jim Kelly threw for 291 yards and a touchdown to rookie Ronnie Harmon that put Buffalo ahead going into the fourth quarter, but Kelly’s three interceptions, the most he would throw in a game during his first NFL season, aided ’83 draft classmate Todd Blackledge in leading Kansas City’s comeback win. On the opening drive Kelly audibled at the line into a 41-yard TD run for Rob Riddick, who had 148 total yards starting in place of an injured Greg Bell. Kelly further endeared himself to Bills fans when he ran out the locker room after getting x-rays on his bruised throwing arm only to take more hits. Attendance was 67,555.
2003 — Eagles 23, Bills 13 — Drew Bledsoe had 296 yards passing, a touchdown toss to Bobby Shaw and a rushing touchdown to outplay Donovan McNabb (173 yards passing, 47 yards rushing, no TDs). But all of the Bills scoring came after the Eagles had established a 16-0 lead through three quarters, and Brian Westbrook put the game away running for a 62-yard touchdown with 2:10 remaining. Sam Dana, a former NFL player living in Kenmore at age 100, was honored on the field pregame in front of the 73,305 crowded into Ralph Wilson Stadium.
***
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.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
