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. 27
2009 — Saints 27, Bills 7 — Brian Moorman threw a touchdown pass to Ryan Denney on a faked field goal for Buffalo’s only score in the loss before 70,261 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. While the Bills defense limited Drew Brees to 156 net yards passing, Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Lynell Hamilton to rush for 214 yards and three touchdowns. The Bills offense with Trent Edwards at quarterback didn’t advance as far as the red zone all game, finishing with 243 yards while going 3 for 16 on third and fourth downs. The loss dropped the Bills to 1-2.
2020 — Bills 35, Rams 32 — Josh Allen passed for 311 yards and four touchdowns, including a 3-yarder to Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds left to complete the fourth quarter comeback. Allen also ran for a score giving him a team record 12 TDs through the first three games, but his two turnovers in the second half allowed the Rams to make up a 25-point deficit and take the lead with less than five minutes to play. Kroft caught two scoring passes, Stefon Diggs and blocking tight end Lee Smith got the others, and Cole Beasley led the 3-0 Bills with 100 yards on six receptions. There were no fans in the stands due to pandemic restrictions.
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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.
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