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.
Nov. 3
1985 — Cincinnati 23, Buffalo 17 — Larry Kinnebrew, a fullback who would play for the Bills later in the decade, rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown, and Boomer Esiason had two touchdown passes in leading the Bengals back from down 10-0 in the first half. Greg Bell ran for the first Buffalo score and Eason Ramson caught a late touchdown from Bruce Mathison, in for benched Bills starting quarterback Vince Ferragamo. Bruce Smith had half a sack and recovered a fumble. Scott Norwood missed a 27-yard field goal that would’ve give the Bills a 13-0 lead a few plays before Esiason threw a 68-yard TD to Eddie Brown in the second quarter. The Bills dropped to 1-8 with the loss. Attendance at Rich Stadium was 25,840.
1991 — Buffalo 22, New England 17 — MVP to be Thurman Thomas gained 158 yards from scrimmage and rushed for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Bills won their 16th consecutive home game (including playoffs). Jim Kelly passed for 237 yards and touchdown to Don Beebe, and Andre Reed had 121 yards receiving on a day the wind chill temperature was 22 degrees. Buffalo was favored to win by 17 points, but New England had a chance late when Kelly was intercepted for a second time. But Darryl Talley picked off Patriots QB Hugh Millen to seal the victory for the 8-1 Bills. Scott Norwood made 3 of 4 field goal attempts, while NE’s Jason Staurovsky was 1 for 3. Attendance was 78,271.
1996 — Buffalo 38, Washington 13 — Thurman Thomas and Darick Holmes led a Bills rushing attack that produced 266 yards and five touchdowns in running over an NFC opponent that came into the game with a 7-1 record. Holmes had 122 yards and a career-best three touchdowns while Thomas ran for 107 yards with a score. Jim Kelly passed for 206 yards and ran for a TD. Andre Reed had 94 yards receiving. Bryce Paup had a sack and forced two fumbles. Buffalo’s yardage (476) more than doubled Washington’s (234) as the Bills improved to 6-3. Attendance was 78,022.
2002 — New England 38, Buffalo 7 — Former Bills running back Antowain Smith gained 142 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns in an easy win for the reigning Super Bowl champions who had lost four in a row coming into the game. Tom Brady passed for 265 yards and three touchdowns. Drew Bledsoe threw for 302 yards with a touchdown pass to Peerless Price (98 yards receiving) but was sacked four times and intercepted late by Ty Law. The setback put the Bills record at 5-4 after a solid first half in the first year with Bledsoe at quarterback. Attendance was 73,448.
2024 — Buffalo 30, Miami 27 — Tyler Bass set a Bills record kicking a 61-yard field goal with five seconds left to give Buffalo an exhilarating win. Josh Allen passed for 235 yards and three touchdowns after halftime. There were four lead changes on seven consecutive scoring possessions in the second half. Jordan Poyer, in his lone season playing for the Dolphins, was penalized for unnecessary roughness against Bills receiver Keon Coleman on the winning drive. Bass gained redemption after earlier missing his third extra point of the season. Mack Hollins, Ray Davis and Quinton Morris had receiving touchdowns as the Bills improved to 7-2. Attendance was 70,862.
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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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