1992 Buffalo Bills season
Encyclopedia
The 1992
Buffalo Bills
season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League
. The Buffalo Bills finished the National Football League
's 1992 season
with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses, and finished second in the AFC
East
division. The Bills qualified for their third straight Super Bowl
appearance.
(it is the greatest comeback in terms of deficit overcome, 32 points), in the playoffs following the 1992 season against the Houston Oilers
. Reich led the Bills on a 35–3 run in the second half and overtime against the Oiler defense en route to a 41–38 victory. Reich would help the Bills defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the divisional round before once again giving the team back to Kelly, who led them into Super Bowl XXVII
, where they fell to the Dallas Cowboys
52–17.
Scoring summary
trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls. Once again the team was loaded with talent, boasting 12 Pro Bowl selections. During the regular season, Buffalo's no-huddle offense ranked as the number two offense in the league (6,114 yards) and ranked as the number one rushing offense (2,436). Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 1,487 yards and 9 touchdowns during the regular season, while also catching 58 passes for 626 yards and another 3 touchdowns. Running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 613 yards, caught 15 passes for 80 yards, and added another 251 yards returning kickoffs. Quarterback Jim Kelly
had 269 out of 462 completions for 3,457 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Wide receiver Andre Reed
lead the team with 65 receptions for 913 yards and 3 touchdowns, receiver James Lofton
contributed 51 receptions for 786 yards and 6 touchdowns, and wide receiver Don Beebe
had 33 receptions for 554 and 2 touchdowns. Also tight end Pete Metzelaars
recorded 30 receptions for 298 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Bills also had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, led by Pro Bowlers Will Wolford
, Jim Ritcher
, and Howard Ballard, along with center Kent Hull.
On defense, the line was anchored by tackles Bruce Smith (14 sacks) and Jeff Wright
(6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), who were fully recovered after missing almost all of the previous season due to injuries. The Bills were once again led by their trio of linebackers Darryl Talley
(77 tackles, 4 sacks), Shane Conlan
(66 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception), and Pro Bowler Cornelius Bennett
(52 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries. The defensive secondary was aided by the emergence of second year defensive back Henry Jones, who led the NFL with 8 interceptions, returning them for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensive back Mark Kelso
recorded 7 interceptions, while Pro Bowl defensive back Nate Odomes
had 5.
However, the Bills quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl suffered a major setback when they lost the final game of the season to the Houston Oilers. The loss caused the Bills to finish with an 11–5 record, losing the AFC East
title to the Miami Dolphins
based on tiebreaking rules, and thus making them a wild card team for the playoffs. Thus, even if they won their first playoff game, they would have to win two on the road to make the Super Bowl. To make matters worse, Kelly also suffered strained knee ligaments during the loss to the Oilers and had to miss the first 2 playoff games. Furthermore, their first opponent in the playoffs ended up being the Oilers. A headline on a Buffalo newspaper stated the Bills situation: "Bills Begin The Longest Road Today."
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The Buffalo Bills finished the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's 1992 season
1992 NFL season
The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18. Both teams originally had that...
with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses, and finished second in the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
division. The Bills qualified for their third straight Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance.
NFL Draft
| Round | |Player | |College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | John Fina John Fina John Joseph Fina is a former American football offensive lineman, who spent eleven years in the National Football League, ten of those with the Buffalo Bills, and a one-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals... |
Tackle | Arizona University of Arizona The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885... |
| 3 | 83 | Keith Goganious Keith Goganious Keith Lorenzo Goganious is a college football coach. As of October 2009 is serving as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/linebacker coach at Hampton University. Goganious played linebacker in the NFL for five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Baltimore Ravens... |
Linebacker Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Penn State Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service... |
| 4 | 111 | Frank Kmet | Defensive End Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
Purdue Purdue University Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and... |
| 5 | 139 | Matt Darby Matt Darby (American football) Matthew Lamont "Matt" Darby is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCLA.Darby also played for the Arizona Cardinals.... |
Defensive Back Defensive back In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of... |
UCLA |
| 6 | 167 | Nate Turner Nate Turner Nate Turner is a former American football running back who played for the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. He is currently coaching for the Mount Carmel football team, where he played high school football.... |
Running Back | Nebraska |
| 7 | 195 | Kurt Schulz Kurt Schulz Kurt Erich Schulz was born on December 12, 1968 in Wenatchee, Washington to parents Erich and Judy Schulz. He is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played 10 years, eight for the Buffalo Bills, and two for the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Eastern... |
Defensive Back | Eastern Washington Eastern Washington University Eastern Washington University is an American public, coeducational university located in Cheney, Washington.Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided into four colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Public Administration; Science, Health and Engineering; and Social & Behavioral... |
| 8 | 223 | Leonard Humphries | Defensive Back | Penn State |
| 9 | 251 | Chris Walsh | Wide Receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Stanford Stanford University The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San... |
| 10 | 279 | Barry Rose | Wide Receiver | Wisconsin–Stevens Point University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point is a public university located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin... |
| 11 | 307 | Vince Marrow Vince Marrow Vincent Charles Marrow is an American football coach and former tight end. He is currently a graduate assistant coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.-Early years:... |
Tight End Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
Toledo University of Toledo The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:... |
| 12 | 335 | Matt Rodgers | Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Iowa University of Iowa The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees... |
Staff
| 1992 Buffalo Bills staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
|
|||||
Roster
| 1992 Buffalo Bills roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Howard Ballard Howard Louis Ballard is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks. Nicknamed "House" for his sturdy build, he played in four Super Bowls and was selected to two Pro Bowls while a member of the Bills. He played college... T John Fina John Joseph Fina is a former American football offensive lineman, who spent eleven years in the National Football League, ten of those with the Buffalo Bills, and a one-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals... T Mitch Frerotte Paul Mitchael Frerotte was an American professional football player who played as a guard for four seasons in the National Football League, all with the Buffalo Bills. Frerotte is perhaps best known for scoring three touchdowns during the 1992 NFL season, a record for an offensive lineman.Frerotte... G Glenn Parker Glenn Andrew Parker is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Giants... G Jim Ritcher -Career:He started his career playing high school football for Highland High School in Medina, Ohio and was an All-American at North Carolina State and won the Outland Trophy in 1979 as the nation's best offensive lineman. In the National Football League, Richer was moved to guard from center by... G Will Wolford William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.... T Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Carlton Bailey Carlton Wilson Bailey is a former professional American football player who played linebacker in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and Carolina Panthers... Cornelius Bennett Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000... ILB Shane Conlan Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships... Keith Goganious Keith Lorenzo Goganious is a college football coach. As of October 2009 is serving as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/linebacker coach at Hampton University. Goganious played linebacker in the NFL for five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Baltimore Ravens... Mark Maddox Mark Anthony Maddox is a former professional American football linebacker for ten seasons in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at Northern Michigan University.... Marvcus Patton Marvcus Raymond Patton is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 8th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 239-lb. linebacker from UCLA, Patton played in 13 NFL seasons from 1990 to 2002 for the Bills, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs... Darryl Talley Darryl Victor Talley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia.... ILB Defensive Backs
|
Special Teams
Steve Christie Geoffrey Stephen Christie is a former Canadian American football placekicker in the National Football League, who, as a member of the Buffalo Bills, became known for his ability to kick clutch field goals, even in poor weather.-Early career:Christie, who grew up in nearby Oakville, Ontario,... K Adam Lingner Adam James Lingner is a former American football offensive lineman who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills. Adam Linger was drafted in 1983 in the 9th round by the Kansas City Chiefs, and was the lowest draft pick to make the... LS Chris Mohr Christopher Garrett Mohr is a former American football punter. Mohr grew up in Thomson, Georgia, where he played football at Briarwood Academy. He was recruited by the University of Alabama, where he was the team's starting punter for three years... P Steve Tasker Steven Jay Tasker is a broadcaster for CBS Sports, who previously was a wide receiver/gunner in the National Football League. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played college football at Northwestern... WR |
|||
Regular season
- Week 2 (September 13, 1992) – Buffalo's 34–31 win over the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
was the first game in NFL history in which neither team punted.
- Week 12 (November 22, 1992) – Buffalo set an NFL record by rushing for 315 yards in a game versus the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
- Week 17 (December 27, 1992) – Jim Kelly is injured in the final game of the season, forcing Frank ReichFrank ReichFrank Michael Reich, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and the Detroit Lions. For a time, he had the distinction of having led his team to the biggest comeback victory ever in both the collegiate...
to take over as starting quarterback to begin the playoffs. One week later, Reich would engineer the greatest comeback in NFL history. (See below.)
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Game Site | Final Score | Record | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6, 1992 | Los Angeles Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 40–7 | 1–0 | |
| 2 | September 13, 1992 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
Candlestick Park | W 34–31 | 2–0 | |
| 3 | September 20, 1992 | Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 38–0 | 3–0 | |
| 4 | September 27, 1992 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
W 41–7 | 4–0 | |
| 5 | October 4, 1992 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
L 37–10 | 4–1 | |
| 6 | October 11, 1992 | at Los Angeles Raiders | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
L 20–3 | 4–2 | |
| 7 | Bye | |||||
| 8 | October 26, 1992 | at New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
The Meadowlands Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
W 24–20 | 5–2 | |
| 9 | November 1, 1992 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 16–7 | 6–2 | |
| 10 | November 8, 1992 | Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 28–20 | 7–2 | |
| 11 | November 16, 1992 | at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Joe Robbie Stadium | W 26–20 | 8–2 | |
| 12 | November 22, 1992 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 41–14 | 9–2 | |
| 13 | November 29, 1992 | at Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
Hoosier Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
L 16–13 | 9–3 | |
| 14 | December 6, 1992 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
L 24–17 | 9–4 | |
| 15 | December 12, 1992 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
W 27–17 | 10–4 | |
| 16 | December 20, 1992 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
Louisiana Superdome | W 20–16 | 11–4 | |
| 17 | December 27, 1992 | at Houston Oilers | Houston Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
L 27–3 | 11–5 | |
Playoffs
| Week | Date | Opponent | Final Score | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | January 3, 1993 | Houston Oilers | W 41–38 | |
| Division | January 9, 1993 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
W 24–3 | |
| Conference Championship | January 17, 1993 | at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 29–10 | |
| Super Bowl | January 31, 1993 | N Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 52–17 | |
The Comeback
Frank Reich's defining moment in his pro career is actually another comeback, this one often called the greatest comeback in NFL historyThe Comeback (American football)
The Comeback was a NFL playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers played January 3, 1993. It featured the Bills recovering from a 32-point deficit to win in overtime, and it remains the largest comeback in NFL history...
(it is the greatest comeback in terms of deficit overcome, 32 points), in the playoffs following the 1992 season against the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. Reich led the Bills on a 35–3 run in the second half and overtime against the Oiler defense en route to a 41–38 victory. Reich would help the Bills defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the divisional round before once again giving the team back to Kelly, who led them into Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII was a football game played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1992 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference champion...
, where they fell to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
52–17.
Scoring summary
- HOU – Jeffires 3-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 7–0 HOU
- BUF – FG Christie 36-yards 7–3 HOU
- HOU – Slaughter 7-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 14–3 HOU
- HOU – Duncan 26-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 21–3 HOU
- HOU – Jeffires 27-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 28–3 HOU
- HOU – McDowell 58-yard interception return (Del Greco kick) 35–3 HOU
- BUF – K. Davis 1-yard run (Christie kick) 35–10 HOU
- BUF – Beebe 38-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–17 HOU
- BUF – Reed 26-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–24 HOU
- BUF – Reed 18-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–31 HOU
- BUF – Reed 17-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 38–35 BUF
- HOU – FG Del Greco 26-yards 38–38 tie
- BUF – FG Christie 32-yards 41–38 BUF
Super Bowl XXVII
The Bills entered Super Bowl XXVIISuper Bowl XXVII
Super Bowl XXVII was a football game played on January 31, 1993 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1992 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football Conference champion...
trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls. Once again the team was loaded with talent, boasting 12 Pro Bowl selections. During the regular season, Buffalo's no-huddle offense ranked as the number two offense in the league (6,114 yards) and ranked as the number one rushing offense (2,436). Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 1,487 yards and 9 touchdowns during the regular season, while also catching 58 passes for 626 yards and another 3 touchdowns. Running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 613 yards, caught 15 passes for 80 yards, and added another 251 yards returning kickoffs. Quarterback Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
had 269 out of 462 completions for 3,457 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Wide receiver Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
lead the team with 65 receptions for 913 yards and 3 touchdowns, receiver James Lofton
James Lofton
James David Lofton is a former American football player and coach. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Raiders , the Buffalo Bills...
contributed 51 receptions for 786 yards and 6 touchdowns, and wide receiver Don Beebe
Don Beebe
Don Lee Beebe is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Buffalo Bills , Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL....
had 33 receptions for 554 and 2 touchdowns. Also tight end Pete Metzelaars
Pete Metzelaars
Peter Henry Metzelaars is a former American football tight end who played for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions in a sixteen-year career in the National Football League...
recorded 30 receptions for 298 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Bills also had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, led by Pro Bowlers Will Wolford
Will Wolford
William Charles Wolford is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
, Jim Ritcher
Jim Ritcher
-Career:He started his career playing high school football for Highland High School in Medina, Ohio and was an All-American at North Carolina State and won the Outland Trophy in 1979 as the nation's best offensive lineman. In the National Football League, Richer was moved to guard from center by...
, and Howard Ballard, along with center Kent Hull.
On defense, the line was anchored by tackles Bruce Smith (14 sacks) and Jeff Wright
Jeff Wright (defensive tackle)
Jeffrey Dee Wright is a former American football nose tackle who had a seven-year career in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills. He played in four Super Bowls for the Bills, all losing efforts...
(6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), who were fully recovered after missing almost all of the previous season due to injuries. The Bills were once again led by their trio of linebackers Darryl Talley
Darryl Talley
Darryl Victor Talley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
(77 tackles, 4 sacks), Shane Conlan
Shane Conlan
Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships...
(66 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception), and Pro Bowler Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000...
(52 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries. The defensive secondary was aided by the emergence of second year defensive back Henry Jones, who led the NFL with 8 interceptions, returning them for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensive back Mark Kelso
Mark Kelso
Mark Alan Kelso is a former American football player who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the tenth round of the 1985 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 177 lbs. safety from North Hills High School and the College of William & Mary, Kelso played in eight NFL seasons and his entire career with the...
recorded 7 interceptions, while Pro Bowl defensive back Nate Odomes
Nate Odomes
Nathaniel Bernard Odomes is a former professional American football defensive back who played for the Buffalo Bills , Seattle Seahawks , and the Atlanta Falcons...
had 5.
However, the Bills quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl suffered a major setback when they lost the final game of the season to the Houston Oilers. The loss caused the Bills to finish with an 11–5 record, losing the AFC East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
title to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
based on tiebreaking rules, and thus making them a wild card team for the playoffs. Thus, even if they won their first playoff game, they would have to win two on the road to make the Super Bowl. To make matters worse, Kelly also suffered strained knee ligaments during the loss to the Oilers and had to miss the first 2 playoff games. Furthermore, their first opponent in the playoffs ended up being the Oilers. A headline on a Buffalo newspaper stated the Bills situation: "Bills Begin The Longest Road Today."
Starting lineups
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Scoring summary
Awards and records
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