1995 Buffalo Bills season
Encyclopedia
The 1995
Buffalo Bills
season was the 36th season for the club and its 26th in the National Football League
.
completed 33 out of 64 passes for 422 yards, the Bills jumped to a 27–0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and rushed for an NFL playoff record 341 yards. It would be the final game of Don Shula's coaching career with the Dolphins. This also marked the last playoff victory for the Bills. They haven't won a playoff game since.
scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Steelers stopped the Bills from coming back. Pittsburgh jumped to a 20–0 lead by the second quarter with running back John L. Williams
's 1-yard touchdown, quarterback Neil O'Donnell
's 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ernie Mills
, and two field goals by Norm Johnson. However, Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the first half. But Johnson made a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds left to give the Steelers a 23–7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Johnson added a 39-yard field goal before Bills tight end Tony Cline caught a 2-yard touchdown reception. With 11:23 left in the game, Thomas scored on a 9-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead, 26–21. But Pittsburgh then marched 76 yards to score on Morris' 13-yard touchdown run. Linebacker Levon Kirkland
then intercepted a pass to set up Morris' 2-yard score with 1:58 remaining to clinch the victory. Bruce Smith was inactive for the game because he had a 106-degree fever; Smith wanted to play but the Bills' medical staff said no.
1995 NFL season
The 1995 NFL season was the 76th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 30 teams with the addition of the Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars...
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 36th season for the club and its 26th 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...
.
NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Ruben Brown Ruben Brown Ruben Parnell Brown is a former American football guard of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 14th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.... |
Guard Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.... |
Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... |
| 2 | 45 | Todd Collins | Quarterback | Michigan |
| 3 | 76 | Marlon Kerner Marlon Kerner Marlon Lavalle Kerner is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Ohio State.... |
Defensive back | Ohio State |
| 3 | 96 | Damien Covington Damien Covington Damien Emere Covington was a professional American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was a 3rd round selection in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills out of North Carolina State University... |
Linebacker | North Carolina State |
| 4 | 109 | Ken Irvin Ken Irvin Kenneth Pernell Irvin is a former American football defensive back who played for ten seasons in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football at the University of Memphis.Ken Irvin is currently the defensive backs coach at Pepperell High... |
Defensive back | Memphis |
| 4 | 113 | Justin Armour Justin Armour Justin Armour is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons for the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, and Baltimore Ravens... |
Wide receiver | Stanford |
| 4 | 131 | Tony Cline Tony Cline Anthony Cline was an American football defensive end in the NFL for two different teams. He played college football at the University of Miami. His son Tony Cline Jr... |
Tight end | Stanford |
| 5 | 144 | John Holecek John Holecek John Francis Holecek is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for eight seasons for the Buffalo Bills, the San Diego Chargers, and the Atlanta Falcons. After retiring, he returned to Illinois to coach high school football at Loyola Academy, a private college... |
Linebacker | Illinois |
| 6 | 185 | Shannon Clavelle Shannon Clavelle Shannon Lynn Clavelle is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs... |
Defensive tackle | Colorado |
| 7 | 221 | Tom Nütten Tom Nütten Tom Nütten is a former American football guard who played eight seasons in the National Football League with the St. Louis Rams. He was raised in Oelde, Germany and played high school football in ]]Champlain CEGEP, Lennoxville, Quebec and at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville, Quebec... |
Center | Western Michigan |
| 7 | 244 | Darick Holmes Darick Holmes Darick Holmes is a former American football running back in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1995–1998, for the Green Bay Packers in 1998 and for the Indianapolis Colts in 1999.... |
Running back | Portland State |
Staff
| 1995 Buffalo Bills staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
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Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3, 1995 | at 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... |
L 7–22 | 0–1 | Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the... |
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| 2 | September 10, 1995 | Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... |
W 31–9 | 1–1 | 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... |
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| 3 | September 17, 1995 | 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 .... |
W 20–14 | 2–1 | 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... |
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| 4 | Bye | ||||||
| 5 | October 2, 1995 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 22–19 | 3–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
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| 6 | October 8, 1995 | 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... |
W 29–10 | 4–1 | 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... |
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| 7 | October 15, 1995 | Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
W 27–21 | 5–1 | 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... |
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| 8 | October 23, 1995 | 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... |
L 14–27 | 5–2 | Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
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| 9 | October 29, 1995 | 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... |
L 6–23 | 5–3 | Joe Robbie Stadium | |
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| 10 | November 5, 1995 | 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 .... |
W 16–10 | 6–3 | RCA 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 .... |
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| 11 | November 12, 1995 | 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... |
W 23–17 | 7–3 | 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... |
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| 12 | November 19, 1995 | 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... |
W 28–26 | 8–3 | 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... |
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| 13 | November 26, 1995 | 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... |
L 25–35 | 8–4 | 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... |
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| 14 | December 3, 1995 | 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... |
L 17–27 | 8–5 | Candlestick Park | |
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| 15 | December 10, 1995 | at St. Louis 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,... |
W 45–27 | 9–5 | Trans World Dome Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome The Edward Jones Dome (more formally known as the Edward Jones Dome at America's Center, and previously known as The Trans World Dome (from 1995–2001) is a multi-purpose stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, and home of the St. Louis Rams of the NFL. It was... |
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| 16 | December 17, 1995 | 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 23–20 | 10–5 | 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... |
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| 17 | December 24, 1995 | Houston Oilers | L 28–17 | 10–6 | 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... |
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AFC Wild Card Game
Although Dolphins quarterback Dan MarinoDan Marino
Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
completed 33 out of 64 passes for 422 yards, the Bills jumped to a 27–0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and rushed for an NFL playoff record 341 yards. It would be the final game of Don Shula's coaching career with the Dolphins. This also marked the last playoff victory for the Bills. They haven't won a playoff game since.
AFC Divisional Playoff
Running back Bam MorrisBam Morris
Byron "Bam" Morris is a former American football running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs.-Early life:...
scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Steelers stopped the Bills from coming back. Pittsburgh jumped to a 20–0 lead by the second quarter with running back John L. Williams
John L. Williams
John L. Williams is a former American college and professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for ten seasons during the 1980s and 1990s...
's 1-yard touchdown, quarterback Neil O'Donnell
Neil O'Donnell
Neil Kennedy O'Donnell is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tennessee Titans...
's 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ernie Mills
Ernie Mills
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Mills, III is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for nine seasons during the 1990s...
, and two field goals by Norm Johnson. However, Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the first half. But Johnson made a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds left to give the Steelers a 23–7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Johnson added a 39-yard field goal before Bills tight end Tony Cline caught a 2-yard touchdown reception. With 11:23 left in the game, Thomas scored on a 9-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead, 26–21. But Pittsburgh then marched 76 yards to score on Morris' 13-yard touchdown run. Linebacker Levon Kirkland
Levon Kirkland
Lorenzo Levon Kirkland is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League...
then intercepted a pass to set up Morris' 2-yard score with 1:58 remaining to clinch the victory. Bruce Smith was inactive for the game because he had a 106-degree fever; Smith wanted to play but the Bills' medical staff said no.
Awards and honors
- Bryce PaupBryce PaupBryce Eric Paup is a former American football defensive end and linebacker, who played professionally for the Green Bay Packers , the Buffalo Bills , the Jacksonville Jaguars , and the Minnesota Vikings .-Biography:Paup grew up on a farm in Scranton, Iowa, where he played football at Scranton...
, NFL Defensive Player of the Year - Bryce PaupBryce PaupBryce Eric Paup is a former American football defensive end and linebacker, who played professionally for the Green Bay Packers , the Buffalo Bills , the Jacksonville Jaguars , and the Minnesota Vikings .-Biography:Paup grew up on a farm in Scranton, Iowa, where he played football at Scranton...
, AFC Pro Bowl selection