21st season in franchise history
The 1980 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 11th season in the National Football League, and the 21st overall. Their 11–5 record was tied for best in the AFC.
The Bills' defense allowed only 260 points in 1980, third-best in the league, whilst their 4,101 total yards surrendered was best in the NFL in 1980. Buffalo's defense was well represented on the UPI All-AFC team: nose tackle Fred Smerlas and linebacker Jim Haslett – two-thirds of Buffalo's "Bermuda Triangle" with linebacker Shane Nelson – were named to the 1st team All-AFC. Defensive end Ben Williams was named to the second team.
Although Buffalo's offensive statistics were not as impressive as its defense, four offensive players were named All-AFC: left guard Reggie McKenzie, left tackle Ken Jones, wide receiver Jerry Butler and rookie running back Joe Cribbs.[1]
Cribbs rushed for 1,185 yards and made his first Pro Bowl. Jerry Butler and Fred Smerlas also were selected to play in the annual all-star game.[2]
Breaking "The Streak"
The Bills had not beaten the Miami Dolphins in the entire decade of the 1970s, a streak of twenty straight losses, the longest in NFL history. The last time the Bills had defeated Miami was 1969.
The Bills had been outscored 565 (28.5 points per games) to 299 (14.5) during the 1970s by the Dolphins, failing to score more than ten points in over a third of the contests (7). They were shut out three times. Conversely, the Dolphins were held under twenty points just four times, and scored 45 points on the Bills twice. The domination was so thorough that the Bills only lost by one score or less five times, and Don Shula had never lost to Buffalo since taking over as Dolphins coach in 1970. The Bills only held a lead at any point in eight of the games, and only twice in the fourth quarter.[3] Joe Ferguson had lost to the Dolphins 14 straight times.
On opening day of the 1980 season, Miami visited Rich Stadium, attempting to extend the streak to 21 games. At the end of three quarters, Miami led 7–3. In the fourth quarter, running back Roosevelt Leaks scored the go-ahead touchdown to make the score 10–7. Joe Cribbs added a second touchdown to extend the lead to 17–7, and Jeff Nixon intercepted his third pass of the game with only 36 seconds left, breaking the streak at 20 games.[4][5]
A rowdy crowd of 79,000 fans celebrated, and many stormed the field to tear down the goal posts, carrying them around the field.[6] Joe Cribbs contributed 131 combined yards of offense for the triumphant Bills.[7]
The rivalry continued well into the 1990s, but with different results: from 1986 to 1996—the years in which Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino played at the same time—the Bills won 14 of 22 match-ups between the teams.[8]
Offseason
NFL draft
North Carolina State's Jim Ritcher became an anchor of the Buffalo offensive line for the next 14 years; he was the starter for all four Buffalo Super Bowl teams, and was second-team All-Pro in 1991.
Running back Joe Cribbs was Buffalo's starting running back from 1980–1983, and again in 1985 (after returning from one year in the USFL).
Tight end Mark Brammer played for the Bills for five seasons. Greg Cater was Buffalo's starting punter from 1980 until 1983.[9]
[10]
Regular season
Sports Illustrated's Paul Zimmerman wrote about the Bills' 1980 season, "It was a euphoric kind of year for Buffalo. Chuck Knox and his defensive coordinator, Tom Catlin, built the defense into No. 1 in the NFL with virtually the same people who had been lousy in '79. The Bills even beat Miami for the first time in a generation. And then Quarterback Joe Ferguson picked exactly the wrong time of year to sprain his ankle – the playoffs. And San Diego ended the dream."[11]
Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.[12]
Standings
Game summaries
Week 1 vs Dolphins
| Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- MIA – Steve Howell – 6 rushes, 43 yards
- BUF – Joe Cribbs – 18 rushes, 60 yards, TD
- Top receivers
- MIA – Duriel Harris – 3 receptions, 42 yards
- BUF – Joe Cribbs – 9 receptions, 71 yards
|
|
Week 2 vs Jets
| Game information
|
- First quarter
- NYJ – Pat Leahy 44-yard field goal. Jets 3–0.
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 38-yard field goal. Bills 13–3.
- BUF – Jeff Nixon 50-yard interception return (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 20–3.
- Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- NYJ – Clark Gaines – 12 receptions, 91 yards
- BUF – Reuben Gant – 4 receptions, 84 yards
|
|
Week 3 at Saints
| Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- BUF – Frank Lewis 18-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 21–19.
- Fourth quarter
- BUF – Mark Brammer 2-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 28–19.
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 7-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 35-19.
- NO – Ike Harris 15-yard pass from Archie Manning (Benny Ricardo kick). Bills 35–26.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 4 vs Raiders
| Game information
|
- First quarter
- Second quarter
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 1-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 14–0.
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 30-yard field goal. Bills 17–0.
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 21-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 24–7.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 5 at Chargers
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- SDG – John Jefferson 5-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 14:56. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 2:02.
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 29-yard field goal, 8:51. Chargers 14–6. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 6:05.
- BUF – Lucius Sanford blocked punt recovery in end zone (kick failed), 2:24. Chargers 14–12.
- SDG – Rolf Benirschke 29-yard field goal, 0:12. Chargers 17–12. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 2:12.
Third quarter
- SDG – Clarence Williams 3-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 6:19. Chargers 24–12. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 2:25.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Mark Brammer 9-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick), 10:43. Chargers 24–19. Drive: 4 plays, 16 yards, 1:34.
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 3-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick), 7:28. Bills 26–24. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 2:54.
|
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
|
|
Week 6 vs Colts
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Roosevelt Leaks 1-yard run. Colts 10–6.
- BAL – Don McCauley 1-yard run (Steve Mike-Mayer kick). Colts 17–6.
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 49-yard field goal. Colts 17–9.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 20-yard field goal. Colts 17–12.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 7 at Dolphins
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 8 vs Patriots
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- NE – Russ Francis 26-yard pass from Steve Grogan (John Smith kick). Bills 14–10.
- NE – John Smith 32-yard field goal. Bills 14–13.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Nick Mike-Mayer 23-yard field goal. Bills 17–13.
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 16-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 24–13.
- BUF – Joe Cribbs 5-yard run (Nick Mike-Mayer kick). Bills 31–13.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 9
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Falcons |
0 |
10 | 10 | 10 |
30 |
| Bills |
7 |
7 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
- Date: November 2
- Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 40 °F or 4.4 °C, wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- Television network: CBS
|
[13]
Week 10
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bills |
10 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
31 |
| Jets |
0 |
10 | 0 | 14 |
24 |
- Date: November 9
- Location: Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York
- Game start: 4:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 44 °F or 6.7 °C, wind 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn)
- Television network: NBC
|
[14]
Week 11
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bills |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
| Bengals |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
- Date: November 16
- Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 34 °F or 1.1 °C, wind 11 miles per hour (18 km/h; 9.6 kn)
|
[15]
Week 12
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers |
7 |
3 | 0 | 3 |
13 |
| • Bills |
7 |
7 | 7 | 7 |
28 |
|
[16]
[17]
Week 13
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
7 |
7 | 3 | 7 |
24 |
| • Colts |
0 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
28 |
- Date: November 30
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 43 °F or 6.1 °C, wind 14 miles per hour (23 km/h; 12 kn)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers: NBC
|
[18]
Week 14
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Rams |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
7 |
| • Bills |
0 |
0 | 7 | 0 | 3 |
10 |
|
First ever win for Buffalo vs Rams
[19]
[20]
Week 15
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
0 |
0 | 2 | 0 |
2 |
| • Patriots |
7 |
7 | 7 | 3 |
24 |
- Date: December 14
- Location: Schaefer Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts
- Game start: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: 28 °F or −2.2 °C, wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
- Referee: Cal Lepore
- TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas and Gene Washington
|
[21]
Week 16
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bills |
6 |
7 | 5 | 0 |
18 |
| 49ers |
6 |
0 | 7 | 0 |
13 |
|
[22]
Postseason
Divisional
Buffalo Bills at San Diego Chargers
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
0 |
14 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
| • Chargers |
3 |
0 | 7 | 10 |
20 |
|
With 2:08 left in the game, Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts threw the 50-yard winning touchdown pass to receiver Ron Smith to defeat the Bills, 20–14.
Wrote Paul Zimmerman in Sports Illustrated's 1981 NFL preview, "If Charley Romes intercepts the pass that bounces off his chest in the last few minutes of the playoff game against San Diego, then the Chargers don't score on the next play, and win the game. And Buffalo gets to play Oakland at home – where the Bills crushed the Raiders earlier in the season. And Buffalo's in the Super Bowl."[23]
Notable events
In Week 15, the Bills became the thirty-fourth team to score only a safety in a full game. It was the first occurrence of this since the San Diego Chargers against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last game of the 1972 season, and there have been only three since, by the 1983 Minnesota Vikings, the 1993 Cincinnati Bengals, and the 2011 Atlanta Falcons in a playoff game.
