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. 18
1977 — Dolphins 13, Bills 0 — More than 76,000 fans attended the season opener at Rich Stadium, but the Bills attracted an average closer to 35,000 spectators for the remaining six home games after this losing effort. One of only two instances in which Buffalo got shutout in the home opener, the 13-point margin of defeat was slightly below the Bills’ season average (minus-11) that ranked worst in the NFL during a 3-11 season. Buffalo turned the ball over four times in this game, allowing Miami an easy win despite getting more than doubled in yardage (324 to 148) by the Bills.
1983 — Bills 28, Colts 23 — In a season in which he led the league in fourth quarter comebacks, Joe Ferguson rallied Buffalo to this victory with late scoring passes to Frank Lucas and Joe Cribbs. The start running back who was on in a contract dispute with the Bills that led to lawsuits had caught another TD pass from Ferguson in game he finished with 96 total yards. Buffalo’s defense forced two fumbles in the fourth quarter of what would be the Colts last visit to the stadium before the franchised moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis.
1989 — Broncos 28, Bills 14 — After opening the season with an exciting win on the final play in Miami, the Bills began their bickering ways in Monday Night Football letdown against the eventual AFC champions. Jim Kelly was intercepted three times and got into a sideline argument with receiver Chris Burkett, who was waived days later. The Broncos built a 21-0 lead before the Bills unleashed an early version of their hurry-up offense to score two quick touchdowns late. Andre Reed caught 13 passes for 157 yards. Attendance was 78,176 for Buffalo’s first prime-time home game in five seasons
2011 — Bills 38, Raiders 35 — Fitzmagic was in the air early in the ’11 season. Ryan Fitzpatrick led Buffalo back from 18 points down in the second half and threw the winning touchdown pass to David Nelson with 14 seconds remaining. Fitzpatrick passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller combined for 180 yards rushing with Jackson scoring twice, as the Bills scored 35 points after halftime and improved to 2-0. Their 34 first downs in the game were a team record that has been surpassed just once, in a loss at New England the following season.
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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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