| January 01, 2004 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 05:51 PM |
The NFL collective bargaining agreement did what no team could over the past 4 seasons- keep the Buffalo Bills out of the Super Bowl. In 1994 the NFL implemented a salary cap for each team- around 65% of all revenues generated by the league. The inaugural cap figure was $47 million per team. Buffalo was in the top 5 in the league in salary for their players, and had upcoming contracts on their biggest stars, like RB Thurman Thomas. The Bills needed to create some salary cap space, and were forced to release quality veterans and depth to comply.
The offensive line took a blow for the second straight season. Guard Jim Ritcher was released and signed with the Falcons. Tackle Howard “House” Ballard signed with the Seattle Seahawks. TE Keith McKellar could not recover from a knee injury and was let go. The Bills secondary was ravaged with losses as well. Safety Mark Kelso retired due to concussions. Starting CB JD Williams signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Nate Odomes, the Bills interception leader with 9 the season before, joined Ballard in Seattle.
Bills GM John Butler continued the Bills’ streak of strong drafts. Due to losses in free agency, the Bills were rewarded with 2 extra compensatory picks in the second, and one in the third round. The 1994 NFL draft brought the Bills DB Jeff Burris of Notre Dame with Buffalo’s top selection. WR Bucky Brooks, TE Lonnie Johnson, and LB Sam Rogers were selected in round 2. LB Merced Perry and OT Corey Louchey were picked in round 3.
In a move to increase offensive production, NFL clubs at the league's annual meeting in Orlando adopted a package of changes, including modifications in line play, chucking rules, and the roughing-the-passer rule, plus the adoption of the two-point conversion and moving the spot of the kickoff back to the 30-yard line. For the fans, the NFL launched "NFL Sunday Ticket," a new season subscription service for satellite television dish owners that allowed fans across the country to dial up every NFL game available.
June night in the Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood, Bills legend O.J. Simpson went from football hero to infamous murder. On that June night Simpson's ex-wife Nicole and male acquaintance were murdered. O.J. had a shaky alibi, as he was late in going down for his limo to the airport. A few days later police decided to charge him, and a slow moving car chase ensued. The chase was viewed by millions on TV as former Bills teammate Al Cowlings drove an allegedly suicidal O.J. home. What ensued was the most famous and expensive murder trial in American history.
Simpson would be found not guilty 10 months later in what became a circus trial and national media event. He would be found libel in a civil trial and orderd to pay the victims millions. The one time movie actor, commercial spokesman, and sportscaster lost his post football career and became a national joke.
The Bills looked strong in the preseason, going 3-1. A win at Washington (13-11) was followed by a disappointing 27-7 loss in Atlanta. The Bills responded closing out the exhibition slate with an 18-16 win over Houston and a 24-3 whipping of Kansas City. It was only the second time in 5 seasons the Bills did not play an extra exhibition game. Counting post season games and additional exhibition games, the Bills played 16 extra games over the past 4 seasons- tops in the league and the equivalent of one extra season.
The Bills opened the season at home against the New York Jets. The Jets pulled off a shocking 24-3 win, keeping Buffalo out of the endzone at home for the first time since 1988. Christie opened the scoring in the first, but the Jets took command with a 17 point 2nd quarter. The Jets dominated the time of possession and held the Bills to a mere 41 yards rushing.
Buffalo rebounded the following week against the Patriots in Foxboro. In a thrilling quarterback duel between Jim Kelly and New England QB Drew Bledsoe, the Bills outgunned the Patriots 38-35. Buffalo opened the game with an 8 play, 80 yard drive capped by 37 yard Andre Reed TD reception.
On the next Bills possession, Kelly again was sharp directing an 11 play 89 yard scoring drive. Thurman Thomas hauled in Kelly’s second TD pass for 4 yards to give the Bills a 14-0 lead. Bledsoe answered with an 18 yard scoring strike to his TE Ben Coats on the last play of the 1st quarter. Kelly marched the Bills to his 3rd TD pass on the day on the ensuing possession. Bill Brooks scored when Kelly hit him on a 12 yard TD pass. Bledsoe rallied the Patriots with his second TD to Ben Coats. Kelly finished off the half with TD number 4 to Don Beebe. Buffalo took a 28-14 lead to the locker room.
Bledsoe mounted the Patriot comeback, keeping the Bills offense off the field with ball control offense. RB Marion Butts closed the gap in the 3rd quarter with a 19 yard TD run. Buffalo’s only TD in the second half was courtesy of the defense, as Mike Lodish recovered a Bledsoe fumble for a TD with 14:07 remaining in the game. Bledsoe replied 4 minutes later with his third TD pass of his own to Michael Timpson. Marion Butts tied the score with 4:22 left with his second TD to tie the game at 35-35.
On the ensuing kick, Kelly and the Bills methodically moved the ball into FG range. With 52 seconds left, Steve Christie booted the game winner from 32 yards out. Bledsoe finished 26 of 42 for 380 yards and 3 TDs. Kelly finished 25 of 41 for 328 and 4 scores.
Week three saw Buffalo travel to Houston, and the team sported throwback uniforms in celebration of the league’s 75th anniversary. But instead of the red bison on a white helmet, the colors were reversed , with the white bison on a red helmet. The new look was as ugly as the offensive production in the game. Steve Christie kicked 5 FGs in a 15-7 win. Bruce Smith registered 4 sacks and 10 tackles in the win. Thurman Thomas’ 112 yards rushing led the game.
Miami was the Bills week 6 opponent and Dolphin killer Thurman Thomas did the damage again. Showing no ill effects from missing the previous week’s game, Thomas had 2 TD runs , a goal line plunge and a 26 yard highlight reel score to push Buffalo to a 14-3 lead. After forcing a Dolphin punt, Ken Davis added a 5 yard TD run capping a 13 play, 8 minute drive. Dan Marino put the Dolphins in the endzone for the only Dolphin TD with a pass to OJ McDuffie. A 2 point conversion made the final score 21-11.
After licking their wounds during the bye week, Buffalo returned to action against the Kansas City Chiefs with a vengeance. Buffalo blew out the Chiefs 44-10 behind 4 Jim Kelly TD passes and a Thomas 2 yard run. Pete Metzellars and Andre Reed had 2 TD receptions each in the rout. Steve Christie connected on all 3 of his FG attempts in the game, making him 15 of 15 on the season, breaking Scott Norwood’s record of 13 consecutive FGs without a miss. His 24 yard kick with 9:33 remaining was his 100th in his career, which qualified him as the most accurate FG kicker in NFL history.
Week 9 had Buffalo travel to New York to take on the Jets. For the first time in 8 seasons, the Bills failed to register a win against the Jets in a season. Jumping out to a 14-3 lead on a Thomas 3 yard run and a Don Beebe 37 yard reception, the Bills could not hold. With 1:15 in the half, the Jets gambled on 4th down and 1 from the Bills 4. The gamble paid off with a Boomer Esiason to Rob Moore TD to cut the deficit to 14-9 (missed XP). Buffalo’s offense was stymied in the second half, with Christie’s 16th straight FG the only Buffalo points. Jets Kicker Nick Lowery added 2 more FGs to provide New York with the 22-17 win.
The Buffalo offense ran into a buzz saw in Pittsburgh the following week. Under the lights of Monday Night Football, Pittsburgh jumped out to a 10-0 lead early when Steeler CB Rod Woodson returned a Jim Kelly interception 37 yards for the score. Trailing 16-3, Buffalo opened the third quarter by scoring on 7 play 74 yard drive. Andre Reed was the recipient of a 19 yard TD pass. All Buffalo momentum was crushed on the Bills next possession. Rod Woodson again was the culprit, forcing Jim Kelly to fumble on a blitz. Gerald Williams recovered for the Steelers in the endzone for another defensive TD. Christie’s streak for consecutive FGs ended at 17, when his attempt in the 4th was blocked. The 23-10 loss dropped the Bills to 5-5 on the season.
The Bills were forced to play for the second time in 4 days, and the third time in 10 days when they took on the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. Buffalo fell behind 14-0 and played catch up the rest of the game. Detroit opened up with a 51 yard flea-flicker to Herman Moore, followed up by a Barry Sanders 4 yard TD run. Russell Copeland answered for the Bills with a 20 yard TD reception from Kelly. But Dave Kreig struck 29 yards to Lions WR Aubry Matthews to push the score to 21-7 with 1 minute left in the half. Kelly and the Bills took the second half kickoff and drove the Buffalo offense 68 yards in 10 plays, capping the drive with a 29 yard Pete Metzelaars TD catch, and pulling Buffalo within 7. Midway through the 4th, Brett Perriman caught Dave Kreig’s 3rd TD of the game pushing the lead to 28-14. Kelly answered again, running the TD in himself from 15 yards out to cap an 8 play 78 yard drive in under 3 minutes. Buffalo’s defense held the Lions and Barry Sanders in check, forcing a punt. Kelly’s comeback was thwarted, hoever, by Lions DB Henry Clay. Clay picked off Kelly and returned the interception for the last TD of the game with 1 minute left. Buffalo dropped to 6-6 with the 35-21 loss.
The Dolphins looked like they would take control of the game, when Dan Marino and Irving Fryar connected for a pair of TD passes, sandwiched around a Pete Stoyanovich FG. The second Marino to Fryar 45 yard TD connection came courtesy of a Buffalo turnover. But the Bills came out breathing fire to open the third and piled up an incredible 35 points in under 20 minutes. Don Beebe opened the scoring with a 72 yard TD reception in the opening minute of the half. On Buffalo’s next possession, Kelly hit Reed for a 21 yard TD to take a 21-17 lead. Carwell Gardner added a 1 yard TD run with 1:02 left in the 3rd. Marino tried to keep the Dolphins close, and answered with a 78 yard drive in under 2 minutes. Keith Jackson made it 28-23 with a 23 yard TD pass from Marino, but the Dolphins 2 point conversion failed. Carwell Gardner added another TD run on the ensuing Bills drive. Buffalo capped the day with an 83 yard TD reception by Andre Reed. Miami added a late score, but Buffalo prevailed 42-31.
Frank Reich started week 15 against the Patriots and led the Bills to an early 17-3 lead. Carwell Gardner’s TD gave the Bills the lead 2 minutes into the second quarter. But Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe ran off 35 consecutive points to close the final home game in disappointing fashion. Buffalo fell to 7-8 with the 41-17 loss.
1994 Draft-
1994 Stats- 1994 Results-
