The 1977 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 18th season, and their eighth in the National Football League. The team posted a losing record for the second-consecutive season, and missed the postseason for the third season.
Buffalo started the season with four consecutive losses, and failed to win consecutive games. The team was shut out two times at home. The Bills beat only one team with a winning record -- the New England Patriots, in an early November game in Foxboro that ultimately proved fatal to the Patriots' playoff hopes.[1]
After drawing 76,000 to Rich Stadium on opening day against the Dolphins, Buffalo drew an average of only 35,000 for the remaining 6 home games.
The Bills had one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the NFL in 1977. Quarterback Joe Ferguson led the league in pass attempts (457, 32.6 per game) and passing yards (2,803, 200.2 per game). He also threw 24 interceptions, the most in the NFL.[2]
Although the Bills passed the ball more often than any other team, they were not efficient through the air: they ranked 19th[3] in passing touchdowns, 21st in yards per attempt, and 20th in quarterback rating (a dismal 54.7).[4] Buffalo's 160 points scored was the third-worst in the NFL.
Buffalo's defense also gave up 313 points, the fourth-worst total in the league.[5] Buffalo's anemic scoring and porous defense gave the team a point-differential of −153, dead-last in the league.[6]
Offseason
NFL Draft
Seventh round pick Mike Nelms was cut by the Bills in the 1977 training camp, and went to play in the Canadian Football League for the next three seasons. He returned to the NFL in 1980, joining the Washington Redskins, and was voted to three consecutive NFC Pro Bowl squads from 1980–1982.
Cornerback Charles Romes played in every game for the Bills from 1977 until his final season with Buffalo in 1986. He finished his career in Buffalo with 28 interceptions, fourth in Bills' history.[7]
Schedule
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Attendance |
| 1 |
September 18, 1977 |
Miami Dolphins |
L 13–0 |
76,097 |
| 2 |
September 25, 1977 |
at Denver Broncos |
L 26–6 |
74,897 |
| 3 |
October 2, 1977 |
at Baltimore Colts |
L 17–14 |
49,247 |
| 4 |
October 9, 1977 |
New York Jets |
L 24–19 |
32,046 |
| 5 |
October 16, 1977 |
Atlanta Falcons |
W 3–0 |
27,348 |
| 6 |
October 23, 1977 |
Cleveland Browns |
L 27–16 |
60,905 |
| 7 |
October 30, 1977 |
at Seattle Seahawks |
L 56–17 |
61,180 |
| 8 |
November 6, 1977 |
at New England Patriots |
W 24–14 |
60,263 |
| 9 |
November 13, 1977 |
Baltimore Colts |
L 31–13 |
39,444 |
| 10 |
November 20, 1977 |
New England Patriots |
L 20–7 |
27,598 |
| 11 |
November 28, 1977 |
at Oakland Raiders |
L 34–13 |
51,558 |
| 12 |
December 4, 1977 |
Washington Redskins |
L 10–0 |
22,975 |
| 13 |
December 11, 1977 |
at New York Jets |
W 14–10 |
31,929 |
| 14 |
December 17, 1977 |
at Miami Dolphins |
L 31–14 |
39,626 |
Season summary
Week 5
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| Falcons |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
| • Bills |
0 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
[10]
Week 13
| |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|
| • Bills |
0 |
7 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
| Jets |
0 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
10 |
|
|
| Scoring summary |
|---|
|
| 2 |
| Jets | Pat Leahy 25 yard field goal | Jets 3–0 |
|
| 1 |
| Bills | Bob Chandler 5 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Carson Long kick) | Bills 7–3 |
|
| 4 |
| Jets | Wesley Walker 9 yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 10–7 |
|
| 4 |
| Bills | Bob Chandler 11 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Carson Long kick) | Bills 14–10 |
|
Standings
Awards and Honors
All-Pros
External links
Video Archives
References
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| Franchise | |
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| Stadiums | |
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| Culture | |
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| Lore | |
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| Rivalries | |
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| Division championships (10) | |
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| Conference championships (4) | |
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| League championships (2) | |
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| Wall of Fame | |
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| Media |
- Radio
- Television
- Personalities:
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| Owners | |
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| Current league affiliations | |
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| Former league affiliation | |
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| Seasons (56) | |
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Championship seasons in bold |