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1974 Buffalo Bills season

15th season in franchise history; first NFL playoff appearance

Field	Value
team	Buffalo Bills
year	1974
record	9–5
division_place	2nd AFC East
coach	Lou Saban
owner	Ralph Wilson
stadium	Rich Stadium
playoffs	Lost [Divisional Playoffs](1974-75-nfl-playoffs-afc-pittsburgh-steelers-32-2c-buffalo-bills-14)
(at [Steelers](1974-pittsburgh-steelers-season)) 14–32
pro_bowlers	RB O.J. Simpson
CB Robert James
shortnavlink	Bills seasons

(at Steelers) 14–32 CB Robert James

The 1974 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 5th season in the National Football League, and the 15th overall. Buffalo made the NFL playoffs for the first time and reached the postseason for the first time in eight seasons. In the divisional playoffs the Bills lost to the eventual champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, 32–14, in Pittsburgh.

This was star running back O. J. Simpson's only playoff game of his career, as the Bills did not have another playoff team with him on the team. Simpson would be traded to the 49ers in 1978, but the 49ers did not make the playoffs that season nor the 1979 season, Simpson's final season in the NFL. In the game, Simpson would only rush for 49 yards on 11 carries and did not score a touchdown. He did, however, catch a touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Ferguson late in the 3rd quarter.

Buffalo debuted their new uniforms and helmets in 1974, replacing the red "standing buffalo" with the "streaking bison." This updated look was first displayed before a national audience on the first Monday Night Football game of the season, in a dramatic 21–20 victory over Oakland.

Simpson, coming off consecutive rushing titles, did not lead the league in 1974, but did cross the 1,000-yard barrier despite a sore knee.

Buffalo's defense was far more stout than it had been in previous years, as it gave up 3,489 yards in 1974, fifth-fewest in the NFL. The Bills' 1,611 passing yards allowed were the third-best in the league.

The 1974 Bills have the odd distinction of being the last team to go a full game without completing a pass, in Week Three of the season against the New York Jets. Despite this, they still managed to defeat the Jets, behind 223 combined Buffalo rushing yards—as well as only 2 completions by Jets quarterback Joe Namath in 18 attempts.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1974 NFL draft

Oklahoma State tight end Reuben Gant played his entire seven-year career with the Bills. Quarterback Gary Marangi was the Bills' backup quarterback for three seasons; in 1976, he started the final seven games of the season when starter Joe Ferguson was injured for the season with a back injury.

Personnel

Staff/Coaches

President – Ralph Wilson
Vice President and General Manager – Bob Lustig
Vice President – Pat McGroder
Head Coach – Lou Saban
Receivers – Bob Shaw
Offensive Line – Jim Ringo
Defensive Line – Stan Jones
Linebackers – John Ray
Defensive Backfield – Bill Atkins
Special Teams – Ed Cavanaugh

Roster

Ted Koy

Regular season

Schedule

Buffalo Bills	year=1974	border=2}}"	Week	Buffalo Bills	year=1974
September 16	[Oakland Raiders](1974-oakland-raiders-season)	W 21–20	1–0	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
September 22	[Miami Dolphins](1974-miami-dolphins-season)	L 16–24	1–1	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
September 29	[New York Jets](1974-new-york-jets-season)	W 16–12	2–1	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
October 6	at [Green Bay Packers](1974-green-bay-packers-season)	W 27–7	3–1	Lambeau Field	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
October 13	at [Baltimore Colts](1974-baltimore-colts-season)	W 27–14	4–1	Memorial Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
October 20	[New England Patriots](1974-new-england-patriots-season)	W 30–28	5–1	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
October 27	[Chicago Bears](1974-chicago-bears-season)	W 16–6	6–1	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
November 3	at [New England Patriots](1974-new-england-patriots-season)	W 29–28	7–1	Schaefer Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
November 10	[Houston Oilers](1974-houston-oilers-season)	L 9–21	7–2	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
November 17	at [Miami Dolphins](1974-miami-dolphins-season)	L 28–35	7–3	Miami Orange Bowl	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
November 24	at [Cleveland Browns](1974-cleveland-browns-season)	W 15–10	8–3	Cleveland Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
December 1	[Baltimore Colts](1974-baltimore-colts-season)	W 6–0	9–3	Rich Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
December 8	at [New York Jets](1974-new-york-jets-season)	L 10–20	9–4	Shea Stadium	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)
December 15	at [Los Angeles Rams](1974-los-angeles-rams-season)	L 14–19	9–5	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum	[ Recap](https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/results/1974)

Game summaries

Week 1

Buffalo Snaps the Raiders MNF winning streak**

Week 8

Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Standings

Playoffs

;First quarter

PIT – Roy Gerela 21-yard field goal. Steelers 3–0.
BUF – Paul Seymour 22-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick). Bills 7–3. ;Second quarter
PIT – Rocky Bleier 27-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw. Steelers 9–7.
PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 16–7.
PIT – Franco Harris 4-yard run. Steelers 22–7.
PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 29–7. ;Third quarter
BUF – O. J. Simpson 3-yard pass from Joe Ferguson (John Leypoldt kick). Steelers 29–14. ;Fourth quarter
PIT – Roy Gerela 22-yard field goal. Steelers 32–14. ;Top passers
BUF – Joe Ferguson – 11/26, 164 yards, 2 TD
PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 12/19, 203 yards, TD ;Top rushers
BUF – O. J. Simpson – 15 rushes, 49 yards
PIT – Franco Harris – 24 rushes, 74 yards, 3 TD ;Top receivers
BUF – J.D. Hill – 4 receptions, 59 yards
PIT – Lynn Swann – 3 receptions, 60 yards

References

[http://www.gridironuniforms.com/bills.html The Gridiron Uniforms Database: Buffalo Bills]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4irnG4XuVVI Video: Oakland at Buffalo, Week 1, 1974, highlights] at [[YouTube]]
Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich [http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/0312110731/soft-cover/ The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition], p. 270 Martin's Press, August 1994, {{ISBN. 0-312-11073-1
"1974 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics".
as of 2011 regular season
"New York Jets at Buffalo Bills - September 29th, 1974".
"1974 Buffalo Bills Statistics & Players".
"1974 Buffalo Bills draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
"Oakland Raiders at Buffalo Bills - September 16th, 1974".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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