1988 Buffalo Bills season

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1988 NFL draft

ESPN's cameras watched Oklahoma State running back Thurman Thomas in his home as he waited to be drafted. He fell to the second round, where the Bills made him their first pick at 40th overall. Thomas would go on to a Pro Football Hall of Fame career, where he would eclipse O. J. Simpson's all-time team rushing record with 12,074 yards. Thomas would set an NFL record by leading the league in yards-from-scrimmage for four consecutive years, from 1989 to 1992. (The record of three was previously held by Hall of Famer Jim Brown.) Thomas was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1992.

Personnel

Staff

• President – Ralph Wilson

• Vice president of administration/general manager – Bill Polian

• Vice president of football operations – Marv Levy

• Director of college scouting – John Butler

• Director of Pro Personnel/Asst. Director of Football Operations – Bob Ferguson

• National scout – Norm Pollom

• College scout – A. J. Smith

• Administrative assistant to the head coach – Chuck Dickerson

• Head coach – Marv Levy

• Offensive coordinator/offensive line – Jim Ringo

• Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator – Ted Marchibroda

• Running backs – Elijah Pitts

• Receivers – Ted Tollner

• Tight ends – Chuck Dickerson

• Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Walt Corey

• Defensive line – Ted Cottrell

• Defensive backs – Dick Roach

• Defensive assistant – Chuck Lester

• Special teams – Bruce DeHaven

• Strength and conditioning coordinator – Rusty Jones

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

Season summary

Week 1

• Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

• Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Week 6

• Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

• Thurman Thomas 23 Rush, 116 Yds

Week 12

The Bills clinch the AFC Eastern division title.

Week 16

The loss cost the Bills homefield advantage in the AFC playoffs.

Standings

Playoffs

AFC Divisional Playoff

Buffalo's first playoff game in seven years, first home playoff playoff game in 22 years (since their days in the AFL) and first-ever playoff game at Rich Stadium was a 17–10 win over the Oilers. Jim Kelly threw for 244 yards and an interception while Thurman Thomas and Robb Riddick had rushing scores to go with 87 rushing yards. The Bills intercepted Warren Moon once and forced two Oilers fumbles.

AFC Championship Game

The Bengals forced three interceptions and allowed only 45 rushing yards and 136 passing yards to go with an offense that held the ball for 39:29 out of sixty minutes. Bills starting running back Thurman Thomas was held to just six yards on four carries, while quarterback Jim Kelly completed only 14-of-30 passes for 161 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.

Awards and records

All-Pros

Main article: 1988 All-Pro Team

First Team

• Bruce Smith, Defensive end
• Shane Conlan, Linebacker
• Cornelius Bennett, Linebacker
• Scott Norwood, Kicker

Second Team

• Kent Hull, Center
• Nate Odomes, Cornerback (Associated Press honorable mention)

References

References

1. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 262
2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 390
3. Buffalo also reached the conference championship following the [[1990 Buffalo Bills season. 1990]], [[1991 Buffalo Bills season. 1991]], [[1992 Buffalo Bills season. 1992]], and [[1993 Buffalo Bills season. 1993]] seasons, winning them all
4. Retrieved January 11, 2012
5. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131204021400/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-12-22/sports/0090180258_1_buffalo-bills-blizzard-kosar December 22, 1988], [[Orlando Sentinel]]. Retrieved January 11, 2012: "ANOTHER BLIZZARD is sweeping through Buffalo. The effects of this one aren't being felt by residents, but by opposing teams at the Buffalo Bills' Rich Stadium. This blizzard is actually The Blizzard Defense, which is the name Bills defenders chose for themselves as part of a local newspaper's ''Name That Defense'' contest. Members of the AFC's top-ranked defense selected that name over dozens submitted by readers of The Buffalo News."
6. [http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/draft/1988 The Football Database]. Retrieved 2014-Aug-11.
7. "1988 Buffalo Bills Media Guide".
8. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198809110buf.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]
9. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198809180nwe.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]
10. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198809250buf.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved 2014-Aug-10.
11. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198810020chi.htm]. Retrieved 2021-Apr-18.
12. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198810170nyj.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]
13. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198810300buf.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]. Retrieved 2014-Dec-15.
14. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198811200buf.htm Pro-Football-Reference.com]
15. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/198812180clt.htm Pro-Football-Reference]. Retrieved 2022-Mar-23.