1995 Buffalo Bills season

Offseason

1995 expansion draft

Main article: 1995 NFL expansion draft

NFL draft

Main article: 1995 NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

Personnel

Staff

• President – Ralph Wilson

• Executive Vice President and General Manager – John Butler

• Vice President of Football Operations – Marv Levy

• Director of Pro Personnel – A. J. Smith

• Director of Player Personnel – Dwight Adams

• Head Coach – Marv Levy

• Assistant Head Coach – Elijah Pitts

• Administrative Assistant to the Head Coach – Chuck Lester

• Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line – Tom Bresnahan

• Quarterbacks – Jim Shofner

• Running Backs – Elijah Pitts

• Receivers – Charlie Joiner

• Offensive Quality Control/Tight Ends – Don Lawrence

• Defensive Coordinator – Wade Phillips

• Defensive Line – Dan Sekanovich

• Linebackers – Ted Cottrell

• Assistant Linebackers – Chuck Lester

• Defensive Backs – Dick Roach

• Special Teams – Bruce DeHaven

• Strength and Conditioning Coordinator – Rusty Jones

Roster

53 active, 4 inactive, 2 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

Season summary

Week 1 at Broncos

First quarter

• DEN – Jason Elam 22-yard field goal, 12:32. ''Broncos 3–0. '''Drive: 5 plays, 51 yards.'''''
• BUF – Andre Reed 34-yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick), 8:43. ''Bills 7–3. '''Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards.''''' Second quarter
• DEN – Jason Elam 52-yard field goal, 14:55. ''Bills 7–6. '''Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards.'''''
• DEN – Jason Elam 20-yard field goal, 8:25. ''Broncos 9–7. '''Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards.'''''
• DEN – Jason Elam 38-yard field goal, 0:02. ''Broncos 12–7. '''Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards.''''' Third quarter
• No scoring Fourth quarter
• DEN – Jason Elam 37-yard field goal, 10:23. ''Broncos 15–7. '''Drive: 11 plays, 59 yards.'''''
• DEN – Terrell Davis 3-yard run (Jason Elam kick), 3:22. ''Broncos 22–7. '''Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards.''''' ;Top passers
• BUF – Jim Kelly – 12/28, 154 yards, TD
• DEN – John Elway – 22/41, 317 yards, INT ;Top rushers
• BUF – Thurman Thomas – 17 rushes, 46 yards
• DEN – Terrell Davis – 20 rushes, 70 yards, TD ;Top receivers
• BUF – Russell Copeland – 6 receptions, 75 yards
• DEN – Shannon Sharpe – 10 receptions, 180 yards

The Bills first game in Denver since 1977

Week 5

;Bills

• Jim Kelly 27/34, 256 Yds, 2 TD, INT
• Thurman Thomas 23 Rush, 86 Yds
• Andre Reed 9 Rec, 97 Yds, TD ;Browns
• Vinny Testaverde 18/34, 224 Yds
• Derrick Alexander 1 Rush, 29 Yds
• Andre Rison 6 Rec, 126 Yds

Week 6

Starting QBs - New York Jets: Boomer Esiason / Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly Vegas Line: Buffalo Bills −9.5 /// Over/Under: 38.0 (over) Thurman Thomas becomes the 11th player all-time to go over the 9,000 career rushing yard mark in this game. Boomer Esiason was knocked out in the second quarter by Bruce Smith, thus putting Bubby Brister into the game. On his first snap in the game, he fumbled the ball and turned it over to Buffalo.

Week 10

Elijah Pitts was the Buffalo Bills head coach for this game as Marv Levy was recovering from illness. Starting QBs: Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly vs Indianapolis Colts: Jim Harbaugh. In this game, Jim Harbaugh started, but midway through the first quarter Paul Justin was put in by coach Ted Marchibroda as Harbaugh was injured. This wasn't the end for the Colts QB situation, as Justin was hit by Bryce Paup knocking him out of the game. Harbaugh came in briefly after Justin was knocked out, however, Craig Erickson came into the game to finish it out. Vegas Line: Indianapolis Colts −4.0

Week 11

Week 12

Starting QBs - New York Jets: Boomer Esiason / Buffalo Bills: Jim Kelly Vegas Line: Buffalo Bills −6.5 /// Over/Under: 37.0 (over) Boomer Esiason throws a last second hail mary TD pass to Adrian Murrell, however, failed on the 2-pt conversion to send the game into OT.

Week 15

Standings

Playoffs

AFC Wild Card Game

In Buffalo's first playoff game since losing Super Bowl XXVIII two seasons earlier, the Bills handled Miami easily by a score of 37–22 at Rich Stadium. Although Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino completed 33 out of 64 passes for 422 yards and two touchdowns, the Bills jumped to a 27–0 lead going into the fourth quarter, and rushed for an NFL playoff-record 341 yards, led by Thurman Thomas's 25 carries for 158 yards. The Bills forced four turnovers, including intercepting Marino three times, in the victory. It was the final game of Don Shula's coaching career with the Dolphins, but the only Bills game ever attended by brothers John & Steve Gorczyca.

AFC Divisional Playoff

Running back Bam Morris scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Steelers stopped the Bills from pulling off a comeback. Pittsburgh jumped to a 20–0 lead by the second quarter with running back John L. Williams's 1-yard touchdown, quarterback Neil O'Donnell's 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ernie Mills, and two field goals by Norm Johnson. However, Buffalo running back Thurman Thomas scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left in the first half. But Johnson made a 34-yard field goal with eight seconds left to give the Steelers a 23–7 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Johnson added a 39-yard field goal before Bills tight end Tony Cline caught a 2-yard touchdown reception. With 11:23 left in the game, Thomas scored on a 9-yard touchdown reception to cut the lead to 26–21. In response, Pittsburgh drove 76 yards to score on Morris' 13-yard touchdown run. Linebacker Levon Kirkland then intercepted a pass to set up Morris' 2-yard score with 1:58 remaining to clinch the victory. Bruce Smith was inactive for the game because he had the flu.

Awards and honors

• Bryce Paup, NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• Bryce Paup, AFC Pro Bowl selection

References

References

1. "NFL Sacks Single-Season Leaders (since 1960)".
2. (October 17, 1995). "Levy Tells Bills He Faces Cancer Surgery : Pro football: Coach will miss three games after prostate operation today in Buffalo.".
3. "1995 Buffalo Bills Media Guide".
4. "New York Jets at Buffalo Bills - October 8th, 1995".
5. "Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts - November 5th, 1995".
6. "Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills - November 12th, 1995".
7. "Buffalo Bills at New York Jets - November 19th, 1995".
8. "Buffalo Bills at St. Louis Rams - December 10th, 1995".
9. ''NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book'', Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN. 0-7611-2480-2, p. 291
10. "Wild Card – Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills – December 30th, 1995".
11. "Divisional Round – Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers – January 6th, 1996".
12. (2005-09-15). "Buffalo's Smith sacked by flu".
13. "AP Defensive Player of the Year Winners".
14. "1995 NFL Pro Bowlers".