Your first Bills game

[Albany,n.y.]

4 hours ago, Binghamton Beast said:

1977 opener

 

Miami 13 Buffalo 0

 

Rained all day.

I lived about a mile & a half away from the stadium (Lakeview Ave off Abbott Rd) and walked to & from that game.  I got home & everything was soaked.  I went to the next home game, a loss to the Jets and never went to another game the rest of that season.  

[Not at the table Karlos]

Dec 1991 Lions at Bills. 

Had breakfast with Jim Kelly before the game at the Sheraton on Walden. He gave my uncle a ball before the game too. We lost I think but I got to see Barry Sanders play in person. 

[CowgirlsFan]

October 25,2009.

 

Bills vs Panthers.

 

By the middle of the 3rd quarter, the stadium was all Bills fans. 

 

The Bills won!

[Another Fan]

Week 4 2011 against the Patriots.  

 

I consider myself a lucky charm  ? 

 

 

[SteveFreeman22]

1974 vs Bears, 16-6 win. I was eight years old and I won two tickets from the Courier-Express. They had a contest called Predict the Score. They played the Pats the previous week and I predicted Bills win 31-28, they won 30-28, I guess that was close enough.

[bbb]

5 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

 

That was my second game ever.  They honored OJ and the Electric Company before the game

 

Ah, that game.  I remember OJ saying Let's come back in 10 years and honor the 10th Anniversary of the Bills Super Bowl win and the 30th Anniversary of the 2000 yard season.....................Loved him.  But, then 6 months later, something changed about my perception of him.  

 

4 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

If it was at the rock pile it was 72 or earlier.

 

And, it sure wasn't Dennis Shaw in '75.  

[transient]

I grew up in a football family and had been a huge fan since I was a kid, but didn't make it to a game until I was halfway through college.  I bought tickets for the family as a Christmas gift because the game was the day after Christmas and I would be home on break.  Despite the weather I forced them to go in the spirit of the holiday.  They hated me for it.  

 

https://www.buffalobills.com/news/the-top-10-coldest-games-in-bills-history-5087866

 

2. Dec. 26th 1993 – vs. N.Y. Jets, 9 degrees, wind chill of minus-28

 

What I remember - It was cold as balls

 

I took pity on the kickers.  Cary Blanchard missed... like... 3 FGs IIRC.  Every punt, kickoff, or field goal attempt echoed through the stadium with this hollow "thud". 

 

My steaming hot cup of hot chocolate and Jameson's turned into a slushy in the cup in less than 3 minutes.  I literally had no feeling in my right foot by the end of the game. It felt like I was walking directly on my ankle for the mile walk back to the car.  When the car warmed up and the feeling started to come back I wanted nothing more than for it to go away again because it felt like someone was trying to set it on fire with a blow torch.  I must have had nerve damage because the feeling was messed up in parts of my foot for several years before finally slowly getting back to normal.  Good times!  Go Bills!

[papazoid]

was at rockpile, i was very young, maybe 8 , my two uncles took me.

 

what i remember most was we parked in a neighborhood driveway, played the jets, the field was muddy and a pillar blocked my view.

 

then i started collecting coca-cola ? bottle caps with player likeness 

 

i'm still hooked....+33  year STH

[Les Vegetables]

October 7,1990 Sunday night game. I was 4 rows from the field opposite the tunnel. Bills were losing at the half and came back strong. I’ll never forget Jim Kelly throwing  a 40+ yard bomb to James Lofton in stride....... right in front of us. Nate Odoms had a scoop n score later that game too. 

[JESSEFEFFER]

1976.  Bills beat the Chiefs 50 to 17 to make them 2 and 2.   It was their last win of the year and OJ and Jeff Kinney both rushed for over 100 yards.  That was a strange season.  A big group of my extended family attended.  Back then they rarely showed home games on local TV so I did not realize that the lower bowl was below ground level.  We went to the Lakeview Smorgasbord on the way home.  It was a very popular place back then with a long line waiting to get in.

[BobbyC81]

 1971 Bills vs  St Louis Cardinals at the  Rockpile.  Bills lose but Alvin Wyatt has a punt return for a touchdown.

[SoCal Deek]

1969 Chiefs beat the Bills at the Rockpile with Len Dawson and Mike Garrett. Dark and dreary day. I still remember the sound of the beer bottles rolling down the stairs. 

[BillsPride12]

3 hours ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Was that the game half the toilets went out in the stadium and everyone was just leaking on the walls along the concourses?

I know that was the game we had to keep our keg in the car, with the heat on so it wouldn’t freeze- true story!

Now that's a Bills fan story if I've ever heard one!

[North Buffalo]

7 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

If it was at the rock pile it was 72 or earlier.

Yeh I thought it was earlier, but thought the Bills scored more that game.  Must have been '72 then and I would have been eight...  Makes more sense... 

2 hours ago, bbb said:

 

Ah, that game.  I remember OJ saying Let's come back in 10 years and honor the 10th Anniversary of the Bills Super Bowl win and the 30th Anniversary of the 2000 yard season.....................Loved him.  But, then 6 months later, something changed about my perception of him.  

 

 

And, it sure wasn't Dennis Shaw in '75.  

Yeh had to have been 72

[Helpmenow]

All I remember is seeing at ton of Schmidt’s beer bottles at the rockpile. Early 60s

47 minutes ago, ColeB said:

 1971 Bills vs  St Louis Cardinals at the  Rockpile.  Bills lose but Alvin Wyatt has a punt return for a touchdown.

With the funny or weird face mask.

On 8/7/2019 at 4:32 PM, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

Date: Nov 8, 1970

Against: Bengals at the Rockpile

Score: Bengals 43, Bills 14

 

What I remember:

This was just after my 8th birthday and I'm pretty sure the tickets were at least part of my birthday present.  We sat in the 2nd row behind the Bills bench.  

 

In the 2nd quarter, OJ scored for us to take a 14-13 lead.  The Bengals returned the ensuing kickoff for a TD.  OJ returned their kickoff, and got his knee shredded.  They carried him off the field right in front of us.

 

 

The Bills did nothing the rest of the game, OJ was out for the rest of the season, and we didn't win another game until Nov 28 the next season.  That's right, we went over a year without a win.  It's probably my fault now that I think about it.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197011080buf.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Smith photos I assume here.

[Nextmanup]

I honestly don't remember the exact game, but it would have been some time around 1980.

 

I do remember my first two major observations from being in the stadium though.

 

1) It looks much bigger on TV; it seemed small to me in person.  

2) The distance to the goal posts on normal FGs and especially for an extra point, was a joke.  Looks so much farther away on TV!

[TigerJ]

It may have been the worst Bills game of all time.  Early 80s, Monday Night game versus the Jets.  The Bills were BAD and the play on the field was ugly.  There was no limit of beer sales and by halftime drunk Bills fans were turning surly.  There were fights all over the stadium and full cups of beer were being thrown all over the place.  Anyone who got out of there that night without wreaking of bad beer had to have been wearing a disposable rain parka, and the weather was dry.

[sherpa]

Sep 22, 1963.

Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs.

Tied, 27-27.

We sat behind KC wide receiver Chris Burford's parents.

[Helpmenow]

47 minutes ago, sherpa said:

Sep 22, 1963.

Bills vs Kansas City Chiefs.

Tied, 27-27.

We sat behind KC wide receiver Chris Burford's parents.

Nobody knows him on the board.  Wore 88 I think

[scribo]

Bills 27 - Stinkin' Fish 0

Nov 29, 1987

Miami went into the game favored by 1.5

First Miami shutout by any team in five years.

Dan Marino  13 of 28 for 165 - 0 - 3 (eventually pulled in the 4thQ)

Jim Kelly 15 of 21 for 217 - 2 - 0

[Augie]

1 hour ago, TigerJ said:

It may have been the worst Bills game of all time.  Early 80s, Monday Night game versus the Jets.  The Bills were BAD and the play on the field was ugly.  There was no limit of beer sales and by halftime drunk Bills fans were turning surly.  There were fights all over the stadium and full cups of beer were being thrown all over the place.  Anyone who got out of there that night without wreaking of bad beer had to have been wearing a disposable rain parka, and the weather was dry.

 

That’s sounds lovely! I can see how you could get hooked after an evening like THAT!    ?

[Buffalo Boy]

5 hours ago, muppy said:

Im guessing YES I found this...…. https://www.buffalobills.com/video/highlights-bills-coldest-game-ever-12440307  

Awesome find Brother!!!!! Thanks

I was there, drunk as a pig but I was there?

I was also at the Jets game that was one of the other coldest Bills games. 

We were spoiled by those teams, hopefully we are at the beginning of a new golden age.

[bbb]

2 minutes ago, scribo said:

Bills 27 - Stinkin' Fish 0

Nov 29, 1987

Miami went into the game favored by 1.5

First Miami shutout by any team in five years.

Dan Marino  13 of 28 for 165 - 0 - 3 (eventually pulled in the 4thQ)

Jim Kelly 15 of 21 for 217 - 2 - 0

 

Went to that game, and then saw Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers that night at the Aud. 

 

1 hour ago, TigerJ said:

It may have been the worst Bills game of all time.  Early 80s, Monday Night game versus the Jets.  The Bills were BAD and the play on the field was ugly.  There was no limit of beer sales and by halftime drunk Bills fans were turning surly.  There were fights all over the stadium and full cups of beer were being thrown all over the place.  Anyone who got out of there that night without wreaking of bad beer had to have been wearing a disposable rain parka, and the weather was dry.

 

Sounds like the '83 game.  That's a totally apt description.  

[Rocket94]

Used to go on these bus "excursions" provided by a local bar. More than half of the fans were bombed before we even arrived at the stadium. They would pass out on the bus and miss the game. 

[major]

September 12, 1993- Bills @ Cowboys. We won 13-10

[muppy]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Boy said:

Awesome find Brother!!!!! Thanks

I was there, drunk as a pig but I was there?

I was also at the Jets game that was one of the other coldest Bills games. 

We were spoiled by those teams, hopefully we are at the beginning of a new golden age.

lol sister ? 

[Buffalo86]

Bills vs Eagles

Dec 27, 1987

700 level of Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

 

We lost, 7-17.  I remember my dad remarking that the Bills' QB (Kelly) kept hitting his receivers in the hands & they were dropping everything.  I also recall fearing for the safety of the one antagonistic Bills' fan, who was pelted with numerous half-filled beers.  We finished 7-8 that season (strike), but we'd make the AFC Championship game the following year.

[That's No Moon]

43 minutes ago, Buffalo86 said:

Bills vs Eagles

Dec 27, 1987

700 level of Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

 

We lost, 7-17.  I remember my dad remarking that the Bills' QB (Kelly) kept hitting his receivers in the hands & they were dropping everything.  I also recall fearing for the safety of the one antagonistic Bills' fan, who was pelted with numerous half-filled beers.  We finished 7-8 that season (strike), but we'd make the AFC Championship game the following year.

Wasn't that the game where Bennett made like every tackle?

[Buffalo86]

42 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

Wasn't that the game where Bennett made like every tackle?

 

Probably-  I just looked it up saw & he had 4 sacks in that game.  None of it rings a bell, but it was 30+ years ago.

[Putin]

.

[Enemarty]

October 7, 1973

Bills v. Eagles

 

I have lots of memories of that game, but no need to list them when you can watch it.  Great thread.  Without it, I never would have googled the game and come across this old NFL Films Game of the Week.    

 

 

 

[qwksilver]

10/22/78

Bengals at Buffalo

Bills win 5-0 (probably only time that score ever happened). 

I was 8 and only real memory was the size of the stadium. 

 

 

[Nelius]

11/1/93

Redskins at Buffalo

Bills win 24-10

 

I remember tons of snow, and I was freezing. Granted it was only November 1st so it probably wasn't that bad but I was pretty young and I remember it being really cold.

Also remember Andre Reed's TD. I just checked his game log and he went off for 7-159-1 in this game. Beast.

 

 

[bbb]

3 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

Wasn't that the game where Bennett made like every tackle?

 

Yes.  I thought he wasn't going to be the greatest defensive player of all time.  He was insane that game. 

[notwoz]

August 17, 1973. First preseason game (and first game) at what was then called Rich Stadium. Washington Redskins were the opponent. Missed the first quarter and part of the second quarter because of traffic issues.  Don't remember the score, but it seemed to be a one-sided game in favor of the skins.

[SoCal Deek]

4 minutes ago, notwoz said:

August 17, 1973. First preseason game (and first game) at what was then called Rich Stadium. Washington Redskins were the opponent. Missed the first quarter and part of the second quarter because of traffic issues.  Don't remember the score, but it seemed to be a one-sided game in favor of the skins.

We were in that same traffic. The County Fair also opened that night so it was a mess. We could see the lights of the stadium from the thruway bridge while listening to kickoff return call on the radio. Ahh memories!

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

16 hours ago, Helpmenow said:

Robert Smith photos I assume here.

As do I - they're available on EBay.

[LewPort71]

23 hours ago, papazoid said:

was at rockpile, i was very young, maybe 8 , my two uncles took me.

 

what i remember most was we parked in a neighborhood driveway, played the jets, the field was muddy and a pillar blocked my view.

 

then i started collecting coca-cola ? bottle caps with player likeness 

 

i'm still hooked....+33  year STH

 

I did the same collecting of Coke bottle caps.  It was a great contest to fill out the sheets.

My buddy and I each got footballs after collecting "X" number of sheets.

 

 

[Helpmenow]

6 hours ago, JÂy RÛßeÒ said:

As do I - they're available on EBay.

Robert still around