1994 Buffalo Bills season

Last updated

1994 Buffalo Bills season
Owner Ralph Wilson
General manager John Butler
Head coach Marv Levy
Home field Rich Stadium
Results
Record7–9
Division place4th AFC East
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers WR Andre Reed
WR Steve Tasker
DE Bruce Smith

The 1994 Buffalo Bills season was the 35th season for the team franchise and the 25th in the National Football League. The Bills entered the season as the four-time defending AFC champions and looked to advance to the playoff for the seventh consecutive season and to the Super Bowl for the fifth consecutive season.

Contents

However, for the first time since 1987, the Bills failed to make the playoffs. Buffalo finished at 7–9 for the year, only good enough for fourth place in the AFC East. [1] Going into Week 14 the Bills were still in postseason contention, before losing their final three games and finishing the season with a losing record for the first time since the strike-shortened 1987 season.

Offseason

AdditionsSubtractions
QB Rick Strom (Steelers)T Howard Ballard (Seahawks)
CB James Williams (Cardinals)
QB Gale Gilbert (Chargers)
G Jim Ritcher (Falcons)

NFL draft

1994 Buffalo Bills draft
RoundSelectionPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
127 Jeff Burris CB Notre Dame
248 Bucky Brooks CB North Carolina
61 Lonnie Johnson TE Florida State
64 Sam Rogers LB Colorado
381 Marlo Perry LB Jackson State
98Corey Louchiey OT South Carolina
4130Sean Crocker DB North Carolina
5158 A. J. Ofodile TE Missouri
6188Anthony Abrams DT Clark Atlanta
192Kevin Knox WR Florida State
221Filmel JohnsonDB Illinois

Undrafted Free Agents

1994 Undrafted Free Agents of note
PlayerPositionCollege
John Bock Center Indiana State
Mike CollinsSafety West Virginia
Todd HergetLinebacker BYU
Steve HoyemTackle Stanford

Personnel

Staff/coaches

1994 Buffalo Bills staff [2]
Front office
  • President – Ralph Wilson
  • Vice president of administration/general manager – John Butler
  • Assistant general manager/director of pro personnel – Bob Ferguson
  • Director of player personnel – John Butler
  • Assistant director/collegiate scouting – A. J. Smith
  • Summer intern – Tom Telesco

Coaching staff

  • Vice president for football operations/head coach – Marv Levy
  • Assistant head coach - Elijah Pitts
  • Administrative assistant to the head coach – Chuck Lester

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Walt Corey
  • Defensive line – Dan Sekanovich
  • Defensive backs – Dick Roach
  • Linebackers coach - Walt Corey
  • Assistant linebackers coach – Chuck Lester

Special teams

Strength & conditioning

Roster

1994 Buffalo Bills roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Practice squad

* Note:Rookies in Italics

53 active, 7 inactive

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 4 New York Jets L 3–230–1 Rich Stadium Recap
2September 11at New England Patriots W 38–351–1 Foxboro Stadium Recap
3September 18at Houston Oilers W 15–72–1 Astrodome Recap
4September 26 Denver Broncos W 27–203–1Rich Stadium Recap
5October 2at Chicago Bears L 13–203–2 Soldier Field Recap
6October 9 Miami Dolphins W 21–114–2Rich Stadium Recap
7October 16 Indianapolis Colts L 17–274–3Rich Stadium Recap
8 Bye
9October 30 Kansas City Chiefs W 44–105–3Rich Stadium Recap
10November 6at New York JetsL 17–225–4 Giants Stadium Recap
11November 14at Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–235–5 Three Rivers Stadium Recap
12November 20 Green Bay Packers W 29–206–5Rich Stadium Recap
13November 24at Detroit Lions L 21–356–6 Pontiac Silverdome Recap
14December 4at Miami DolphinsW 42–317–6 Joe Robbie Stadium Recap
15December 11 Minnesota Vikings L 17–217–7Rich Stadium Recap
16December 18New England PatriotsL 17–417–8Rich Stadium Recap
17December 24at Indianapolis ColtsL 9–107–9 RCA Dome Recap

Game summaries

Week 1

Pete Carroll's debut as a head coach with the New York Jets.

1234Total
Jets0173323
Bills30003

Week 2

Week Two: Buffalo Bills (0–1) at New England Patriots (0–1)
Quarter1234Total
Bills141401038
Patriots7771435

at Foxboro StadiumFoxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: September 11
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C) • Wind 15 miles per hour (24 km/h; 13 kn)
  • Game attendance: 60,274
  • Referee: Dale Hamer
  • TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Beasley Reece
  • Pro-Football-Reference.com, The Football Database
Game information

Week 3

In a game that featured the old American Football League helmets, the Houston Oilers starting QB for this game was Bucky Richardson.

Buffalo Bills (1-1) at Houston Oilers (0-2)
1234Total
Bills093315
Oilers00077

Week 4

1234Total
Broncos0710320
Bills3147327

Week 5

Buffalo Bills (3-1) at Chicago Bears (2-2)
1234Total
Bills337013
Bears0731020

Week 6

1234Total
Dolphins300811
Bills077721

[3]

Week 7

1234Total
Colts3771027
Bills730717
  • Date: October 16
  • Location: Rich Stadium
  • Television network: NBC

Week 9

1234Total
Chiefs703010
Bills141731044

Week 10

1234Total
Bills0140317
Jets376622
  • Date: November 6
  • Location: Giants Stadium
  • Referee: Howard Roe
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy

Week 11

1234Total
Bills037010
Steelers1067023

Week 12

1234Total
Packers0614020
Bills14130229
  • Date: November 20
  • Location: Rich Stadium
  • Game start: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 79,029
  • Game weather: 41 °F (5.0 °C); wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
  • TV announcers (FOX): Joe Buck and Tim Green

Week 13

Thanksgiving Day Game
1234Total
Bills077721
Lions71401435
  • Date:November 24
  • Location: Pontiac Silverdome
  • Game start: 12:30 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 75,67
  • Game weather: Indoors (dome)
  • Referee: Larry Nemmers
  • TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Bob Trumpy, and Hannah Storm (sideline reporter)

Week 14

1234Total
Bills70211442
Dolphins01701431

[4]

Week 15

1234Total
Vikings363921
Bills737017
  • Date: December 11
  • Location: Rich Stadium

Week 16

1234Total
Patriots314141041
Bills1070017
  • Date: December 18
  • Location: Rich Stadium
  • Referee: Red Cashion
  • TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Paul Maguire, John Dockery (sideline reporter)

Week 17

1234Total
Bills06039
Colts0010010

Standings

AFC East
WLTPCTPFPASTK
(3) Miami Dolphins 1060.625389327W1
(5) New England Patriots 1060.625351312W7
Indianapolis Colts 880.500307320W2
Buffalo Bills 790.438340356L3
New York Jets 6100.375264320L5

Notes

    References

    1. 1994 was the only season between 1988 and 1996 when Buffalo did not qualify for the postseason.
    2. 1994 Buffalo Bills Media Guide. pp. 2–23.
    3. "Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills - October 9th, 1994".
    4. "Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins - December 4th, 1994". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.