24th season in franchise history
The 1983 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 14th season in the National Football League , and the 24th overall. It was the first of three seasons for head coach Kay Stephenson . Bills running back Joe Cribbs was both the Bills' leading rusher (1131 yards), and the team's leader in receptions and receiving yards (57 catches for 524 yards).[ note 1] The team looked to improve on its 4–5 record from 1982 . With the NFL schedule back to 16 games, the Bills were a more competitive team during 1983. The team started 5–2 through its first 7 games. However, they would struggle the rest of the way, as they went 3–6 in its final 9 games en route to a mediocre 8–8 season. This season also saw the Bills beat the Dolphins in Miami for the first time since 1966 , Miami's inaugural season. After beating the Chiefs, 14–9, in Arrowhead Stadium on December 4, the Bills would lose 22 road games in a row, which included going 0–8 on the road in each of the following two seasons.
The Bills drafted future Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly , the third of a record six quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 1983 draft. Kelly received opposing offers from the United States Football League [ 1] and from the Canadian Football League ’s Montreal Concordes .[ 2] Kelly would ultimately sign with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers for the following three seasons[ 3] before making his first start with the Bills in Week One of the 1986 season . The Bills later retired Kelly's #12, at the time the only number the franchise retired. Linebacker Darryl Talley played for twelve years with the Bills. He was a two-time Pro Bowler , in 1990 and 1991 . He was inducted into the Bills Wall of Fame .
[ 4]
1983 Buffalo Bills staff Front office
Head coaches
Head Coach – Kay Stephenson Offensive coaches
Running Backs – Andy MacDonald Receivers – Milt Jackson Tight Ends – Al Sandahl Offensive Line – Jim Niblack Offensive Assistant – Perry Moss Defensive coaches Special teams coaches
Special Teams – Miller McCalmon
1983 Buffalo Bills roster Quarterbacks Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen Defensive linemen
Linebackers Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists Practice squad
Rookies in italics
Week Date Opponent Result Record Attendance Notes 1 September 4, 1983 Miami Dolphins L 12–0 0–1 78,715 Uwe von Schamann accounted for all points scored 2 September 11, 1983 at Cincinnati Bengals W 10–6 1–1 46,839 Joe Ferguson threw a 14-yard touchdown 3 September 18, 1983 Baltimore Colts W 28–23 2–1 40,937 Game lead changed seven times in final three quarters 4 September 25, 1983 Houston Oilers W 30–13 3–1 60,070 Ferguson threw for only 127 yards 5 October 3, 1983 New York Jets L 34–10 3–2 79,933 Buffalo's only Monday Night Football appearance of the year 6 October 9, 1983 at Miami Dolphins W 38–35 4–2 59,948 Ferguson threw five touchdowns and 419 yards; first road win over Miami since 1966 7 October 16, 1983 at Baltimore Colts W 30–7 5–2 38,565 Last trip to Baltimore until formation of Ravens 8 October 23, 1983 New England Patriots L 31–0 5–3 60,424 Ferguson intercepted three times by Roland James 9 October 30, 1983 New Orleans Saints W 27–21 6–3 49,413 Ferguson threw four touchdowns 10 November 6, 1983 at New England Patriots L 21–7 6–4 42,604 Ferguson intercepted four times 11 November 13, 1983 at New York Jets W 24–17 7–4 48,513 Bills outscored Jets 24–3 in second half; Bills last visit ever to Shea Stadium and Queens, NY 12 November 20, 1983 Los Angeles Raiders L 27–24 7–5 72,393
Bills lost despite erasing 21-point Raiders lead in the fourth 13 November 27, 1983 at Los Angeles Rams L 41–17 7–6 48,246 Eric Dickerson rushed for 125 yards 14 December 4, 1983 at Kansas City Chiefs W 14–9 8–6 27,104 Joe Cribbs ' 185 rushing yards constituted almost all of Buffalo's offense 15 December 11, 1983 San Francisco 49ers L 23–10 8–7 38,039 Ferguson intercepted three times 16 December 18, 1983 at Atlanta Falcons L 31–14 8–8 31,015 Matt Kofler threw for 125 yards Note : Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text
1 2 3 4 Total • Dolphins 0 6 3 3 12 Bills 0 0 0 0 0
1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 0 3 7 0 10 Bengals 0 3 0 3 6
1 2 3 4 Total Colts 6 3 7 7 23 • Bills 0 7 7 14 28
Date: September 18Location: Rich StadiumReferee: Pat Haggerty
1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 3 3 7 0 13 • Bills 7 6 3 14 30
1 2 3 4 Total • Jets 0 7 10 17 34 Bills 0 0 0 10 10
Date: October 5Location: Rich StadiumReferee: Jerry Markbreit TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, OJ Simpson
Dan Marino first start in NFL 1 2 3 4 OT Total • Bills 7 7 7 14 3 38 Dolphins 0 7 14 14 0 35
1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 7 17 3 3 30 Colts 7 0 0 0 7
1 2 3 4 Total • Patriots 0 7 0 24 31 Bills 0 0 0 0 0
Date: October 23Location: Rich StadiumReferee: Tom Dooley
1 2 3 4 Total Saints 0 7 0 14 21 • Bills 7 13 7 0 27
Scoring summary Q1 4:06 BUF Butler 15 yard pass from Ferguson (Danelo kick) BUF 7–0 Q2 13:14 BUF Hunter 40 yard pass from Ferguson (Danelo kick) BUF 14–0 Q2 5:59 BUF Mosley 22 yard pass from Ferguson (kick failed) BUF 20–0 Q2 1:57 NO Tice 12 yard pass from Wilson (Andersen kick) BUF 20–7 Q3 0:19 BUF Mosley 8 yard pass from Ferguson (Danelo kick) BUF 27–7 Q4 7:33 NO Brenner 3 yard pass from Wilson (Andersen kick) BUF 27–14 Q4 3:34 NO Young 5 yard pass from Wilson (Andersen kick) BUF 27–21
The Bills knocked Ken Stabler out of the game at the end of the first quarter with a rib injury. [ 5]
1 2 3 4 Total Bills 0 0 0 7 7 • Patriots 0 14 7 0 21
1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 0 0 14 10 24 Jets 0 14 3 0 17
Los Angeles Raiders (8-3) at Buffalo Bills (7-4) 1 2 3 4 Total • Raiders 7 3 7 10 27 Bills 0 3 0 21 24
1 2 3 4 Total Bills 0 7 7 3 17 • Rams 0 14 10 17 41
1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 0 7 0 7 14 Chiefs 0 3 3 3 9
1 2 3 4 Total • 49ers 3 3 14 3 23 Bills 0 10 0 0 10
1 2 3 4 Total Bills 0 7 0 7 14 • Falcons 3 14 7 7 31
^ Northrop, Milt (April 30, 1983). "Bills To Battle With USFL — Blitz Make Pitch for Kelly". The Buffalo News . p. C-1. ^ Beacon, Bill (May 4, 1983). "Concordes Make Pitch for Kelly". The Ottawa Citizen . p. 49. ^ Felser, Larry; Northrop, Milt (June 9, 1983). "Bills To Lose Jim Kelly to the USFL". The Buffalo News . p. C-1. ^ "1983 Buffalo Bills draftees" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved November 15, 2014 . ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1983 Oct 31.
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