1992 Buffalo Bills season

33rd season in franchise history, third straight Super Bowl appearance and loss November 2013 March 2026 Buffalo Bills 1992 11–5 2nd AFC East Marv Levy Tom Bresnahan Walt Corey Bill Polian Ralph Wilson Rich Stadium Won Wild Card Playoffs(vs. Oilers) 41–38 (OT Overtime)Won Divisional Playoffs(at Steelers) 24–3Won AFC Championship(at Dolphins) 29–10 Lost Super Bowl XXVII(vs. Cowboys) 17–52 10 QB Jim Kelly RB Thurman Thomas WR Andre Reed OT Howard Ballard OT Will Wolford G Jim Ritcher OLB Cornelius Bennett DT Bruce Smith SS Henry Jones ST Steve Tasker 4 SS Henry Jones (1st team) QB Jim Kelly (2nd team) RB Thurman Thomas (2nd team) DT Bruce Smith (2nd team) Bills seasons The 1992 Buffalo Bills season was the 33rd season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). The Buffalo Bills entered the season as defending back to back AFC champions and finished the National Football League's 1992 season with a record of 11 wins and 5 losses, and finished second in the AFC East division. The Bills qualified for their third straight Super Bowl appearance, but were dealt their third loss in as many appearances, this time losing to the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 52–17. This would be the only time the Bills did not finish first in the AFC Eastern Division from 1988 to 1993. Season summary The season is notable for Buffalo's first playoff game in this year, known as "The Comeback", in which the Bills, down 35–3, ended up winning in overtime 41–38. The game was the first of three Buffalo playoff wins (the two others were at Pittsburgh and at Miami) that allowed the Bills to win their third consecutive AFC Championship. In Super Bowl XXVII, Dallas beat Buffalo, 52–17. In Week Two of the season, the Bills traveled to San Francisco, defeating the 49ers 34–31. The matchup was notable for being the first game in NFL history without a punt by either team.Bills at 49ers (original broadcast) at YouTube: | Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Offseason Additions SubtractionsDE Keith Willis (Steelers) LB Ray Bentley (Bengals)RB Kenny Gamble (Chiefs) K Scott Norwood (retirement) G Joe Staysniak (Chiefs) TE Butch Rolle (Cardinals) DE Leon Seals (Eagles) NFL draft 1992 NFL draft 1992 Buffalo Bills 1 27 John Fina Offensive tackle Arizona yes 2 55 James Patton Defensive End Texas 3 83 Keith Goganious Linebacker Penn State yes 4 111 Frank Kmet Defensive end Purdue no 5 139 Matt Darby Safety UCLA yes 6 167 Nate Turner Running back Nebraska yes 7 195 Kurt Schulz Safety Eastern Washington yes 8 223 Leonard Humphries Cornerback Penn State no 9 251 Chris Walsh Wide receiver Stanford yes 10 279 Barry Rose Wide receiver Wisconsin–Stevens Point no 11 307 Vince Marrow Tight end Toledo no 12 335 Matt Rodgers Quarterback Iowa no no no Undrafted free agents + 1992 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJason ChildsTackleNorth DakotaJim CrouchKickerSacramento StateDoug HelkowskiPunterPenn State Personnel Staff 1992 Buffalo Bills President – Ralph Wilson Vice-president of administration/general manager – Bill Polian Vice-president of football operations – Marv Levy Assistant general manager/director of pro personnel – Bob Ferguson Director of player personnel – John Butler Assistant director/collegiate scouting – A. J. Smith Head coach – Marv Levy Assistant head coach/running backs – Elijah Pitts Administrative assistant to the head coach/Defensive Quality Control – Chuck Lester Offensive coordinator/offensive line – Tom Bresnahan Quarterbacks – Jim Shofner Receivers – Charlie Joiner Offensive quality control/tight ends – Don Lawrence Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Walt Corey Defensive line – Dan Sekanovich Defensive backs – Dick Roach Special teams – Bruce DeHaven Strength and conditioning coordinator – Rusty Jones 1992 Buffalo Bills Media Guide 2–23 Roster 1992 Buffalo Bills  7 Gale Gilbert 12 Jim Kelly 14 Frank Reich 23 Kenneth Davis American football KR 35 Carwell Gardner FB 34 Thurman Thomas 82 Don Beebe 85 Al Edwards American football WR KR 80 James Lofton 83 Andre Reed 89 Steve Tasker 86 Rob Awalt 84 Keith McKeller 88 Pete Metzelaars 75 Howard Ballard T 65 John Davis offensive lineman G 70 John Fina y T 59 Mitch Frerotte C 67 Kent Hull C 63 Adam Lingner C/LS 74 Glenn Parker G 51 Jim Ritcher G 69 Will Wolford T 90 Phil Hansen American football DE 73 Mike Lodish NT 94 Mark Pike DE 78 Bruce Smith DE 93 Keith Willis DE 91 Jeff Wright defensive tackle NT 54 Carlton Bailey ILB 97 Cornelius Bennett OLB 58 Shane Conlan ILB 95 Keith Goganious y OLB 52 Richard Harvey American football ILB 55 Mark Maddox OLB 53 Marvcus Patton ILB 56 Darryl Talley ILB 43 Matt Darby American football y SS 27 Cliff Hicks CB/PR 47 Kirby Jackson CB 20 Henry Jones American football SS 38 Mark Kelso FS 37 Nate Odomes CB 24 Kurt Schulz y FS 31 James Williams cornerback CB  2 Steve Christie K  9 Chris Mohr P 66 Jerry Crafts T IR 33 Eddie Fuller American football RB/KR IR 26 Chris Hale CB/PR IR 81 Brad Lamb American football WR/KR IR 99 James Patton defensive lineman y NT IR 61 Jeff Stephenson LB IR 87 Ed Thomas tight end TE IR 49 Nate Turner y FB IR 22 Darryl Wren CB PUP 47 active, 9 inactive, 4 practice squad 68 Sean Love G  8 Matt Rodgers y QB 19 Barry Rose American football y WR 18 Chris Walsh y American football WR Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 6 Los Angeles Rams W 40–7 1–0 Rich Stadium 79,001 2 September 13 at San Francisco 49ers W 34–31 2–0 Candlestick Park 64,053 3 September 20 Indianapolis Colts W 38–0 3–0 Rich Stadium 77,781 4 September 27 at New England Patriots W 41–7 4–0 Foxboro Stadium 52,527 5 October 4 Miami Dolphins L 10–37 4–1 Rich Stadium 80,368 6 October 11 at Los Angeles Raiders L 3–20 4–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 52,287 7 Bye 8 October 26, 1992 at New York Jets W 24–20 5–2 Giants Stadium 68,181 9 November 1 New England Patriots W 16–7 6–2 Rich Stadium 78,268 10 November 8 Pittsburgh Steelers W 28–20 7–2 Rich Stadium 80,294 11 November 16, 1992 at Miami Dolphins W 26–20 8–2 Joe Robbie Stadium 70,629 12 November 22 Atlanta Falcons W 41–14 9–2 Rich Stadium 80,004 13 November 29 at Indianapolis Colts L 13–16 (OT) 9–3 Hoosier Dome 50,221 14 December 6 New York Jets L 24–17 9–4 Rich Stadium 75,876 15 December 12, 1992 Denver Broncos W 27–17 10–4 Rich Stadium 71,740 16 December 20 at New Orleans Saints W 20–16 11–4 Louisiana Superdome 68,591 17 December 27 at Houston Oilers L 3–27 11–5 Astrodome 61,742 Game summaries Week 1 Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills Rams 0 7 0 0 Bills 14 13 7 6 September 6 Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York 1:00 p.m. EST Larry Nemmers Paul Olden and Hank Stram CBS Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com yes 1 Bills Thurman Thomas 10 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) Bills 7–0 1 Bills Thurman Thomas 1 yard run (Steve Christie kick) Bills 14–0 2 Bills Thurman Thomas 6 yard run (Steve Christie kick) Bills 21–0 2 Rams Robert Delpino 12 yard pass from Jim Everett (Tony Zendejas kick) Bills 21–7 2 Bills Mitch Frerotte 2 yard pass from Jim Kelly (kick failed) Bills 27–7 3 Bills Thurman Thomas 10 yard run (Steve Christie kick) Bills 34–7 4 Bills Steve Christie 49 yard field goal Bills 37–7 4 Bills Steve Christie 38 yard field goal Bills 40–7 yes Hosting the L.A. Rams, the Bills picked off Jim Everett four times and limited the Rams to 215 total yards. Thurman Thomas led a 207-yard rushing attack for the Bills as Jim Kelly needed only 106 passing yards and two scores for the 40–7 win. Week 2 No Punt Game Bills 3 10 14 7 49ers 7 17 7 0 September 13 Candlestick Park 1:00 p.m. PST Red Cashion Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC Buffalo's 34–31 win over the San Francisco 49ers was the first game in NFL history in which neither team punted. Over 1,000 yards in combined offense for both teams. Week 3 Colts 0 0 0 0 Bills 7 3 14 14 September 20 Rich Stadium The Indianapolis Colts were limited to nine first downs, 140 total yards, and three interceptions (one by quarterback/punter Tom Tupa) in a 38–0 Bills shutout. Week 4 Bills 3 3 21 14 Patriots 0 0 0 7 September 27 Foxboro Stadium ESt 52,527 Tom White Don Criqui and Paul Maguire NBC The winless Patriots held off the Bills for a 6–0 Bills lead at halftime before 35 Buffalo points led to yet another Buffalo runaway win, 41–7. Week 5 Dolphins 3 14 17 3 Bills 3 7 0 0 October 4 Rich Stadium 1:00 p.m. EST Dale Hamer Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC Dan Marino ended Buffalo's season-opening win streak, throwing three touchdowns and 282 total yards. Jim Kelly was intercepted four times as the Dolphins won 37–10. Week 6 Bills 0 3 0 0 Raiders 7 10 3 0 October 11 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Pat Haggerty Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC The Bills flew to Los Angeles and were rudely greeted by the 1–4 Raiders; they sacked Jim Kelly five times and picked him off once, storming to a 20–3 win. Week 8 Bills 0 14 3 7 Jets 3 3 7 7 October 26 Monday Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 9:00 p.m. EST 46 F • Wind 19 mph on Bernie Kukar Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf ABC yes 1 NYJ Cary Blanchard 42 yard field goal Jets 3–0 2 BUF Kenneth Davis 2 yard run (Steve Christie kick) Bills 7–3 2 NYJ Cary Blanchard 40 yard field goal Bills 7–6 2 BUF James Lofton 16 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) Bills 14–6 3 NYJ Pat Chaffey 1 yard run (Cary Blanchard kick) Bills 14–13 3 BUF Steve Christie 33 yard field goal Bills 17–13 4 NYJ Brad Baxter 1 yard run (Cary Blanchard kick) Jets 20–17 4 BUF Thurman Thomas 12 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Steve Christie kick) Bills 24–20 yes Buffalo Bills at New York Jets - October 26th, 1992 https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199210260nyj.htm 2024-11-11 Pro-Football-Reference.com en The Jets hosted the Bills in a back-and-forth affair. The Bills led 17–13 in the fourth before Brad Baxter ran in a one-yard score, but Kelly led the Bills downfield and found Thurman Thomas from twelve yards out and the 24–20 Bills win. Week 9 Patriots 0 7 0 0 Bills 0 0 9 7 November 1 Rich Stadium 1:00 PM EST 78,268 Gordon McCarter Don Criqui and Paul Maguire NBC The Patriots traveled to Rich Stadium and the two teams managed six turnovers and just 484 total yards. The Bills fell behind 7–0 on Vincent Brown's 25-yard fumble return score, then scored 16 unanswered points on two touchdowns and a safety when Shawn McCarthy was downed in the endzone. Week 10 Steelers 0 6 14 0 Bills 7 14 7 0 November 8 Rich Stadium 80,294 Bob McElwee Marv Albert and Bill Parcells NBC Week 11 Bills 3 10 13 0 Dolphins 7 10 0 3 November 16 Joe Robbie Stadium 9:00 p.m. EST Tom White Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf ABC Week 12 Falcons 0 7 0 7 Bills 28 10 0 3 November 22 Rich Stadium 1pm EST 80,004 51 F wind 15 mph on Johnny Grier Tim Ryan and Matt Millen CBS Buffalo set an NFL record by rushing for 315 yards in a game as the Atlanta Falcons managed 174 yards of total offense and were hammered 41–14. Week 13 Bills 0 3 7 3 0 Colts 0 3 0 10 3 November 29 Hoosier Dome Larry Nemmers Don Criqui and Paul Maguire NBC Week 14 Jets 3 0 14 7 Bills 3 7 0 7 December 6 Rich Stadium 1:00 p.m. EST Dick Hantak Marv Albert, Bill Parcells NBC The Bills fell to the Jets 24–17 in a game the Jets needed far more than the Bills following a paralyzing injury to Dennis Byrd; the Jets had needed emotional counseling all week leading to the game, and came out inspired when coach Bruce Coslet told players beforehand that Byrd was recovering movement. Brad Baxter ran in two touchdowns; after the Bills tied the game 17–17 Brian Washington intercepted Kelly and scored. Following the 24–17 Jets win, both teams met at midfield in prayer for Dennis Byrd. Week 15 Broncos 0 0 7 10 Bills 0 21 3 3 December 12 Rich Stadium 1:00 p.m. EST Gary Lane Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC The Bills scored the first 24 points, opening up on a triple lateral to Kelly who then unloaded a 64-yard score to wide open Don Beebe. The Broncos started Tommy Maddox with John Elway out for the fourth straight game, then put in Shawn Moore who threw three picks; the two combined for 250 yards passing. Week 16 Buffalo Bills (10–4) at New Orleans Saints (11–3) Bills 3 0 7 10 Saints 6 7 3 0 December 20 Louisiana Superdome 1:00 PM EST 68,591 Dome Howard Roe Don Criqui and Paul Maguire NBC Week 17 Bills 3 0 0 0 Oilers 10 10 0 7 December 27 Houston Astrodome Jerry Markbreit Mike Patrick and Joe Theismann ESPN At the Astrodome Jim Kelly was intercepted once and injured in the final game of the season, forcing Frank Reich to take over as starting quarterback to begin the playoffs. Reich was picked off twice as the Oilers behind Warren Moon and Cody Carlson stormed to a 27–3 win, securing a wildcard playoff berth, where one week later they would travel to Buffalo to face Reich again. Standings NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 292 Playoffs Week Date Opponent Final score Attendance Wildcard January 3, 1993 Houston Oilers (5) W 41–38 (OT) 75,141 Divisional January 9, 1993 at Pittsburgh Steelers (1) W 24–3 60,407 Conference Championship January 17, 1993 at Miami Dolphins (2) W 29–10 72,703 Super Bowl January 31, 1993 vs. Dallas Cowboys (N2) L 17–52 98,374 Wild Card Oilers 7 21 7 3 0 Bills 3 0 28 7 3 January 3 Rich Stadium Cloudy Gerald Austin Charlie Jones and Todd Christensen NBC Frank Reich's defining moment in his pro career is actually another comeback, this one often called the greatest comeback in NFL playoff history. It was also the largest comeback in NFL history, with the Bills overcoming a 32-point deficit, until 2022, when the Minnesota Vikings overcame a 33-point deficit against the Indianapolis Colts. In the playoffs following the 1992 season against the Houston Oilers. Reich led the Bills on a 35–3 run in the second half before overtime, en route to a 41–38 victory on a Steve Christie field goal. Reich would help the Bills defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round before once again giving the team back to Kelly, who led them into Super Bowl XXVII, where they were annihilated by the Dallas Cowboys 52–17. Reich had to enter the game when starter Jim Kelly was forced out of the game with a knee injury during the 2nd quarter. HOU – Jeffires 3-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 7–0 HOU BUF – FG Christie 36-yards 7–3 HOU HOU – Slaughter 7-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 14–3 HOU HOU – Duncan 26-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 21–3 HOU HOU – Jeffires 27-yard pass from Moon (Del Greco kick) 28–3 HOU HOU – McDowell 58-yard interception return (Del Greco kick) 35–3 HOU BUF – K. Davis 1-yard run (Christie kick) 35–10 HOU BUF – Beebe 38-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–17 HOU BUF – Reed 26-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–24 HOU BUF – Reed 18-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 35–31 HOU BUF – Reed 17-yard pass from Reich (Christie kick) 38–35 BUF HOU – FG Del Greco 26-yards 38–38 tie BUF – FG Christie 32-yards 41–38 BUF Divisional Bills 0 7 7 10 Steelers 3 0 0 0 January 9 Three Rivers Stadium 12:30 PM EST 60,407 31 F C • 14 mph km/h knot; wind chill 21 Bernie Kukar Marv Albert, Bill Parcells; O. J. Simpson and John Dockery (sidelines). Will McDonough, Bob Costas, and Warren Moon in studio/halftime. NBC Conference Championship Bills 3 10 10 6 Dolphins 3 0 0 7 January 16 Joe Robbie Stadium Bob McElwee Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC With the win, the Bills advanced to their 3rd straight Super Bowl. This would be their last playoff win on the road until 2025. Super Bowl Super Bowl XXVII Bills 7 3 7 0 Cowboys 14 14 3 21 January 31 Rose Bowl Sunny Dick Hantak Dick Enberg and Bob Trumpy NBC The Bills entered Super Bowl XXVII trying to avoid becoming the first team to lose three consecutive Super Bowls. Once again the team was loaded with talent, boasting 12 Pro Bowl selections. During the regular season, Buffalo's no-huddle offense ranked as the number two offense in the league (6,114 yards) and ranked as the number one rushing offense (2,436). Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 1,487 yards and 9 touchdowns during the regular season, while also catching 58 passes for 626 yards and another 3 touchdowns. Running back Kenneth Davis rushed for 613 yards, caught 15 passes for 80 yards, and added another 251 yards returning kickoffs. Quarterback Jim Kelly had 269 out of 462 completions for 3,457 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. Wide receiver Andre Reed lead the team with 65 receptions for 913 yards and 3 touchdowns, receiver James Lofton contributed 51 receptions for 786 yards and 6 touchdowns, and wide receiver Don Beebe had 33 receptions for 554 and 2 touchdowns. Also tight end Pete Metzelaars recorded 30 receptions for 298 yards and 6 touchdowns. The Bills also had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, led by Pro Bowlers Will Wolford, Jim Ritcher, and Howard Ballard, along with center Kent Hull. On defense, the line was anchored by tackles Bruce Smith (14 sacks) and Jeff Wright (6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery), who were fully recovered after missing almost all of the previous season due to injuries. The Bills were once again led by their trio of linebackers Darryl Talley (77 tackles, 4 sacks), Shane Conlan (66 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception), and Pro Bowler Cornelius Bennett (52 tackles, 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries). The defensive secondary was aided by the emergence of second year defensive back Henry Jones, who led the NFL with 8 interceptions, returning them for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensive back Mark Kelso recorded 7 interceptions, while Pro Bowl defensive back Nate Odomes had 5. However, the Bills quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl suffered a major setback when they lost the final game of the season to the Houston Oilers. The loss caused the Bills to finish with an 11–5 record, losing the AFC East title to the Miami Dolphins based on tiebreaking rules, and thus making them a wild card team for the playoffs. Thus, even if they won their first playoff game, they would have to win two on the road to make the Super Bowl. To make matters worse, Kelly also suffered strained knee ligaments during the loss to the Oilers and had to miss the first 2 playoff games. Furthermore, their first opponent in the playoffs ended up being the Oilers. A headline on a Buffalo newspaper stated the Bills situation: "Bills Begin The Longest Road Today." Starting lineups Source:Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M., and Korch, Rick. The Complete History of Professional Football from 1892 to the Present. 1994 0-312-11435-4 auto PositionName WR James LoftonLT Will Wolford LG Jim Ritcher C Kent Hull RG Glenn Parker RT Howard Ballard TE Pete MetzelaarsWR Andre ReedQB Jim Kelly RB Thurman ThomasFB-WR Don Beebe 1em PositionName LE Phil Hansen LDT-NT Jeff WrightRDT-RE Bruce Smith RE-LOLB Marvcus Patton LOLB-LILB Shane Conlan MLB-RILB Cornelius Bennett ROLB Darryl Talley LCB James Williams RCB Nate Odomes SS Henry Jones FS Mark Kelso Scoring Summary BUF – TD: Thurman Thomas 2-yard run (Steve Christie kick) 7–0 BUF DAL – TD: Jay Novacek 23-yard pass from Troy Aikman (Lin Elliott kick) 7–7 tie DAL – TD: Jimmie Jones 2-yard fumble return (Lin Elliott kick) 14–7 DAL BUF – FG: Steve Christie 21 yards 14–10 DAL DAL – TD: Michael Irvin 19-yard pass from Troy Aikman (Lin Elliott kick) 21–10 DAL DAL – TD: Michael Irvin 18-yard pass from Troy Aikman (Lin Elliott kick) 28–10 DAL DAL – FG: Lin Elliott 20 yards 31–10 DAL BUF – TD: Don Beebe 40-yard pass from Frank Reich (Steve Christie kick) 31–17 DAL DAL – TD: Alvin Harper 45-yard pass from Troy Aikman (Lin Elliott kick) 38–17 DAL DAL – TD: Emmitt Smith 10-yard run (Lin Elliott kick) 45–17 DAL DAL – TD: Ken Norton Jr. 9-yard fumble return (Lin Elliott kick) 52–17 DAL Awards and records Fewest Rushing Yards allowed in NFL, 1,395 yards Led NFL in Total Yards Rushing, 2,436 yards Led AFC in Points Scored, 381 Led AFC in Yards Gained, 5893 Set NFL record for most rushing yards by a club in one game (315) Steve Christie, Tied NFL record, Most Field Goals Attempted in a Playoff Game (6) Steve Christie, Tied NFL record, Most Field Goals Made in a Playoff Game (5) Henry Jones, Tied NFL Lead, 8 Interceptions Steve Tasker, Pro Bowl MVP Thurman Thomas, AFC Leader, 12 Touchdowns References External links Bills on Pro Football Reference Bills on jt-sw.com Bills Stats on jt-sw.com Buffalo Bills Category:American Football Conference championship seasons Category:Buffalo Bills seasons Buff