24th season in franchise history
1983 Buffalo Bills season Owner Ralph Wilson Head coach Kay Stephenson Home field Rich Stadium Record 8–8 Division place 2nd AFC East Playoff finish Did not qualify
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).[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.
Offseason [ ]
NFL draft [ ]
Main article: 1983 NFL draft
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 would play for the USFL's Houston Gamblers from 1983–1985, 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 .
1983 Buffalo Bills draft
Round
Pick
Player
Position
College
Notes
1
12
Tony Hunter
Tight end
Notre Dame
1
14
Jim Kelly * †
Quarterback
Miami (FL)
2
39
Darryl Talley *
Linebacker
West Virginia
4
93
Trey Junkin
Linebacker
Louisiana Tech
4
112
Jimmy Payne
Defensive end
Georgia
5
126
Matt Vandenboom
Defensive back
Wisconsin
7
180
Gurnest Brown
Defensive tackle
Maryland
8
207
James Durham
Defensive back
Houston
9
234
George Parker
Running back
Norfolk State
10
260
Richard Tharpe
Defensive tackle
Louisville
11
293
Larry White
Defensive end
Jackson State
12
320
Julius Dawkins
Wide receiver
Pittsburgh
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
[2]
Personnel [ ]
Staff [ ]
1983 Buffalo Bills staff
Front office
President – Ralph Wilson
Senior Executive Vice President – Pat McGroder
Vice President of Football Operations – Kay Stephenson
Vice President of Player Personnel – Norm Pollom
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
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers – Bob Zeman
Defensive Line – Don Lawrence
Defensive Backfield – Jerry Glanville
Defensive Assistant – Miller McCalmon
Special teams coaches
Special Teams – Miller McCalmon
Roster [ ]
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
Schedule [ ]
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Attendance
Notes
1
September 4, 1983
Miami Dolphins
L 12–0
78,715
Uwe von Schamann accounted for all points scored
2
September 11, 1983
at Cincinnati Bengals
W 10–6
46,839
Joe Ferguson threw a 14-yard touchdown
3
September 18, 1983
Baltimore Colts
W 28–23
40,937
Game lead changed seven times in final three quarters
4
September 25, 1983
Houston Oilers
W 30–13
60,070
Ferguson threw for only 127 yards
5
October 3, 1983
New York Jets
L 34–10
79,933
Buffalo's only Monday Night appearance of the year
6
October 9, 1983
at Miami Dolphins
W 38–35
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
38,565
Last trip to Baltimore until formation of Ravens
8
October 23, 1983
New England Patriots
L 31–0
60,424
Ferguson intercepted three times by Roland James
9
October 30, 1983
New Orleans Saints
W 27–21
49,413
Ferguson threw four touchdowns
10
November 6, 1983
at New England Patriots
L 21–7
42,604
Ferguson intercepted four times
11
November 13, 1983
at New York Jets
W 24–17
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
72,393
Bills lost despite erasing 21-point Raiders lead in the fourth
13
November 27, 1983
at Los Angeles Rams
L 41–17
48,246
Eric Dickerson rushed for 125 yards
14
December 4, 1983
at Kansas City Chiefs
W 14–9
27,104
Joe Cribbs ' 185 rushing yards constituted almost all of Buffalo's offense
15
December 11, 1983
San Francisco 49ers
L 23–10
38,039
Ferguson intercepted three times
16
December 18, 1983
at Atlanta Falcons
L 31–14
31,015
Matt Kofler threw for 125 yards
Season summary [ ]
Week 1 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Dolphins
0
6 3 3
12
Bills
0
0 0 0
0
Date: September 4Location: Rich Stadium Referee: Jim Tunney Television network: NBC
Week 2 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bills
0
3 7 0
10
Bengals
0
3 0 3
6
Date: September 11Location: Riverfront Stadium Referee: Gordon McCarter
Week 3 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Colts
6
3 7 7
23
• Bills
0
7 7 14
28
Date: September 18Location: Rich StadiumReferee: Pat Haggerty
Week 4 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Oilers
3
3 7 0
13
• Bills
7
6 3 14
30
Week 5 [ ]
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
Week 6 [ ]
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
Date: October 9Location: Orange Bowl Game start: 1:00 PM EST Game attendance: 59,948Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C) • 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)Referee: Fred Silva TV announcers (NBC ): Charlie Jones and Bob Griese
Week 7 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bills
7
17 3 3
30
Colts
7
0 0 0
7
Date: October 16Location: Memorial Stadium Referee: Bob Frederic
Week 8 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Patriots
0
7 0 24
31
Bills
0
0 0 0
0
Date: October 23Location: Rich StadiumReferee: Tom Dooley
Week 9 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Saints
0
7 0 14
21
• Bills
7
13 7 0
27
Date: October 30Location: Rich Stadium Game attendance: 49,413Referee: Jim Tunney Television network: CBS
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.
[3]
Week 10 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bills
0
0 0 7
7
• Patriots
0
14 7 0
21
Date: November 6Location: Sullivan Stadium Referee: Pat Haggerty
Week 11 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bills
0
0 14 10
24
Jets
0
14 3 0
17
Date: November 13Location: Shea Stadium Game attendance: 48,513Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C) • 19 miles per hour (31 km/h; 17 kn)Referee: Gene Barth TV announcers (NBC ): Charlie Jones
Week 12 [ ]
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
Date: November 20Location: Rich Stadium - Orchard Park, New York Game start: 1:00pm EST Game attendance: 72,393Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C) • 12 miles per hour (19 km/h; 10 kn)Referee: Bob McElwee TV announcers (NFL on NBC ): Don Criqui and Gene Washington
Week 13 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bills
0
7 7 3
17
• Rams
0
14 10 17
41
Date: November 27Location: Anaheim Stadium Referee: Ben Dreith
Week 14 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• Bills
0
7 0 7
14
Chiefs
0
3 3 3
9
Date: December 4Location: Arrowhead Stadium Game start: 1:00 PM EST Game attendance: 27,104Game weather: 29 °F (−2 °C) • 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)Referee: Jerry Seeman TV announcers (NBC ): Don Criqui
Week 15 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
• 49ers
3
3 14 3
23
Bills
0
10 0 0
10
Date: December 11Location: Rich Stadium Orchard Park, NY Game start: 1:00 PM EST Game attendance: 38,039Game weather: 27 °F (−3 °C) • 17–26 miles per hour (27–42 km/h; 15–23 kn) CloudyReferee: Bob FredericTV announcers (CBS ): Dick Stockton , Wayne Walker
Week 16 [ ]
1
2 3 4 Total
Bills
0
7 0 7
14
• Falcons
3
14 7 7
31
Date: December 18Location: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Referee: Fred Silva
Standings [ ]
Awards and honors [ ]
All-Pros [ ]
Fred Smerlas , Nose tackle
Steve Freeman , Safety
References [ ]
External links [ ]
Buffalo Bills
Founded in 1960
Based and headquartered in Orchard Park, New York
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (11) Conference championships (4) League championships (2) Wall of Fame Media Owners Current league affiliations Former league affiliation
League: American Football League (1960–1969)