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1973 Buffalo Bills

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Record: 9-5-0, Finished 2nd in AFC East Division
NFL Season Summary

Scored 259 points (18.5/g), 15th of 26 in the NFL.
 Allowed 230 points (16.4/g), 10th.
 Differential of 29 points (2.1/g), 12th.
 Expected W-L: 8.0-6.0.

 Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +6 (0.4/g), 8th.

Simple Rating System: Total 0.3, Offense: -1.8, Defense: 2.1, SoS: -1.7, versus averages of 0.0.

Coached by Lou Saban

Training Camp: Niagara University (Niagara Falls, New York)

Team Stats and Rankings

Tot Yds & TO Passing Rushing
Pts Yds Ply Y/P 1stD Cmp Att Yds TD Int NY/A 1stD Att Yds TD Y/A 1stD TO FL 1stPy
Team Offense 259 4085 849 4.8 219 96 213 997 4 14 4.1 60 605 3088 20 5.1 152 27 13 7
Team Defense 230 3915 855 4.6 231 166 368 2118 12 14 5.3 112 455 1797 11 3.9 101 33 19 18
Lg Rank Offense 15 10 16 26 26 26 8 24 2 1 1 1 4 6
Lg Rank Defense 10 14 14 19 17 9 21 16 5 7 10 10 12 3

Team Games & Schedule

Score Offense Defense
Week Day Date OT Rec Opp Tm Opp 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO 1stD TotYd PassY RushY TO
1 Sun September 16 boxscore W 1-0 @ New England Patriots 31 13 23 459 99 360 2 17 297 190 107 4
2 Sun September 23 boxscore L 1-1 @ San Diego Chargers 7 34 16 287 139 148 4 17 354 249 105 1
3 Sun September 30 boxscore W 2-1 New York Jets 9 7 15 272 64 208 3 17 250 148 102 1
4 Sun October 7 boxscore W 3-1 Philadelphia Eagles 27 26 16 276 47 229 1 28 451 176 275 1
5 Sun October 14 boxscore W 4-1 Baltimore Colts 31 13 18 311 52 259 3 13 203 60 143 4
6 Sun October 21 boxscore L 4-2 @ Miami Dolphins 6 27 8 76 1 75 2 18 310 127 183 5
7 Mon October 29 boxscore W 5-2 Kansas City Chiefs 23 14 21 309 63 246 3 8 105 67 38 4
8 Sun November 4 boxscore L 5-3 @ New Orleans Saints 0 13 10 190 66 124 1 19 281 166 115
9 Sun November 11 boxscore L 5-4 Cincinnati Bengals 13 16 10 180 30 150 2 18 281 120 161 4
10 Sun November 18 boxscore L 5-5 Miami Dolphins 0 17 15 309 71 238 2 17 277 123 154
11 Sun November 25 boxscore W 6-5 @ Baltimore Colts 24 17 16 384 169 215 2 15 221 69 152 2
12 Sun December 2 boxscore W 7-5 @ Atlanta Falcons 17 6 17 334 95 239 1 12 272 147 125 3
13 Sun December 9 boxscore W 8-5 New England Patriots 37 13 13 324 31 293 20 390 292 98 4
14 Sun December 16 boxscore W 9-5 @ New York Jets 34 14 21 374 70 304 1 12 223 184 39

Passing

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS QBrec Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TD TD% Int Int% Lng Y/A AY/A Y/C Y/G Rate QBR Sk Yds NY/A ANY/A Sk% 4QC GWD
12 Joe Ferguson 23 QB 14 14 9-5-0 73 164 44.5 939 4 2.4 10 6.1 42 5.7 3.5 12.9 67.1 45.8 20 164 4.21 2.20 10.9 2 1
16 Dennis Shaw 26 4 0 22 46 47.8 300 0 0.0 4 8.7 40 6.5 2.6 13.6 75.0 32.9 11 75 3.95 0.79 19.3
32 O.J. Simpson*+ 26 RB 14 0 1 2 50.0 -3 0 0.0 0 0.0 -3 -1.5 -1.5 -3.0 -0.2 56.2 0 0 -1.50 -1.50 0.0
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39.6 0 0 0.00 0.00 0.0
Team Total 24.6 14 9-5-0 96 213 45.1 1236 4 1.9 14 6.6 42 5.8 3.2 12.9 88.3 42.7 31 239 4.09 1.83 12.7 2 1
Opp Total 14 166 368 45.1 2394 12 3.3 14 3.8 6.5 5.45 14.4 171.0 61.8 32 276 5.3 4.3 8.0

Rushing & Receiving

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Rushing Receiving
No. Age Pos G GS Att Yds TD Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Rec Yds Y/R TD Lng R/G Y/G YScm RRTD Fmb
32 O.J. Simpson*+ 26 RB 14 0 332 2003 12 80 6.0 143.1 23.7 6 70 11.7 0 24 0.4 5.0 2073 12 7
34 Jim Braxton 24 6 0 108 494 4 36 4.6 82.3 18.0 6 101 16.8 0 37 1.0 16.8 595 4 2
38 Larry Watkins 27 FB 14 0 98 414 2 17 4.2 29.6 7.0 12 86 7.2 1 28 0.9 6.1 500 3 3
12 Joe Ferguson 23 QB 14 14 48 147 2 24 3.1 10.5 3.4 1 -3 -3.0 0 -3 0.1 -0.2 144 2 7
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 5 -14 0 18 -2.8 -1.0 0.4 30 427 14.2 3 37 2.1 30.5 413 3 2
30 Bo Cornell 24 14 0 4 13 0 7 3.3 0.9 0.3 13 0 0
16 Dennis Shaw 26 4 0 4 2 0 1 0.5 0.5 1.0 2 0 2
46 Steve Jones 22 11 0 3 9 0 7 3.0 0.8 0.3 9 0 0
36 Pete Van Valkenberg 23 13 0 2 20 0 12 10.0 1.5 0.2 1 7 7.0 0 7 0.1 0.5 27 0 0
11 Spike Jones 26 P 14 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0 0 1
40 J.D. Hill 25 WR 14 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 29 422 14.6 0 42 2.1 30.1 422 0 2
87 Paul Seymour 23 TE 14 14 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 10 114 11.4 0 22 0.7 8.1 114 0 0
80 Ray Jarvis 24 12 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 1 12 12.0 0 12 0.1 1.0 12 0 0
Team Total 24.6 14 605 3088 20 80 5.1 220.6 43.2 96 1236 12.9 4 42 6.9 88.3 4324 24 27
Opp Total 14 455 1797 11 3.9 128.4 32.5 166 2118 12.8 12 11.9 151.3 3915 23 30

Kick & Punt Returns

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Punt Returns Kick Returns
No. Age Pos G GS Ret Yds TD Lng Y/R Rt Yds TD Lng Y/Rt APYd
26 Donnie Walker 23 PR 11 0 25 210 0 23 8.4 210
89 Wallace Francis 22 KR 12 0 23 687 2 101 29.9 687
22 Bill Cahill 22 5 0 4 73 1 51 18.3 2 42 0 24 21.0 115
46 Steve Jones 22 11 0 6 116 0 22 19.3 125
80 Ray Jarvis 24 12 0 5 84 0 25 16.8 96
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 2 5 0 3 2.5 418
34 Jim Braxton 24 6 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 595
30 Bo Cornell 24 14 0 1 2 0 2 2.0 15
43 Tony Greene 24 FS 14 0 1 7 0 7 7.0 7
40 J.D. Hill 25 WR 14 0 1 -9 0 -9 -9.0 413
56 Willie Parker 25 14 0 1 16 0 16 16.0 16
36 Pete Van Valkenberg 23 13 0 1 0 0 0 0.0 27
38 Larry Watkins 27 FB 14 0 1 18 0 18 18.0 518
Team Total 24.6 14 32 279 1 51 8.7 42 972 2 101 23.1 5575
Opp Total 14 34 1 44 934 1 21.2

Kicking & Punting

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
0-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Tot PAT Punting
No. Age Pos G GS FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FGA FGM FG% XPA XPM XP% Pnt Yds Lng Blck Y/P
11 Spike Jones 26 P 14 0 66 2660 62 0 40.3
3 John Leypoldt 27 K 14 0 7 7 5 3 6 5 8 4 4 2 30 21 70.0% 27 27 100.0%
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 1 1 100.0%
Team Total 24.6 14 7 7 5 3 6 5 8 4 4 2 30 21 70.0% 28 28 100.0% 66 2660 62 0 40.3
Opp Total 14 34 19 55.9% 25 23 92.0% 63 2507 39.8

Defense & Fumbles

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles
No. Age Pos G GS Sk Int Yds TD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds TD Tkl Ast Sfty
12 Joe Ferguson 23 QB 14 14 0 7 4 -3 0
32 O.J. Simpson*+ 26 RB 14 0 0 7 0 0 0
28 Dwight Harrison 25 RCB 14 0 5 117 1 38 0 0 0 1 0 0
50 Jim Cheyunski 28 MLB 13 0 3 31 0 31 0 0 0 1 0 0
40 J.D. Hill 25 WR 14 0 0 2 2 0 0
24 Ernie Kellermann 30 SS 10 0 2 23 0 19 0 0 0 2 0 0
34 Jim Braxton 24 6 0 0 2 1 0 0
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 0 2 1 0 0
43 Tony Greene 24 FS 14 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 13 0
16 Dennis Shaw 26 4 0 0 2 1 -11 0
38 Larry Watkins 27 FB 14 0 0 3 0 0 0
57 Fred Forsberg 29 10 0 0 0 2 0 0
89 Wallace Francis 22 KR 12 0 0 1 1 0 0
47 Leon Garror 25 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
55 John Skorupan 22 LLB 14 0 0 0 2 22 0
30 Bo Cornell 24 14 0 0 0 1 0 0
68 Joe DeLamielleure 22 RG 14 14 0 0 1 0 0
20 Robert James*+ 26 LCB 13 0 1 0 0 0 0
11 Spike Jones 26 P 14 0 0 1 0 -16 0
46 Steve Jones 22 11 0 0 0 1 0 0
71 Mike Kadish 23 LDT 12 9 0 0 1 0 0
70 Bob Kampa 22 7 0 0 0 1 0 0
56 Rich Lewis 23 RLB 10 0 0 0 1 0 0
3 John Leypoldt 27 K 14 0 0 0 1 0 0
77 Jerry Patton 27 RDT 14 0 0 0 1 0 0
85 Walt Patulski 23 LDE 14 0 0 0 1 0 0
26 Donnie Walker 23 PR 11 0 1 22 0 22 0
86 Dave Washington 25 7 0 0 0 1 10 0
Team Total 24.6 14 14 224 1 38 0 0 27 31 17 0
Opp Total 14 31 30 11

Scoring Summary

ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+),
No. Age Pos G GS RshTD RecTD PR TD KR TD FblTD IntTD OthTD AllTD 2PM XPM FGM Sfty Pts
3 John Leypoldt 27 K 14 0 27 21 90
32 O.J. Simpson*+ 26 RB 14 0 12 12 72
34 Jim Braxton 24 6 0 4 4 24
81 Bob Chandler 24 WR 14 0 3 3 1 19
38 Larry Watkins 27 FB 14 0 2 1 3 18
12 Joe Ferguson 23 QB 14 14 2 2 12
89 Wallace Francis 22 KR 12 0 2 2 12
22 Bill Cahill 22 5 0 1 1 6
28 Dwight Harrison 25 RCB 14 0 1 1 6
Team Total 24.6 14 20 4 1 2 1 28 28 21 259
Opp Total 14 11 12 1 1 23 19 230