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1978 Buffalo Bills
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Record: 5-11-0, Finished 4th in AFC East Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 302 points (18.9/g), 11th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 354 points (22.1/g), 24th.
Differential of -52 points (-3.2/g), 25th.
Expected W-L: 6.5-9.5.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -4 (-0.2/g), 19th.
Coached by Chuck Knox (5-11-0)
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1978 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Joe Ferguson | 28 | 5 | 16 | 175 for 330, 2,136 yards, 16 td, 15 int, & 27 rushes for 76 yards and 0 td | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 57th pick / 1973 |
| RB | Terry Miller | 22 | Rook | 0 | 238 rushes for 1,060 yards, 7 td, & 22 catches for 246 yards and 0 td | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 5th pick / 1978 |
| FB | Curtis Brown | 24 | 1 | 10 | 128 rushes for 591 yards, 4 td, & 18 catches for 130 yards and 0 td | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 59th pick / 1977 |
| WR | Bob Chandler | 29 | 7 | 0 | 44 catches for 581 yards, 5 td | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 160th pick / 1971 |
| WR | Frank Lewis | 31 | 7 | 15 | 41 catches for 735 yards, 7 td | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 8th pick / 1971 |
| TE | Reuben Gant | 26 | 4 | 16 | 34 catches for 408 yards, 5 td, & 1 rush for 14 yards and 0 td | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 18th pick / 1974 |
| LT | Ken Jones | 26 | 2 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 45th pick / 1976 |
| LG | Reggie McKenzie | 28 | 6 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 27th pick / 1972 |
| C | Willie Parker | 30 | 5 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 75th pick / 1971 |
| RG | Joe DeLamielleure* | 27 | 5 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 26th pick / 1973 |
| RT | Joe Devlin | 24 | 2 | 14 | 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 52nd pick / 1976 |
| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Ben Williams | 24 | 2 | 16 | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 78th pick / 1976 |
|
| LDT | Dee Hardison | 22 | Rook | 15 | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1978 |
|
| RDT | Phil Dokes | 23 | 1 | 10 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 12th pick / 1977 |
|
| RDT | Mike Kadish | 28 | 5 | 6 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 25th pick / 1972 |
|
| RDE | Sherman White | 30 | 6 | 16 | Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 2nd pick / 1972 |
|
| LLB | Shane Nelson | 23 | 1 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | |
| MLB | Randy McClanahan | 24 | 1 | 10 | 0 interceptions, 5 fumbles recovered | |
| MLB | Tom Graham | 28 | 6 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 4th / 102nd pick / 1972 |
| RLB | Lucius Sanford | 22 | Rook | 15 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Buffalo Bills / 4th / 89th pick / 1978 |
| LCB | Mario Clark | 24 | 2 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 18th pick / 1976 |
| RCB | Charles Romes | 24 | 1 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Buffalo Bills / 12th / 309th pick / 1977 |
| SS | Doug Jones | 28 | 5 | 9 | Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 145th pick / 1973 |
|
| SS | Steve Freeman | 25 | 3 | 7 | New England Patriots / 5th / 117th pick / 1975 |
|
| FS | Tony Greene | 29 | 7 | 0 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Tom Dempsey | 31 | 9 | 0 | 10 of 13 field goals & 36 of 38 extra points | |
| P | Rusty Jackson | 28 | 2 | 0 | 87 punts for a 38.8 average, 2 blocked | |
| PR | Keith Moody | 25 | 2 | 0 | 19 punt returns for a 12.6 average and 1 td | Buffalo Bills / 10th / 280th pick / 1976 |
| KR | Keith Moody | 25 | 2 | 0 | 18 kick returns for a 20.6 average and 0 td | Buffalo Bills / 10th / 280th pick / 1976 |
| No. | Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | Bill Adams | 28 | G-T | 6 | 0 | 255 | 6-2 | Holy Cross | 2/4/1950 | 6 | Miami Dolphins / 7th / 161st pick / 1972 |
| 52 | Doug Becker | 22 | LB | 8 | 0 | 220 | 6-0 | Notre Dame | 6/27/1956 | Rook | Pittsburgh Steelers / 10th / 268th pick / 1978 |
| 34 | Jim Braxton | 29 | RB | 6 | 0 | 243 | 6-1 | West Virginia | 5/23/1949 | 7 | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 57th pick / 1971 |
| 47 | Curtis Brown | 24 | RB | 15 | 10 | 203 | 5-10 | Missouri | 12/7/1954 | 1 | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 59th pick / 1977 |
| 58 | Mario Celotto | 22 | LB | 4 | 0 | 228 | 6-3 | USC | 8/23/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 171st pick / 1978 |
| 81 | Bob Chandler | 29 | WR | 16 | 0 | 180 | 6-0 | USC | 4/24/1949 | 7 | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 160th pick / 1971 |
| 29 | Mario Clark | 24 | DB | 16 | 16 | 194 | 6-2 | Oregon | 3/29/1954 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 18th pick / 1976 |
| 68 | Joe DeLamielleure* | 27 | G | 16 | 16 | 254 | 6-3 | Michigan State | 3/16/1951 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 26th pick / 1973 |
| 6 | Tom Dempsey | 31 | K | 16 | 0 | 255 | 6-2 | Palomar College | 1/12/1947 | 9 | |
| 70 | Joe Devlin | 24 | T-G | 14 | 14 | 261 | 6-5 | Iowa | 2/23/1954 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 52nd pick / 1976 |
| 85 | Phil Dokes | 23 | DT-DE | 10 | 10 | 258 | 6-4 | Oklahoma State | 9/7/1955 | 1 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 12th pick / 1977 |
| 79 | Elbert Drungo | 35 | T-G | 13 | 4 | 265 | 6-5 | Tennessee State | 4/30/1943 | 9 | Houston Oilers / 3rd / 65th pick / 1969 |
| 56 | Tom Ehlers | 26 | LB | 8 | 0 | 218 | 6-2 | Kentucky | 7/14/1952 | 3 | Philadelphia Eagles / 13th / 324th pick / 1975 |
| 12 | Joe Ferguson | 28 | QB | 16 | 16 | 195 | 6-1 | Arkansas | 4/23/1950 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 57th pick / 1973 |
| 84 | Mike Franckowiak | 25 | RB | 16 | 0 | 220 | 6-3 | Central Michigan | 3/25/1953 | 3 | Denver Broncos / 3rd / 54th pick / 1975 |
| 22 | Steve Freeman | 25 | DB | 16 | 7 | 185 | 5-11 | Mississippi State | 5/8/1953 | 3 | New England Patriots / 5th / 117th pick / 1975 |
| 88 | Reuben Gant | 26 | TE-WR | 16 | 16 | 230 | 6-4 | Oklahoma State | 4/12/1952 | 4 | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 18th pick / 1974 |
| 55 | Tom Graham | 28 | LB | 11 | 0 | 235 | 6-2 | Oregon | 4/15/1950 | 6 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 102nd pick / 1972 |
| 53 | Will Grant | 24 | C | 16 | 0 | 254 | 6-3 | Idaho State,Kentucky | 3/7/1954 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 10th / 255th pick / 1978 |
| 43 | Tony Greene | 29 | DB | 16 | 0 | 170 | 5-10 | Maryland | 8/29/1949 | 7 | |
| 74 | Dee Hardison | 22 | DE-DT-NT-DE | 16 | 15 | 274 | 6-4 | North Carolina | 5/2/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 32nd pick / 1978 |
| 25 | Roland Hooks | 25 | RB | 16 | 0 | 197 | 6-0 | North Carolina State | 1/2/1953 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 10th / 253rd pick / 1975 |
| 78 | Scott Hutchinson | 22 | DE | 16 | 0 | 246 | 6-4 | Florida | 5/27/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 38th pick / 1978 |
| 73 | Mekeli Ieremia | 24 | DT | 2 | 0 | 244 | 6-2 | BYU | 3/4/1954 | Rook | Chicago Bears / 6th / 158th pick / 1978 |
| 4 | Rusty Jackson | 28 | P | 16 | 0 | 193 | 6-2 | LSU | 11/17/1950 | 2 | |
| 51 | Dan Jilek | 25 | LB | 15 | 1 | 220 | 6-2 | Michigan | 12/3/1953 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 4th / 109th pick / 1976 |
| 39 | Dennis D. Johnson | 22 | RB-TE | 16 | 0 | 220 | 6-3 | Mississippi State | 2/26/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 59th pick / 1978 |
| 75 | Dennis L. Johnson | 27 | DE-DT | 14 | 0 | 260 | 6-4 | Delaware | 10/22/1951 | 4 | Washington Redskins / 13th / 337th pick / 1973 |
| 24 | Doug Jones | 28 | DB | 12 | 9 | 202 | 6-2 | Arizona State,Cal State-Northridge | 5/31/1950 | 5 | Kansas City Chiefs / 6th / 145th pick / 1973 |
| 72 | Ken Jones | 26 | T-DE | 16 | 16 | 260 | 6-5 | Arkansas State | 12/1/1952 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 45th pick / 1976 |
| 71 | Mike Kadish | 28 | DT-NT | 11 | 6 | 270 | 6-5 | Notre Dame | 5/27/1950 | 5 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 25th pick / 1972 |
| 52 | Merv Krakau | 27 | LB | 5 | 0 | 242 | 6-2 | Iowa State | 5/16/1951 | 5 | Buffalo Bills / 14th / 344th pick / 1973 |
| 87 | Mike Levenseller | 22 | WR | 2 | 0 | 180 | 6-1 | Washington State | 2/21/1956 | Rook | Oakland Raiders / 6th / 164th pick / 1978 |
| 82 | Frank Lewis | 31 | WR | 15 | 15 | 196 | 6-1 | Grambling State | 7/4/1947 | 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers / 1st / 8th pick / 1971 |
| 10 | Dave Mays | 29 | QB | 1 | 0 | 204 | 6-1 | Texas Southern | 6/20/1949 | 2 | |
| 54 | Randy McClanahan | 24 | LB | 16 | 10 | 225 | 6-5 | La-Lafayette | 12/12/1954 | 1 | |
| 67 | Reggie McKenzie | 28 | G | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-4 | Michigan | 7/27/1950 | 6 | Buffalo Bills / 2nd / 27th pick / 1972 |
| 41 | Eddie McMillan | 27 | DB | 14 | 0 | 189 | 6-0 | Florida State | 11/25/1951 | 5 | Los Angeles Rams / 4th / 95th pick / 1973 |
| 40 | Terry Miller | 22 | RB | 16 | 0 | 196 | 5-10 | Oklahoma State | 1/7/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 1st / 5th pick / 1978 |
| 46 | Keith Moody | 25 | DB | 14 | 0 | 171 | 5-11 | Syracuse | 6/13/1953 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 10th / 280th pick / 1976 |
| 9 | Bill Munson | 37 | QB | 4 | 0 | 203 | 6-2 | Utah State | 8/11/1941 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 7th pick / 1964 |
| 59 | Shane Nelson | 23 | LB | 16 | 16 | 226 | 6-1 | Baylor | 5/25/1955 | 1 | |
| 61 | Willie Parker | 30 | C-G | 16 | 16 | 245 | 6-3 | North Texas | 12/28/1948 | 5 | San Francisco 49ers / 3rd / 75th pick / 1971 |
| 89 | Lou Piccone | 29 | WR | 16 | 1 | 175 | 5-9 | West Liberty State | 7/17/1949 | 4 | |
| 23 | Steve Powell | 22 | RB | 10 | 0 | 186 | 5-11 | Truman State | 1/2/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 7th / 183rd pick / 1978 |
| 26 | Charles Romes | 24 | DB | 16 | 16 | 191 | 6-1 | North Carolina Central | 12/16/1954 | 1 | Buffalo Bills / 12th / 309th pick / 1977 |
| 57 | Lucius Sanford | 22 | LB | 16 | 15 | 216 | 6-2 | Georgia Tech | 2/14/1956 | Rook | Buffalo Bills / 4th / 89th pick / 1978 |
| 21 | Marvin Switzer | 24 | DB | 10 | 1 | 192 | 6-0 | Kansas State | 10/28/1954 | Rook | |
| 49 | Larry Walton | 31 | WR-FL | 12 | 2 | 180 | 6-0 | Arizona State | 2/8/1947 | 9 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 59th pick / 1969 |
| 83 | Sherman White | 30 | DE | 16 | 16 | 250 | 6-5 | California | 10/6/1948 | 6 | Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 2nd pick / 1972 |
| 77 | Ben Williams | 24 | DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 251 | 6-3 | Mississippi | 9/1/1954 | 2 | Buffalo Bills / 3rd / 78th pick / 1976 |
| 86 | Leonard Willis | 25 | WR | 4 | 0 | 183 | 5-11 | Ohio State | 3/4/1953 | 2 | Minnesota Vikings / 4th / 118th pick / 1976 |
| Team Total | 26.2 | 16 | 220.5 | 6-1.8 | 3.3 |