55th season in franchise history; first under Pegula ownership
The 2014 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League (NFL), 55th season of competition, second and final under head coach Doug Marrone and the first in franchise history without Ralph Wilson as owner. The Bills defense continued its strong play from last season, finishing first in the league with 54 quarterback sacks. Overall, the Bills improved on their 6–10 record from 2013, finishing with a 9–7 record, their first winning season since 2004, yet they still missed the playoffs after a Week 16 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Background
Death of Ralph Wilson and sale to Terrence Pegula
Ralph Wilson, the founding owner of the Buffalo Bills, died at the age of 95 on March 25, 2014. In his will, Wilson placed the team into a trust governed by his wife, niece and two team officials, who were separately given instructions to sell the team in short order, not only to the highest bidder, but with a precondition that the team be kept in Buffalo. Three bidders stepped forward with bids: stalking horse bidder Donald Trump, the family of Buffalo Sabres owner and natural gas baron Terrence Pegula and a consortium led by musician Jon Bon Jovi and the principals of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the last of whom raised serious concerns that the team would relocate to Toronto at the first opportunity. The Pegula family was named as the winning bidder on September 9 and closed on its purchase of the team on October 8.
Cancellation of the Toronto Series
On March 5, 2014, three weeks before Wilson's death, the Bills announced the postponement of the Bills Toronto Series for one year. Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon will evaluate the series in the future, possibly to permanently cancel games in Toronto. On December 3, 2014, after six years and a 1–5 record (their only win coming in a 23–0 shutout victory against the Washington Redskins), the Bills Toronto Series was permanently cancelled.
On-field
The Bills won their first two games, a 23–20 overtime road win at Chicago (their first-ever victory at Soldier Field) and an emotionally raucous 29–10 home win against division rival Miami, a game played just days after the announcement that the Pegulas would purchase the team and keep it in Buffalo. But Buffalo lost their next two, a 22–10 loss at home against San Diego and a 23–17 loss on the road at Houston, after which Marrone benched quarterback EJ Manuel (their first round pick the previous year) in favor of journeyman Kyle Orton. In his first start as a Bill against Detroit at Ford Field, Orton threw for 308 yards as Buffalo came back from a 14-0 halftime deficit to defeat Detroit 17–14 in then-defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's first return to Detroit since being fired in the offseason, following an eventual game-winning 58-yard field goal by kicker Dan Carpenter.
Buffalo would lose its next game, a 37–22 loss at home against New England before coming back from a 16–10 deficit against Minnesota to win 17-16 after Orton threw for 283 yards, two touchdowns, the second of which to rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins and connecting with tight end Scott Chandler for 18 yards to convert a 3rd-and-12 and 24 yards to convert a 4th-and-20, respectively (Orton also had an interception and a lost fumble, one of three for the Bills offense). Unfortunately for Buffalo, running backs C. J. Spiller and Fred Jackson were both injured in the first half. With running back Bryce Brown, who the Bills traded their conditional fourth-rounder that can become a third-round selection (that they had acquired in the trade that sent Stevie Johnson to San Francisco) to Philadelphia, inactive for the game and no time to find anyone to help carry the ball, running back Anthony Dixon, who the Bills signed as a free agent from San Francisco was left to carry the ball himself, with fullback Frank Summers assisting.
On November 30, the Bills beat the Cleveland Browns giving them their seventh win, which not only improved on the previous season, in which they finished 6-10 for the third time since 2003 (they finished 6–10 in 2009 and 2011, the latter of which after they started 5–2), but it also gives them their best start entering December since the 2000 Buffalo Bills season, in which they finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs. With a win against the Green Bay Packers on December 14, the Bills broke a league-leading streak of nine consecutive losing seasons dating back to 2005; however, the next week's 26–24 loss to the Oakland Raiders eliminated them from playoff contention for the 15th consecutive year, continuing a league-leading drought. The team finished with a 17–9 win against the New England Patriots, who were resting the starters in preparation for a playoff run; the win was the first time the team had won at Gillette Stadium (they had lost all 12 previous attempts) and established the team's first winning season since 2004 (former head coach Mike Mularkey's first season).
Roster changes
Free agents lost
Signings
2014 draft
Main article: 2014 NFL draft
- Draft trades
- The Bills traded their original first-round selection (No. 9 overall) and their 2015 first- and fourth-round selections to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the Browns' first-round selection (No. 4 overall).
- The Bills traded their original second-round selection (No. 41 overall) to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the Rams' second- and fifth-round selections (Nos. 44 and 153 overall, respectively).
- The Bills traded their original fifth-round selection (No. 149 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for the Buccaneers' seventh-round selection (No. 221 overall) and a 2015 fifth-round selection.
- The Bills traded their sixth-round selection (No. 185 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for wide receiver Mike Williams.
- The Bills traded their original seventh-round selection (No. 224 overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange running back Bryce Brown and the Eagles' seventh-round selection (No. 237 overall). The trade also includes a conditional future draft selection, which the Eagles could receive from the Bills in either 2015 or 2016. If Brown hits undisclosed statistical rushing targets in 2014, the Eagles will receive the Bills' 2016 third-round selection, otherwise, the Eagles could receive the Bills' 2015 fourth-round selection, which the Bills conditionally acquired in a trade that sent wide receiver Stevie Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers. However, if Johnson does not meet certain statistical receiving targets with the 49ers in 2014, the trade with the 49ers will be voided, and if Brown does not meet certain statistical rushing targets with the Bills in 2014, the Bills will not have to send a future selection to the Eagles.
Staff
2014 Buffalo Bills staff
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Front office
- Owner/CEO – Terrence Pegula
- Owner – Kim Pegula
- President – Russ Brandon
- General Manager – Doug Whaley
- Senior Vice President of Football Administration – Jim Overdorf
- Director of Football Administration - Don Purdy
- Special Assistant – Buddy Nix
- Director of Player Personnel – Jim Monos
- Director of Pro Personnel – Tom Gibbons
- Assistant Director of Pro Personnel – Rob Hanrahan
- Director of College Scouting – Kelvin Fisher
- Contract Administrator/Football Analyst – Kevin Meganck
- Director of Analytics – Michael Lyons
Head coaches
- Head coach – Doug Marrone
- Assistant to the head coach – Stephen Brown
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
- Special teams coordinator – Danny Crossman
- Special teams assistant – John Anselmo
Strength and conditioning
- Head strength and conditioning – Eric Ciano
- Assistant strength and conditioning – Hal Luther
- Strength and conditioning assistant – Dan Liburd
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Final roster
Schedule
Preseason
On February 27, 2014, the NFL announced that, to celebrate the induction of wide receiver Andre Reed, the Bills would play the New York Giants in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio, which took place on August 3, 2014, and aired on NBC. The remainder of the Bills' preseason opponents were announced on April 9, 2014.
Regular season
- Notes
- Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
- For the first time since 2007, the Bills did not play a game in Toronto, as the Bills Toronto Series was suspended in March 2014 and permanently canceled later that year.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Chicago Bears
Week One: Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Bills |
7 |
10 |
0 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
| Bears |
7 |
0 |
10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 50-yard field goal, 8:07. Bills 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 14 yards, 3:23.
- BUF – C. J. Spiller 7 yard pass from EJ Manuel (Dan Carpenter kick), 5:30. Bills 17–7. Drive: 1 play, 7 yards, 0:06.
Third quarter
- CHI – Robbie Gould 41-yard field goal, 9:34. Bills 17–10. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:26.
- CHI – Brandon Marshall 11 yard pass from Jay Cutler (Robbie Gould kick), 2:30. Tied 17–17. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 2:30.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 33-yard field goal, 4:02. Bills 20–17. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 3:50.
- CHI – Robbie Gould 37-yard field goal, 0:30. Tied 20–20. Drive: 12 plays, 61 yards, 3:32.
Overtime
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 27-yard field goal, 9:46. Bills 23–20. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 3:34.
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Top passers
- BUF – EJ Manuel – 16/22, 173 yards, TD, 1 INT
- CHI – Jay Cutler – 34/49, 349 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
- BUF – Robert Woods – 4 receptions, 78 yards
- CHI – Matt Forte – 8 receptions, 87 yards
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Week 2: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week Two: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins |
0 |
0 |
10 | 0 | 10 |
| Bills |
6 |
3 |
14 | 6 | 29 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information
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First quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 27-yard field goal, 4:47. Bills 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 4:46.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 27-yard field goal, 0:22. Bills 6–0. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 1:50.
Second quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 31-yard field goal, 10:22. Bills 9–0. Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 2:15.
Third quarter
- MIA – Caleb Sturgis 34-yard field goal, 9:35. Bills 9–3. Drive: 13 plays, 64 yards, 5:25.
- BUF – C. J. Spiller 102-yard kickoff return (Dan Carpenter kick), 9:23. Bills 16–3.
- MIA – Mike Wallace 7-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Caleb Sturgis kick), 3:15. Bills 16–10. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 6:08.
- BUF – Sammy Watkins 12-yard pass from EJ Manuel (Dan Carpenter kick), 0:13. Bills 23–10. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 3:02.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 32-yard field goal, 10:32. Bills 26–10. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 4:14.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 38-yard field goal, 1:54. Bills 29–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:38.
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Top passers
- MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 31/49, 241 yards, TD, INT
- BUF – EJ Manuel – 16/26, 202 yards, TD
Top rushers
- MIA – Lamar Miller – 11 rushes, 46 yards
- BUF – C. J. Spiller – 12 rushes, 69 yards
Top receivers
- MIA – Mike Wallace – 5 receptions, 56 yards, TD
- BUF – Sammy Watkins – 8 receptions, 117 yards, TD
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Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week Three: San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Chargers |
7 |
6 |
7 | 2 | 22 |
| Bills |
0 |
3 |
7 | 0 | 10 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SD – Nick Novak 19-yard field goal, 10:18. Chargers 10–0. Drive: 17 plays, 89 yards, 7:51.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 45-yard field goal, 2:56. Chargers 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 2:58.
- SD – Nick Novak 37-yard field goal, 0:21. Chargers 13–3. Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 2:35.
Third quarter
- SD – Eddie Royal 5-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nick Novak kick), 7:31. Chargers 20–3. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 7:29.
- BUF – Fred Jackson 11-yard pass from EJ Manuel (Dan Carpenter kick), 1:16. Chargers 20–10. Drive: 11 plays, 67 yards, 6:15.
Fourth quarter
- SD – Penalty on EJ Manuel enforced in the endzone for a safety, 3:23. Chargers 22–10.
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Top passers
- SD – Philip Rivers – 18/25, 256 yards, 2 TD
- BUF – EJ Manuel – 23/39, 238 yards, TD
Top rushers
- SD – Donald Brown – 31 rushes, 62 yards
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 6 rushes, 34 yards
Top receivers
- SD – Malcom Floyd – 2 receptions, 98 yards
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 8 receptions, 78 yards, TD
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Week 4: at Houston Texans
Week Four: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
0 |
10 |
0 | 7 | 17 |
| Texans |
0 |
7 |
10 | 6 | 23 |
at NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- HOU – J. J. Watt 80-yard interception return (Randy Bullock kick), 13:28. Texans 14–10.
- HOU – Randy Bullock 41-yard field goal, 6:14. Texans 17–10. Drive: 12 plays, 42 yards, 6:10.
Fourth quarter
- HOU – Randy Bullock 55-yard field goal, 9:21. Texans 20–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:30.
- BUF – Mike Williams 80-yard pass from EJ Manuel (Dan Carpenter kick), 9:08. Texans 20–17. Drive: 1 play, 80 yards, 0:13.
- HOU – Randy Bullock 50-yard field goal, 4:49. Texans 23–17. Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 4:19.
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Top passers
- BUF – EJ Manuel – 21/44, 225 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
- HOU – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 25/37, 268 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
- BUF – C. J. Spiller – 15 rushes, 60 yards
- HOU – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 5 rushes, 14 yards
Top receivers
- BUF – Mike Williams – 2 receptions, 84 yards, TD
- HOU – Andre Johnson – 6 receptions, 71 yards
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Week 5: at Detroit Lions
Week Five: Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
0 |
3 |
3 | 11 | 17 |
| Lions |
7 |
7 |
0 | 0 | 14 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- DET – Rashean Mathis 41-yard interception return (Alex Henery kick), 13:44. Lions 14–0.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 45-yard field goal, 6:51. Lions 14–3. Drive: 6 plays, 24 yards, 3:38.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 25-yard field goal, 1:23. Lions 14–6. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 3:42.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Chris Gragg 2-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Fred Jackson run), 9:23. Tied 14–14. Drive: 9 plays, 74 yards, 3:56.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 58-yard field goal, 0:04. Bills 17–14. Drive: 3 plays, 20 yards, 0:17.
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Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 30/43, 308 yards, TD, INT
- DET – Matthew Stafford – 18/31, 231 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 10 rushes, 49 yards
- DET – George Winn – 11 rushes, 48 yards
Top receivers
- BUF – Sammy Watkins – 7 receptions, 87 yards
- DET – Golden Tate – 7 receptions, 134 yards, TD
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Week 6: vs. New England Patriots
Week Six: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots |
0 |
13 |
10 | 14 | 37 |
| Bills |
0 |
7 |
7 | 8 | 22 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: October 12
- Game time: 1:00pm EDT
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C), clear & sunny
- Game attendance: 70,185
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- NE – Tim Wright 1-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 13:04. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 1:49.
- BUF – Robert Woods 7-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 3:52. Tied 7–7. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:51.
- NE – Stephen Gostkowski 42-yard field goal, 1:42. Patriots 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:26.
- NE – Stephen Gostkowski 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Patriots 13–7. Drive: 2 plays, 7 yards, 0:06.
Third quarter
- NE – Brian Tyms 43-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 12:30. Patriots 20–7. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:30.
- BUF – Fred Jackson 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 5:33. Patriots 20–14. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:57.
- NE – Stephen Gostkowski 40-yard field goal, 3:08. Patriots 23–14. Drive: 6 plays, 56 yards, 2:25.
Fourth quarter
- NE – Brandon LaFell 18-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 8:42. Patriots 30–14. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:08.
- BUF – Chris Hogan 8-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Kyle Orton-Robert Woods pass), 5:58. Patriots 30–22. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 2:44.
- NE – Brandon LaFell 56-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 2:49. Patriots 37–22. Drive: 7 plays, 93 yards, 3:09.
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Top passers
- NE – Tom Brady – 27/37, 361 yards, 4 TD
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 24/38, 299 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
- NE – Stevan Ridley – 10 rushes, 23 yards
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 10 rushes, 26 yards, TD
Top receivers
- NE – Brandon LaFell – 4 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD
- BUF – Scott Chandler – 6 receptions, 105 yards
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Week 7: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week Seven: Minnesota Vikings at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Vikings |
3 |
10 |
0 | 3 | 16 |
| Bills |
0 |
10 |
0 | 7 | 17 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information
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First quarter
- MIN – Blair Walsh 40-yard field goal, 1:50. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:59.
Second quarter
- BUF – Sammy Watkins 26-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 9:23. Bills 7–3. Drive: 1 play, 26 yards, 0:05.
- MIN – Cordarrelle Patterson 4-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater (Blair Walsh kick), 6:17. Vikings 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 3:06.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 31-yard field goal, 4:01. Tied 10–10. Drive: 6 plays, 66 yards, 2:16.
- MIN – Blair Walsh 55-yard field goal, 0:15. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:04.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Blair Walsh 33-yard field goal, 11:45. Vikings 16–10. Drive: 12 plays, 36 yards, 5:43.
- BUF – Sammy Watkins 2-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 0:01. Bills 17–16. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 3:06.
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Top passers
- MIN – Teddy Bridgewater – 15/26, 157 yards, TD
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 31/43, 283 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
- MIN – Greg Jennings – 6 receptions, 77 yards
- BUF – Sammy Watkins – 9 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD
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Week 8: at New York Jets
Week Eight: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
14 |
10 |
6 | 13 | 43 |
| Jets |
0 |
17 |
0 | 6 | 23 |
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
| Game information
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First quarter
- BUF – Robert Woods 22-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 9:37. Bills 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 3:45.
- BUF – Lee Smith 1-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 4:36. Bills 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 1 yard, 0:04.
Second quarter
- NYJ – Chris Ivory 2-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 14:22. Bills 14–7. Drive: 13 plays, 76 yards, 5:14.
- BUF – Frank Summers 2-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 11:50. Bills 21–7. Drive: 5 plays, 92 yards, 2:32.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 53-yard field goal, 6:16. Bills 24–7. Drive: 4 plays, -4 yards, 1:18.
- NYJ – Chris Ivory 2-yard run (Nick Folk kick), 1:50. Bills 24–14. Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 4:26.
- NYJ – Nick Folk 55-yard field goal, 0:00. Bills 24–17. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 0:33.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 36-yard field goal, 8:31. Bills 27–17. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:39.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 29-yard field goal, 1:11. Bills 30–17. Drive: 4 plays, -1 yards, 1:22.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Scott Chandler 12-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 14:11. Bills 37–17. Drive: 3 plays, 14 yards, 1:05.
- BUF – Sammy Watkins 61-yard pass from Kyle Orton (kick failed), 9:46. Bills 43–17. Drive: 4 plays, 71 yards, 2:21.
- NYJ – Bilal Powell 3-yard run (pass failed), 4:06. Bills 43–23. Drive: 17 plays, 80 yards, 5:40.
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Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 10/17, 238 yards, 4 TD
- NYJ – Michael Vick – 18/36, 153 yards, INT
Top rushers
- BUF – Anthony Dixon – 22 rushes, 44 yards
- NYJ – Michael Vick – 8 rushes, 69 yards
Top receivers
- BUF – Sammy Watkins – 3 receptions, 157 yards, TD
- NYJ – Jace Amaro – 5 receptions, 51 yards
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Week 10: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week Ten: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Chiefs |
3 |
0 |
0 | 14 | 17 |
| Bills |
7 |
3 |
3 | 0 | 13 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: November 9
- Game time: 1:00pm EST
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 68,119
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 26-yard field goal, 7:09. Bills 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 23 yards, 3:57.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 21-yard field goal, 3:06. Bills 13–3. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 5:02.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Jamaal Charles 39-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 13:30. Bills 13–10. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:36.
- KC – Alex Smith 8-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 8:59. Chiefs 17–13. Drive: 2 plays, 26 yards, 0:45.
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Top passers
- KC – Alex Smith – 17/29, 177 yards
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 29/48, 259 yards, TD
Top rushers
- KC – Jamaal Charles – 15 rushes, 98 yards, TD
- BUF – Anthony Dixon – 9 rushes, 62 yards
Top receivers
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Week 11: at Miami Dolphins
Week Eleven: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
3 |
3 |
3 | 0 | 9 |
| Dolphins |
3 |
0 |
9 | 10 | 22 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
| Game information
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First quarter
- MIA – Caleb Sturgis 38-yard field goal, 6:40. Dolphins 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 68 yards, 8:20.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 33-yard field goal, 0:13. Tied 3–3. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 6:27.
Second quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 21-yard field goal, 3:26. Bills 6–3. Drive: 17 plays, 85 yards, 9:24.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 46-yard field goal, 6:26. Bills 9–3. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 3:27.
- MIA – Brandon Gibson 7-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Caleb Sturgis kick), 2:18. Dolphins 10–9. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:08.
- MIA – Penalty on Kyle Orton enforced in the endzone for a safety, 1:08. Dolphins 12–9.
Fourth quarter
- MIA – Jarvis Landry 8-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Caleb Sturgis kick), 11:35. Dolphins 19–9. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 3:18.
- MIA – Caleb Sturgis 38-yard field goal, 3:01. Dolphins 22–9. Drive: 4 plays, -2 yards, 0:18.
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Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 22/39, 193 yards
- MIA – Ryan Tannehill – 26/34, 240 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Week 12: vs. New York Jets
Week Twelve: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets |
3 |
0 |
0 | 0 | 3 |
| Bills |
7 |
7 |
17 | 7 | 38 |
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Date: November 24
- Game time: 7:00pm EST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 56,044
- Referee: Pete Morelli
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Scott Chandler 19-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 0:43. Bills 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 5:04.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 53-yard field goal, 9:45. Bills 17–3. Drive: 11 plays, 45 yards, 5:15.
- BUF – Manny Lawson blocked punt recovery in endzone (Dan Carpenter kick), 7:57. Bills 24–3.
- BUF – Fred Jackson 5-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 5:03. Bills 31–3. Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:49.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Anthony Dixon 30-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 5:53. Bills 38–3. Drive: 7 plays, 91 yards, 4:12.
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Top passers
- NYJ – Geno Smith – 10/12, 89 yards
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 24/32, 230 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
- NYJ – Chris Johnson – 7 rushes, 40 yards
- BUF – Anthony Dixon – 12 rushes, 54 yards, TD
Top receivers
- NYJ – Jeremy Kerley – 5 receptions, 66 yards
- BUF – Robert Woods – 9 receptions, 118 yards, TD
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Week 13: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Thirteen: Cleveland Browns at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns |
3 |
0 |
0 | 7 | 10 |
| Bills |
0 |
0 |
17 | 9 | 26 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information
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First quarter
- CLE – Billy Cundiff 22-yard field goal, 4:51. Browns 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 6:03.
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 49-yard field goal, 13:41. Bills 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 17 yards, 3:01.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 34-yard field goal, 12:01. Bills 20–3. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 0:58.
- CLE – Johnny Manziel 10-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 8:47. Bills 20–10. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:14.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 34-yard field goal, 3:32. Bills 23–10. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 5:15.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 35-yard field goal, 0:27. Bills 26–10. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 2:16.
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Top passers
- CLE – Brian Hoyer – 18/30, 192 yards, 2 INT
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 17/31, 190 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
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This was the 1st time the Bills have had a winning record this late in the season since 2008
Week 14: at Denver Broncos
Week Fourteen: Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
0 |
3 |
0 | 14 | 17 |
| Broncos |
7 |
7 |
10 | 0 | 24 |
at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 7
- Game time: 4:05pm EST/2:05pm MST
- Game weather: 63 °F (17 °C), mostly sunny
- Game attendance: 76,913
- Referee: Ron Torbert
- TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 44-yard field goal, 11:51. Broncos 7–3. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:52.
- DEN – C. J. Anderson 1-yard run (Connor Barth kick), 3:26. Broncos 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:27.
Third quarter
- DEN – C. J. Anderson 3-yard run (Connor Barth kick), 12:01. Broncos 21–3. Drive: 5 plays, 80 yards, 2:59.
- DEN – Connor Barth 50-yard field goal, 1:07. Broncos 24–3. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 3:49.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Chris Hogan 14-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 10:46. Broncos 24–10. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 5:21.
- BUF – Kyle Orton 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 0:55. Broncos 24–17. Drive: 17 plays, 90 yards, 3:25.
|
Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 38/57, 355 yards, TD, 2 INT
- DEN – Peyton Manning – 14/20, 173 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
|
|
Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week Fifteen: Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Packers |
3 |
7 |
0 | 3 | 13 |
| Bills |
7 |
3 |
6 | 5 | 21 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- GB – Eddie Lacy 1-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 14:14. Packers 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 2:55.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 27-yard field goal, 8:04. Tied 10–10. Drive: 10 plays, 71 yards, 6:10.
Third quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 51-yard field goal, 9:21. Bills 13–10. Drive: 11 plays, 40 yards, 5:39.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 35-yard field goal, 4:18. Bills 16–10. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 3:18.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 48-yard field goal, 9:23. Bills 19–10. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:40.
- GB – Mason Crosby 34-yard field goal, 4:51. Bills 19–13. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 4:32.
- BUF – Eddie Lacy tackled in the endzone by Nickell Robey for a safety, 1:51. Bills 21–13.
|
Top passers
Top rushers
- GB – Eddie Lacy – 15 rushes, 97 yards, TD
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 20 rushes, 71 yards
Top receivers
|
|
The Bills were the only AFC East team to defeat all of their NFC North opponents. The Bills also improved their record to 6–0 against the Packers at home.
Week 16: at Oakland Raiders
Week Sixteen: Buffalo Bills at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
7 |
3 |
0 | 14 | 24 |
| Raiders |
0 |
13 |
6 | 7 | 26 |
at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- OAK – James Jones 3-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 14:56. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 2:31.
- OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 54-yard field goal, 8:09. Raiders 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 4:02.
- OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 36-yard field goal, 1:11. Raiders 13–7. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 3:05.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 54-yard field goal, 0:00. Raiders 13–10. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 1:11.
Third quarter
- OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 38-yard field goal, 10:18. Raiders 16–10. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:54.
- OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 49-yard field goal, 2:36. Raiders 19–10. Drive: 12 plays, 49 yards, 5:49.
Fourth quarter
- BUF – Scott Chandler 29-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 14:54. Raiders 19–17. Drive: 7 plays, 83 yards, 2:42.
- OAK – Jamize Olawale 1-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 2:51. Raiders 26–17. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 5:22.
- BUF – Robert Woods 30-yard pass from Kyle Orton (Dan Carpenter kick), 1:09. Raiders 26–24. Drive: 4 plays, 64 yards, 0:46.
|
Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 32/49, 329 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT
- OAK – Derek Carr – 17/34, 214 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
- BUF – Fred Jackson – 9 receptions, 93 yards
- OAK – Kenbrell Thompkins – 5 receptions, 90 yards
|
|
This loss eliminated Buffalo from playoff contention.
Week 17: at New England Patriots
Week Seventeen: Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots – Game summary
| Quarter |
1 |
2 |
3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills |
7 |
10 |
0 | 0 | 17 |
| Patriots |
3 |
3 |
3 | 0 | 9 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Date: December 28
- Game time: 1:00pm EST
- Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 68,756
- Referee: Terry McAulay
- TV announcers (CBS): Spero Dedes and Solomon Wilcots
- Recap, Gamebook
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- BUF – Anthony Dixon 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), 10:38. Bills 14–3. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 7:24.
- NE – Stephen Gostkowski 44-yard field goal, 5:07. Bills 14–6. Drive: 8 plays, 18 yards, 3:24.
- BUF – Dan Carpenter 48-yard field goal, 2:14. Bills 17–6. Drive: 7 plays, 17 yards, 2:53.
Third quarter
- NE – Stephen Gostkowski 35-yard field goal, 0:37. Bills 17–9. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:18.
Fourth quarter
|
Top passers
- BUF – Kyle Orton – 16/23, 176 yards, TD
- NE – Jimmy Garoppolo – 10/17, 90 yards
Top rushers
Top receivers
|
|
This was the first time Buffalo won in New England since November 5, 2000.
Standings
Division
Conference
| AFC
|
| #
|
Team
|
Division
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PCT
|
DIV
|
CONF
|
SOS
|
SOV
|
STK
|
| Division leaders
|
| 1
|
New England Patriots
|
East
|
12
|
4
|
0
|
.750
|
4–2
|
9–3
|
.514
|
.487
|
L1
|
| 2
|
Denver Broncos
|
West
|
12
|
4
|
0
|
.750
|
6–0
|
10–2
|
.521
|
.484
|
W1
|
| 3
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
North
|
11
|
5
|
0
|
.688
|
4–2
|
9–3
|
.451
|
.486
|
W4
|
| 4
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
South
|
11
|
5
|
0
|
.688
|
6–0
|
9–3
|
.479
|
.372
|
W1
|
| Wild Cards
|
| 5
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
North
|
10
|
5
|
1
|
.656
|
3–3
|
7–5
|
.498
|
.425
|
L1
|
| 6
|
Baltimore Ravens
|
North
|
10
|
6
|
0
|
.625
|
3–3
|
6–6
|
.475
|
.378
|
W1
|
| Did not qualify for the postseason
|
| 7
|
Houston Texans
|
South
|
9
|
7
|
0
|
.563
|
4–2
|
8–4
|
.447
|
.299
|
W2
|
| 8
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
West
|
9
|
7
|
0
|
.563
|
3–3
|
7–5
|
.512
|
.500
|
W1
|
| 9
|
San Diego Chargers
|
West
|
9
|
7
|
0
|
.563
|
2–4
|
6–6
|
.512
|
.403
|
L1
|
| 10
|
Buffalo Bills
|
East
|
9
|
7
|
0
|
.563
|
4–2
|
5–7
|
.516
|
.486
|
W1
|
| 11
|
Miami Dolphins
|
East
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
.500
|
3–3
|
6–6
|
.512
|
.406
|
L1
|
| 12
|
Cleveland Browns
|
North
|
7
|
9
|
0
|
.438
|
2–4
|
4–8
|
.479
|
.371
|
L5
|
| 13
|
New York Jets
|
East
|
4
|
12
|
0
|
.250
|
1–5
|
4–8
|
.543
|
.375
|
W1
|
| 14
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
South
|
3
|
13
|
0
|
.188
|
1–5
|
2–10
|
.514
|
.313
|
L1
|
| 15
|
Oakland Raiders
|
West
|
3
|
13
|
0
|
.188
|
1–5
|
2–10
|
.570
|
.542
|
L1
|
| 16
|
Tennessee Titans
|
South
|
2
|
14
|
0
|
.125
|
1–5
|
2–10
|
.506
|
.375
|
L10
|
| Tiebreakers
|
- ^ New England defeated Denver head-to-head (Week 9, 43–21).
- ^ Pittsburgh defeated Indianapolis head-to-head (Week 8, 51–34).
- ^ Kansas City finished ahead of San Diego in the AFC West based on head-to-head sweep (Week 7, 23–20; Week 17, 19–7).
Houston finished ahead of Kansas City and Buffalo based on conference record.
Kansas City finished ahead of Buffalo based on head-to-head victory (Week 10, 17–13).
San Diego finished ahead of Buffalo based on head-to-head victory (Week 3, 22–10).
- ^ Jacksonville finished ahead of Oakland based on record vs. common opponents (1–4 to 0–5).
- When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
|
Fist bump controversy
After a touchdown by Denver Broncos' running back C. J. Anderson during the December 7 game, two officials acknowledged the call through the use of a fist bump. The move was seen by many Bills fans and players, including defensive back Aaron Williams, as an insensitive gesture, with some likening the gesture to a conspiracy. However, the NFL responded saying the gesture was "an acknowledgment of good mechanics between the two officials involved in making the call."
Notes
- ^ The Week 12 game vs. the New York Jets, originally scheduled at 1:00 p.m. EST on November 23 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, was re-scheduled to November 24 at 7:00 p.m. EST and relocated to Ford Field in Detroit due to a lake-effect snowstorm that struck the Buffalo area.
References
- Patra, Kevin (February 27, 2014). "Buffalo Bills, N.Y. Giants to play in Hall of Fame Game". NFL.com. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
- Rosenthal, Gregg (November 20, 2014). "Jets-Bills game moved to Detroit on Monday night". NFL.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
- "No Toronto in 2014." WGR. Retrieved March 5, 2014. "WGR has learned that the Buffalo Bills will not play in Toronto this season. The future of the Toronto Series is unclear. Keep it locked to WGR for details"
- Sessler, Marc (December 21, 2014). "Bills eliminated from playoffs with loss to Raiders". NFL.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
- "2014 Conference Standings". NFL.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- "2014 NFL playoff picture". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- ^ Mandell, Nina (December 8, 2014). "NFL says refs in Broncos game were celebrating correct call, not touchdown with fist bump". USA Today. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- Breech, John (December 8, 2014). "LOOK: Two refs fist bump after Broncos TD; Bills players not happy". CBSSports.com. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- "Bills fans angry at referee "fist bump" caught on camera". WIVB. December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- Parziale, James (December 7, 2014). "Refs fist-bump after C. J. Anderson scores for Broncos, but they're not rooting for Denver". Fox Sports. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
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