1971 Buffalo Bills season explained

Team:Buffalo Bills
Year:1971
Record:1–13
Division Place:5th AFC East
Coach:Harvey Johnson
Owner:Ralph Wilson
Stadium:War Memorial Stadium
Playoffs:Did not qualify
Shortnavlink:Bills seasons

The 1971 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's second season in the National Football League, and the 12th overall.

For the second time in four seasons, the Bills finished with only one victory. The Bills 1–13 record (a 0.071 winning percentage) remains the worst in franchise history. The team allowed 394 points, the most in franchise history for a 14-game season.

The season began in turmoil when coach John Rauch resigned, forcing pro personnel director Harvey Johnson to assume the position for the second time on an interim basis.

Buffalo lost their first ten games of the season, extending their losing streak to 15 and winless streak to 17, dating back to the previous season. They were held scoreless in four games; their minus-210 point differential is the worst in the team's history, and one of the forty worst point-differentials in NFL history.[1]

Running back O. J. Simpson would have a stellar year, despite the Billsʼ poor team record. Simpson would rush for 742 yards on 183 attempts. However, Simpson would only score 5 touchdowns, the fewest for a single season in his career. The Bills would only score 21 touchdowns as a team during the 1971 season, a franchise low.[2]

Offseason

NFL Draft

See main article: 1971 NFL draft.

The Bills had a strong draft in 1971, selecting several players who would have long-term impact with the team.

= Pro Bowler
1971 Buffalo Bills Draft
Round Selection Player Position College Notes
1 4 Arizona State
2 29 Ohio State
3 53 Washington
57 West Virginia
5 107 Purdue
113 Illinois
6 145 Bill McKinley DEArizona
7160 WR USC
8 183 Louis Ross DE South Carolina State
185RBMissouri
9213Bob StricklandLBAuburn
11263Andy BrowderTTexas A&I
12291Jim SheffieldKTexas A&M
13316Busty UnderwoodQBTCU
14341Jim HootsDEMissouri Southern
15369Charles ColeRBToledo
16394Billy HunterDBUtah
17419Pat MorrisonTEArkansas

[3]

Personnel

Coaches/Staff

Final roster

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 19Dallas CowboysL 37–490–1War Memorial StadiumRecap
2September 26Miami DolphinsL 14–290–2War Memorial StadiumRecap
3October 3at Minnesota VikingsL 0–190–3Metropolitan StadiumRecap
4October 10Baltimore ColtsL 0–430–4War Memorial StadiumRecap
5October 17at New York JetsL 17–280–5Shea StadiumRecap
6at San Diego ChargersL 3–200–6San Diego StadiumRecap
7October 31St. Louis CardinalsL 23–280–7War Memorial StadiumRecap
8November 7at Miami DolphinsL 0–340–8Miami Orange BowlRecap
9November 14at New England PatriotsL 33–380–9Schaefer StadiumRecap
10November 21New York JetsL 7–200–10War Memorial StadiumRecap
11November 28New England PatriotsW 27–201–10War Memorial StadiumRecap
12December 5at Baltimore ColtsL 0–241–11Memorial StadiumRecap
13December 12Houston OilersL 14–201–12War Memorial StadiumRecap
14December 19at Kansas City ChiefsL 9–221–13Municipal StadiumRecap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

[4]

Game summaries

Week 11

[5]

References

Notes and References

  1. http://pfref.com/tiny/3TUFM Pro-Football-Reference.com: Team Game Finder Query Results
  2. Web site: 1971 Buffalo Bills Statistics & Players . Pro Football Reference . 22 November 2021.
  3. Web site: Buffalo Bills 1971 NFL Entry Draft. The Football Database.
  4. Book: NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book. Workman Publishing Co. New York, NY. 0-7611-2480-2. 297.
  5. Web site: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — November 28th, 1971. Pro-Football-Reference.com. April 20, 2015.