The Best of One Bills Drive - Nov. 23, 1975

(Greg D. Tranter and Budd Bailey have written a book about the history of the football stadium in Orchard Park called "One Bills Drive." It is scheduled for publication by Reedy Press around October 15. The books covers the top 50 games played in the stadium's history from 1973 until January 2025. However, there are several other games that qualified as thrilling - but they couldn't crack the top 50. Those contests deserve to be remembered too, so we'll offer them in this space a couple of times per week during the season.)

Score by Quarters:

                                       1       2       3        4       Final

New England (L, 3-7)   7      14      7        3       31

Buffalo (W, 6-4)             14     10     7       14     45

Scoring Summary:

Quarter – Team – Play

1 – Bills – Ferguson 19-yard pass to Gant (Leypoldt kick)

1 – Bills – Ferguson 77-yard pass to Hill (Leypoldt kick)

1 – Patriots – Cunningham 10-yard run (Smith kick)

2 – Patriots – Grogan 11-yard pass to Cunningham (Smith kick)

2 – Bills – Simpson 2-yard run (Leypoldt kick)

2 – Bills – Leypoldt 28-yard field goal

2 – Patriots – Grogan 21-yard pass to Francis (Smith kick)

3 – Patriots – Cunningham 1-yard run (Smith kick)

3 – Bills – Ferguson 3-yard pass to Simpson (Leypoldt kick)

4 – Patriots – Smith 34-yard field goal

4 – Bills – Simpson 1-yard run (Leypoldt kick)

4 – Bills – Ferguson 3-yard pass to Simpson (Leypoldt kick)

O.J. Simpson had one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history in 1973. He became the first player to ever run for 2,000 yards in a season.

It was tough act to follow. But here’s a little secret: Simpson may have been just as good two years later. He still ran for more than 1,800 yards, but he had his best season as a receiver – causing an extra headache for opposing defenses. All of his skills were on display in this game against New England, when a win was needed badly after the Bills had lost four of five games following a 4-0 start.

Buffalo jumped on the Patriots right from the start. Vic Washington returned the opening kickoff 59 yards to set the Bills up at the Patriots’ 34-yard line. Six players later Ferguson passed to Reuben Gant for a 19-yard touchdown. The Bills added to their lead with another Ferguson touchdown pass before the end of the first quarter. From the Buffalo 23,-yard line Ferguson threw a 52-yard strike to J.D. Hill at the Patriots’ 25 and the speedy wideout raced the final 25- yards for a thrilling score. But the Patriots responded with a pair of touchdowns that evened the game early in the second quarter.

The fireworks continued following an interception of New England quarterback Steve Grogan. Simpson almost single-handedly drove the Bills down the field, finishing the possession with a two-yard run around right end. John Leypoldt’s field goal the Bills a 10-point lead, but the Patriots bounced back with a touchdown of their own. The Bills led 24-21 at the half, despite giving up 19 New England first downs and 303 yards of offense. 

The Patriots continued to move the ball easily and scored on the opening possession of the second half, with Sam Cunningham picking up his third score on the afternoon. The game seemed to be slipping away from the Bills. Buffalo’s defense had no answers for Grogan and Cunningham.

However, Buffalo’s offense kept the Bills in the game, with Simpson scoring his second TD on a short pass from Ferguson. After the teams traded field goals, the teams were tied at 31-31 with less than six minutes to go. At that point, Washington changed the game. He had his second return of more than 50 yards on the day, this time reaching the New England 35. The play was followed by Ferguson’s 44-yard pass to Hill, who was brought down at the Patriots’ 1.

“Ferguson made a gutsy play on that one,” Hill said. “He was supposed to throw a shorter pattern to (Bob) Chandler but he took a look and saw I beat my man clean and he threw me the ball.” Simpson scored on the next play and Buffalo had a 38-31 lead.

On the Patriots’ next possession, Grogan was intercepted by cornerback Ike Thomas, who was playing his first game for the Bills after he was signed as a free agent. raced 58 yards to the Patriots’ 11. “I got a call from the Bills’ head scout and came for a tryout,” said Thomas, who had played in the World Football League said. Two plays later Simpson caught a one-yard pass from Ferguson for his fourth touchdown of the game. Tony Greene snared the Bills’ third interception to clinch the win for Buffalo.

"I scored four (all from within three yards) but they were all little ones. I prefer to get those big ones, but the Patriots did a good job against me,” Simpson said.

The star running back was held to only 69 yards on 27 carries. “It might have been his worst game statistically, but he still put the ball in the end zone,” Patriots head coach Chuck Fairbanks said.

More importantly, it was the only four-touchdown game in Simpson’s great career. He also was on his way to setting an NFL record with 23 touchdowns for the season.  

“I’m a runner,” Simpson said. “I would rather have a long run for six points than catch a pass for six. “But six points is six points and that’s what it’s all about.”

The Bills were fortunate to win the game. The defense allowed 498 yards, but the three New England turnovers combined with the Bills’ inspired play on offense (416 yards) and special teams for the win. “It’s just nice to win,” head coach Lou Saban said amidst a national televised rumors that he and owner Ralph Wilson were at odds. “Nothing to it, there’s nothing to it. … I must say, we had 45 points and I still wasn’t sure.”

Noteworthy: Simpson’s touchdown catch also was one of his seven such plays during the course of the 1975 season. That set a career high. … Ferguson threw for 276 yards and four TDs. It was his 12^th straight game throwing a touchdown pass. His streak ended the following week, but he went on to lead the NFL with 25 touchdown passes for the season. … Hill had a career game with 147 receiving yards. “My job today was to go out and beat my man,” Hill said.

Legacy: The Bills lost two of their final four games and finished out of the playoffs with an 8-6 record. They led the league in scoring with 420 points, an average of 30 points per game. It was a Bills’  team record that stood until 2020 when the Josh Allen- led Bills scored 501 points with a 31.3 per game average. The team also finished with the sixth- worst scoring defense in the league, allowing over 25 points per game. That  and that ultimately cost them a playoff spot.

Meanwhile, Saban didn’t quit his job as head coach during the 1975 season. He waited almost a year, and then left in the middle of the 1976 season. It soured his professional relationship with Wilson for good.