Buffalo Bills

After a public contest, the team adopted the same name as the former All-America Football Conference team in Buffalo. On October 28, 1959; the Buffalo Bills officially became the 8th member of the AFL.

On August 8, 1961, the Bills were the first (and only) American Football League team to play a Canadian Football League team, the nearby Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In the AFL, a predominantly offensive league, the Bills were a great defensive team. In 1964, the defense allowed Buffalo to become the first American Football League team to win 13 games in a season (including the league championship game). The same defense registered fifty quarterback sacks, a team record that stands today, even though it was established in a 14-game season. Three were eventually named to the American Football League's All-Time Team, and six to the second team. The following season they lost their AFC East title to the Dolphins, but won their first NFL playoff game (over the New York Jets). Meanwhile, the team finished with 2-14 record in 1984 and 1985. Kelly would eventually join the Bills for the 1986 season after the USFL's demise. In 1988, the rookie season of running back Thurman Thomas, the Bills went 12 - 4 and finished atop the AFC East for the first of four consecutive seasons. The Bills lost the 1992 AFC East title to the Miami Dolphins and Jim Kelly was injured in the final game of the regular season. The Bills won the AFC East championship in 1993 with a 12 - 4 record, and again won playoff games against the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs, setting up a rematch with the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994 .

Jim Kelly retired after the season, signaling an end to the most successful era in Bills history. Coach Marv Levy retired after the season.

The Bills stumbled to begin the season, and after Johnson suffered a rib injury against the Indianapolis Colts, Flutie came in and led the Bills to a playoff spot and a 10 - 6 record. Flutie's popularity continued into the 1999 season, with the Bills finishing 11 - 5, two games behind the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC East standings. Wade Phillips gave Rob Johnson the starting quarterback job in the first round playoff game against the Tennessee Titans even though Flutie had won 10 games and had gotten the Bills into the playoffs. Doug Flutie left the Bills with a .677 winning percentage in 31 starts. Buffalo finished 3 - 13. The Bills even lost a much-hyped mid-season match up with "Bills West" (the Flutie-led Chargers). Bledsoe revived the Bills for the 2002 season, leading them to an 8 - 8 record, setting 10 team passing records in the process. The Bills started the 2004 season 0 - 4, with Bledsoe and his offense struggling in their run-first offense, averaging only 13 points per game. The Bills went 9 - 2 in their next eleven games, and allowed the Bills to be in the hunt for a final AFC wildcard playoff spot. The Bills released quarterback Drew Bledsoe and named Losman as the starter. But the team began the 2005 season at 1-3, prompting Kelly Holcomb to replace him.

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