I was 12 years old and we had season tickets that year (72-75). Saw everyone of those games - 8 live at Rich Stadium; 8 on TV. Incredible experience. Will never forget it.
I remember watching that game as a kid when OJ broke the unbreakable 2000 yd mark. He did it in 14 games, not the 16 they played for a long time, now 17. He didn't even finish the game. He sat for the last half of the fourth quarter, and the Jets did not give him anything. They did not want to be the team he broke any records on. He was the best ever, despite post career hijinks
It's crazy when you look back at how respected Simpson used to be. He was a great RB, film star and was on many TV commercials. So disappointed how that all turned out.
My Dad surprised me a downstate Bills fanatic since 1965 with tickets for opening game 7 hours away at Rich vs the Jets. We went up that Saturday...Great time- though boring game. As we were walking to the car with game in hand at 9-0 we heard roar of the crowd as Jets scored. OJ had a good game but missing Namath sucked for my Dad as well. He even told me he should have got tickets for next game the exciting win over the Eagles where Dempsey shanked what should have been a game winning FG. But the stadium was beautiful and those Bills uniforms looked great. 80,020 became the norm. Think about that in Buffalo NY where the previous highs were 46,606! Incredible-Thanks for this ....
Ferguson was a rookie in 73. Only 4td passes all year. He would blossom in 1974 and 75. The defense took a huge step forward in 1973 and would become one of the best in 74 only to regress badly in 1975, a year when OJ rushed for over 1800 yds but Ferguson was the leagues leading passer. Ferguson got hurt in 76, Saban abruptly quit. OJ began suffering a series of injuries and a very exciting era of Bills history came to a close
I was a young Bills fan during this time and 1975 started very promising but a poor defense ruined their playoff chances. 1976 was a brutal year to be a Bills fan yet O.J. had one of his best years ever especially considering all the injuries and every team knew who was getting the ball.
I was born in '70 and we lived in Rochester until fall of '77 when my dad, who worked for Xerox, got transferred to So. Cal. One of my memories back there is of arguing who got to be OJ when we were playing football in the front yard. Since I was the youngest I got to be Jim Braxton, not a bad consolation.
This was the last year the Bills sported the red bison on the helmet. In 1974, they'd modify the logo, adding the zippy looking red stripe to a now charging buffalo. This is the logo still used.
@@AlexA-de7is I used to know all the players for each team, even some of the backups. I get mixed up sometimes, but when you watch one of these after 30 years, you suddenly remember it like it was yesterday.
@@tommythomason6187 by the way lol yeah same thing here. I'll re watch 90s early 00s games and all of a sudden remember players I hadn't thought about in decades
Bills WR #81 Bob Chandler (33:02) ultimately played for the Oakland Raiders in 1980 and won a Super Bowl--sadly Mr. Chandler died of lung cancer in 1995--yet never smoked in his life. He passed away during the O.J. Simpson murder trial-Judge Lance Ito actually postponed the trial on the day of Mr. Chandler's funeral to allow many people in the courtroom who knew him to attend the service
Chandler was a good guy-good solid player in run oriented game plan and used as a blocker.Get his hard to find book- Violent Sundays-quite the read and insights!
Tough sledding in the AFC in 1973. Buffalo missed the playoffs with a 9-5 record I believe. Miami and Oakland were the AFC's best two teams at that point. The Steelers hadn't really become the Steelers yet. The next season they would when they drafted 4 future HOFer's in the 74 draft(Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert)
Unitas killed us in his games against us with the Colts.The only bad game was the 17 all tie. Then he goes to San Diego totally worn out but saw us and came back to life!
the week 2 game against San Diego, Johnny U looks so out of place in a chargers uniform. but can you imagine the numbers Johnny U would have put up in today's game? with defensive players barely being allowed to touch him, all of the rules favoring the passing game, hamstringing defenses, and the way coaches now throw anytime, Johnny U would have set crazy records.
12:24 For all the people smoking who-knows-what that think there was a black outline around the Eagles green wings on their 1973 helmet decals, check that shot out. No black outline. Ever. Period. Case closed. The handful of grainy photographs that SEEM to show what appears to be a black outline of varying thicknesses is simply a manifestation of the photographic phenomenon known as chromatic aberration. The NFL Films 1973 Eagles highlight yearbook (since taken down from whoever had uploaded it to RU-vid) had dozens of up-close, color shots showing NO black outline existed in 1973.
The one thing I moss and you can see it here. The crowds would always sit and rise up as one on a good play. Now they stand from warm ups to games end. You dont get the thrill of watching the stadium sections rising up like a wave as the play goes downfield. It sucks now and is frankly unnecessary. My section stands when the ball is on the one yardline for us all the way at the other end for Gods sake.
Why did they skip the Kansas City game? It was the first time the Bills had ever hosted a Monday Night game and OJ went over 1000 yards in only the 7th game of the season.
Tanner Griffith Me too I had seasons tickets right threw Superbowl Years. We had great seats 1st row upperdeck on 40 yard line. It was weird for me drinking beer at 9am in parking lots. Im old I was around for those 10 years of concerts at Bills Stadium in 70s. They really got some big bands Rolling Stones Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Doobie Brothers, The Who. Not gonna Lie some concerts were crazy because of little Security. Played little league sports at Shoshone Park in North Buffalo. My school years were a pain ST MARKS in North Buffalo was all nun teachers. HIGH SCHOOL AT BISHOP TIMON WAS AN ALL BOYS SCHOOL, I shouldn't complain it was free my Dad was a Football Coach. Friend of mine got me a job 2 weeks after Graduating from Timon. Feel like Im living in the past still listen to songs from those 70s concerts
@slip satch 1973 was the rookie season of quarterback Dan Fouts. He played fifteen seasons, his #14 was retired in 1988. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993 on his first day try.
Fast Food Review And Coffee Too Im old remember those concerts in 70s at Bills Stadium. They got some big bands Rolling Stones Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Doobie Brothers, Journey.
Martin Hamilton that .team it all but a qb..sad It was a set team, That team was stronger than the 74 team. Just a Craig Morton or a Bill Munson.......would have made the team probably waste Miami and Pitt. That was a strong team.....but a rookie QB that was a real "rookie". Dennis Shaw was horrible when they tried using him...it's like he forgot how to play football....what was his problem......I think Shaw could not play on artificial turf....many QB's couldn't play on it. Dawson could not play on it at all....the new turf stadium ruined the KC Chief late 69's early 70's dynasty. The Bills 73 team easily goes 12-2 with a QB......and perhaps the Super Bowl.
Plenty of D........great offense....NO QB...........Ferguson was mediocre...and Shaw was a joke.......A Craig Morton or some kind of a good starter...and this team goes to the Super Bowl.....
I'm interested to hear why you think the '73 Bills were better than the '74 Bills. Just the fact that Ahmad Rashad was there in '74 and Joe Ferguson was allowed to actually throw the ball made the '74 team better than the '73 team.
I agree--I also wonder what would have happened had Jim Kelly had come 10 years before he did--Chuck Knox was also "stuck" with Joe Ferguson--if he had the QB of the caliber of Kelly I'm sure the Bills would have been in the Super Bowl several times (especially in 1980)
