1970 Buffalo Bills season explained

Team:Buffalo Bills
Year:1970
Record:3–10–1
Division Place:4th AFC East
Coach:John Rauch
Owner:Ralph Wilson
Stadium:War Memorial Stadium
Playoffs:Did not qualify
Shortnavlink:Bills seasons

The 1970 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's first season in the National Football League, and eleventh overall. The team looked to improve on its 4–10 record from 1969 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1966. However, the Bills started out on the wrong foot, losing four of their first five games. After winning two consecutive road games against the Patriots and Jets and suffering a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bills and Colts played to a 17–17 draw in week 9, Buffalo's first tie since 1968. The Bills would then lose five straight to end the season and finished 3–10–1, for fourth place in the AFC East. Their Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins would start an era of futility during which the Bills would lose twenty consecutive games against the Dolphins. The Bills would not defeat the Dolphins at any point during the 1970s and next beat Miami in 1980. This would become known as "The Streak".

This would also mark the final season for Bills punter and linebacker Paul Maguire, as he retired after the season to go into broadcasting.

Offseason

NFL Draft

See main article: 1970 NFL draft. [1]

Personnel

Coaches/Staff

Final roster

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance
1September 20Denver BroncosL 10–250–1War Memorial Stadium34,882
2September 27Los Angeles RamsL 0–190–2War Memorial Stadium46,206
3October 4New York JetsW 34–311–2War Memorial Stadium46,206
4October 11at Pittsburgh SteelersL 10–231–3Three Rivers Stadium42,140
5October 18Miami DolphinsL 14–331–4War Memorial Stadium41,312
6October 25at New York JetsW 10–62–4Shea Stadium62,712
7November 1at Boston PatriotsW 45–103–4Harvard Stadium31,148
8November 8Cincinnati BengalsL 14–433–5War Memorial Stadium43,587
9November 15at Baltimore ColtsT 17–173–5–1Memorial Stadium60,240
10November 22at Chicago BearsL 13–313–6–1Wrigley Field41,015
11November 29Boston PatriotsL 10–143–7–1War Memorial Stadium31,427
12December 6at New York GiantsL 6–203–8–1Yankee Stadium62,870
13December 13Baltimore ColtsL 14–203–9–1War Memorial Stadium34,346
14December 20at Miami DolphinsL 7–453–10–1Miami Orange Bowl70,990
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Season summary

Week 14

Standings

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1970 NFL Draft . Pro Football Reference . 22 November 2021.