| 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]
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 |
| 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 | DE | Arizona | ||
| 7 | 160 | WR | USC | |||
| 8 | 183 | Louis Ross | DE | South Carolina State | ||
| 185 | RB | Missouri | ||||
| 9 | 213 | Bob Strickland | LB | Auburn | ||
| 11 | 263 | Andy Browder | T | Texas A&I | ||
| 12 | 291 | Jim Sheffield | K | Texas A&M | ||
| 13 | 316 | Busty Underwood | QB | TCU | ||
| 14 | 341 | Jim Hoots | DE | Missouri Southern | ||
| 15 | 369 | Charles Cole | RB | Toledo | ||
| 16 | 394 | Billy Hunter | DB | Utah | ||
| 17 | 419 | Pat Morrison | TE | Arkansas |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 19 | Dallas Cowboys | L 37–49 | 0–1 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 2 | September 26 | Miami Dolphins | L 14–29 | 0–2 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 3 | October 3 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 0–19 | 0–3 | Metropolitan Stadium | Recap | ||
| 4 | October 10 | Baltimore Colts | L 0–43 | 0–4 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 5 | October 17 | at New York Jets | L 17–28 | 0–5 | Shea Stadium | Recap | ||
| 6 | at San Diego Chargers | L 3–20 | 0–6 | San Diego Stadium | Recap | |||
| 7 | October 31 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 23–28 | 0–7 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 8 | November 7 | at Miami Dolphins | L 0–34 | 0–8 | Miami Orange Bowl | Recap | ||
| 9 | November 14 | at New England Patriots | L 33–38 | 0–9 | Schaefer Stadium | Recap | ||
| 10 | November 21 | New York Jets | L 7–20 | 0–10 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 11 | November 28 | New England Patriots | W 27–20 | 1–10 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 12 | December 5 | at Baltimore Colts | L 0–24 | 1–11 | Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 13 | December 12 | Houston Oilers | L 14–20 | 1–12 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | ||
| 14 | December 19 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 9–22 | 1–13 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | ||
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. | ||||||||