| Team: | Buffalo Bills |
| Year: | 1998 |
| Record: | 10–6 |
| Division Place: | 3rd AFC East |
| Coach: | Wade Phillips |
| General Manager: | John Butler |
| Owner: | Ralph Wilson |
| Stadium: | Ralph Wilson Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Dolphins) 17–24 |
| Pro Bowlers: | QB Doug Flutie FB Sam Gash WR Eric Moulds G Ruben Brown DE Bruce Smith DT Ted Washington |
| Shortnavlink: | Bills seasons |
The 1998 Buffalo Bills season was the team's 39th season, and 29th in the National Football League (NFL).[1] The season marked an important development in the Bills’ history as a quarterback controversy would consume the whole season between Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie. It would also mark the beginning of the Wade Phillips era. The Bills improved on the previous season's output of 6–10, and finished second in the AFC East with a 10–6 record,[2] and would qualify for the playoffs only to lose in the wild card round to the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills lost their first three games of the season, all by six points or less, and looked to be headed for a losing season. After a bye in Week Four, quarterback Rob Johnson finally won his first game with Buffalo, holding on for a 26–21 win over San Francisco in Week Five. Flutie started the next eleven games, winning nine of them. The Bills had a playoff spot locked up by the final game of the season, which Johnson started and won.
The Bills played the Dolphins in the Wild Card round of the 1998 AFC Playoffs, where wide receiver Eric Moulds would set the NFL playoff record for receiving yards, with 240. The Bills would end up losing the game 24–17, as Dolphins lineman Trace Armstrong sacked Flutie on Buffalo's last drive, forcing him to fumble, and icing the game for Miami.
The Bills, looking to upgrade the quarterback position, signed Rob Johnson, who had played for Jacksonville in 1997, and improved his stock with a win in relief of Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell. Bills general manager John Butler traded away the Bills' first- and fourth-round picks to Jacksonville for the rights to Johnson.
The Bills also signed long-time CFL quarterback Doug Flutie to back up Johnson; Flutie would end the 1998 season with the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
| Additions | Subtractions | |
|---|---|---|
| QB Rob Johnson (Jaguars) | WR Steve Tasker (retirement) | |
| QB Doug Flutie (CFL) | QB Todd Collins (Chiefs) | |
| G Joe Panos (Eagles) | LB Bryce Paup (Jaguars) | |
| G Corbin Lacina (Panthers) |
See main article: 1998 NFL draft.
| = Pro Bowler [3] |
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 39 | Sam Cowart[4] | Florida State | ||
| 3 | 68 | Mississippi State | |||
| 5 | 131 | North Carolina | |||
| 6 | 160 | Washington | |||
| 7 | 198 | Victor Allotey | Indiana | ||
| 238 | Kamil Loud | WR | Cal-Poly SLO |
| Jason Crebo | Linebacker | Montana | |
| Shane Doyle | Defensive end | Washington State | |
| James Grier | Defensive tackle | Mississippi State | |
| Raymond Hill | Defensive back | Michigan State | |
| Herb Howard | Defensive tackle | Virginia State | |
| Todd Kollar | Offensive tackle | Youngstown State | |
| Carl McCullough | Running back | Wisconsin | |
| Hardy Mitchell | Defensive tackle | Buffalo | |
| David Mudge | Offensive tackle | Michigan State | |
| Mark Nohra | Running back | British Columbia | |
| Willie Rodgers | Linebacker | Florida | |
| Jerry Ross | Tight end | Pittsburg State | |
| Hassan Shamsid-Deen | Defensive back | NC State | |
| Adrion Smith | Defensive back | Southwest Missouri State | |
| Duane Stewart | Defensive back | Washington State | |
| Paul Turner | Wide receiver | Colorado State | |
| Clarence "Pooh Bear" Williams | Running back | Florida State | |
| Dan Williams | Center | Wofford | |
| Undre Williams | Wide receiver | Florida A&M |
The opening game for 1998 constituted the first time since 1985 that the Bills played the San Diego Chargers.[6] The reason for this is that before the admission of the Texans in 2002, NFL scheduling formulas for games outside a team's division were much more influenced by table position during the previous season.[7]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6 | at San Diego Chargers | L 14–16 | 0–1 | Qualcomm Stadium | 64,037 | |
| 2 | September 13 | at Miami Dolphins | L 7–13 | 0–2 | Pro Player Stadium | 73,097 | |
| 3 | September 20 | St. Louis Rams | L 33–34 | 0–3 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 65,199 | |
| 4 | Bye | ||||||
| 5 | October 4 | San Francisco 49ers | W 26–21 | 1–3 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 76,615 | |
| 6 | October 11 | at Indianapolis Colts | W 31–24 | 2–3 | RCA Dome | 52,938 | |
| 7 | October 18 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 17–16 | 3–3 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 77,635 | |
| 8 | October 25 | at Carolina Panthers | W 30–14 | 4–3 | Ericcson Stadium | 64,050 | |
| 9 | November 1 | Miami Dolphins | W 30–24 | 5–3 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 79,011 | |
| 10 | November 8 | at New York Jets | L 12–34 | 5–4 | Giants Stadium | 75,403 | |
| 11 | November 15 | New England Patriots | W 13–10 | 6–4 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 72,020 | |
| 12 | November 22 | Indianapolis Colts | W 34–11 | 7–4 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 49,032 | |
| 13 | November 29 | at New England Patriots | L 21–25 | 7–5 | Foxboro Stadium | 58,304 | |
| 14 | December 6 | W 33–20 | 8–5 | Cinergy Field | 54,359 | ||
| 15 | December 13 | Oakland Raiders | W 44–21 | 9–5 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 62,002 | |
| 16 | New York Jets | L 10–17 | 9–6 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | 79,056 | ||
| 17 | December 27 | at New Orleans Saints | W 45–33 | 10–6 | Louisiana Superdome | 39,707 | |
Starting QBs: Buffalo: Rob Johnson ** Johnson left with a concussion with the Bills trailing 10-0. **
San Diego Chargers: Ryan Leaf ** 1st NFL Start **Vegas Line: San Diego Chargers -1.5Over/Under:41.0 (under) [8]Week 2 at Miami Dolphins
Week 3 vs St Louis Rams
Week 4 Bye
Week 5 vs San Francisco 49ers
Week 6 at Indianapolis Colts
Week 7 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
First meeting of the two teams in Cincinnati since the 1988 AFC Championship Game.
Starting QBs: Buffalo: Doug FlutieVegas Line: Buffalo Bills -4.5Over/Under: 43.0 (over)On the first play from scrimmage, Eric Moulds became the 20th Player in Bills History With 50+ Receptions In A Season, as he caught a 55 yard reception from Doug Flutie.[10]
[11]Wade Wilson gets his 2nd start at QB since 1993 by head coach John Gruden. Buffalo clinches playoff berth with the win. Wade Phillips also gets his first head coaching win vs the Raiders.