1966 Buffalo Bills season

The 1966 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s seventh season in the American Football League. It was the first season for head coach Joe Collier, who had been the Bills' defensive coordinator for the previous four seasons.Collier would coach the Bills for three seasons: 1966–1968It ended with a 31–7 loss in the AFL Championship Game to the Kansas City Chiefs, ending the team's two-year reign as league champions.

The Bills allowed the fewest points in the AFL for the third consecutive year.Pro-Football-Reference: 1966 AFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics Although defensive tackle Tom Sestak hampered by a bad knee, defensive linemen Jim Dunaway and Ron McDole took a leadership position. Linebackers Mike Stratton, Harry Jacobs and John Tracey, and defensive backs George Saimes, Butch Byrd, Hagood Clarke and Tom Janik provided a strong defensive foundation.Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition, p.108, Martin's Press, August 1994,

Halfback Bobby Burnett and split end Bobby Crockett joined long-time Bills running back Wray Carlton and quarterback Jack Kemp, leading Buffalo's offense to scoring 358 points,25.6 per game second-most in the AFL in 1966. Burnett's 1,185 total yards from scrimmage were 5th in the AFL, and garnered AFL Rookie of the Year honors for Burnett.

Offseason Lou Saban, who had coached the Bills to consecutive AFL Championships, left the team after the 1965 season to coach at the University of Maryland.

AFL draft

Personnel

Staff 1966 Buffalo Bills staffFront office President/owner – Ralph Wilson Vice-president/minority owner – Pat McGroder Head coaches Head coach – Joe Collier

Offensive coaches Running backs/wide receivers – John Mazur Offensive line – Jerry Smith Defensive coaches Linebackers/Defensive Backs – Richie McCabe

Final roster 1966 Buffalo Bills roster Quarterbacks Jack Kemp Daryle Lamonica

Running backs Bobby Burnett Wray Carlton Allen Smith Jack Spikes

Wide receivers Glenn Bass Bobby Crockett Elbert Dubenion Ed Rutkowski

Tight ends Paul Costa Charley Ferguson Offensive linemen Stew Barber T Al Bemiller C Wayne DeSutter T Dick Hudson T Joe O'Donnell G Remi Prudhomme G Bob Schmidt C Billy Shaw G

Defensive linemen Dave Costa DT Tom Day DE Jim Dunaway DT Ron McDole DE Dudley Meredith DT/DE Tom Sestak DT Linebackers Paul Guidry OLB Harry Jacobs MLB Marty Schottenheimer MLB Mike Stratton OLB John Tracey OLB

Defensive backs Butch Byrd CB Hagood Clarke SS Booker Edgerson CB Tom Janik CB Charlie King CB/S George Saimes FS Charley Warner CB/S

Special teams Booth Lusteg K Paul Maguire PTaxi squad Doug Goodwin RB Mailon Kent QB Tony King S Greg Lashutka TE Pete Mills WR

Reserve List Teddy Bailey RB (IR) Dave Behrman C (IR) Note: rookies in italics

Regular season

Season schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 4 at San Diego Chargers L 7–27 0–1 Balboa Stadium 27,572 Recap 2 September 11 Kansas City Chiefs L 20–42 0–2 War Memorial Stadium 42,023 Recap 3 September 18 Miami Dolphins W 58–24 1–2 War Memorial Stadium 37,546 Recap 4 September 25 Houston Oilers W 27–20 2–2 War Memorial Stadium 42,256 Recap 5 October 2 at Kansas City Chiefs W 29–14 3–2 Municipal Stadium 43,885 Recap 6 October 8 Boston Patriots L 10–20 3–3 War Memorial Stadium 45,542 Recap 7 October 16 San Diego Chargers T 17–17 3–3–1 War Memorial Stadium 45,169 Recap 8 Bye 9 October 30 at New York Jets W 33–23 4–3–1 Shea Stadium 61,552 Recap 10 November 6 at Miami Dolphins W 29–0 5–3–1 Miami Orange Bowl 37,177 Recap 11 November 13 New York Jets W 14–3 6–3–1 War Memorial Stadium 45,738 Recap 12 November 20 at Houston Oilers W 42–20 7–3–1 Rice Stadium 27,312 Recap 13 November 24 at Oakland Raiders W 31–10 8–3–1 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 36,781 Recap 14 December 4 at Boston Patriots L 3–14 8–4–1 Fenway Park 39,350 Recap 15 Bye 16 December 18 Denver Broncos W 38–21 9–4–1 War Memorial Stadium 40,583 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

Game summaries

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-Jan-06.

Week 10

Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-Jan-24.

Roster Buffalo Bills roster Quarterbacks Daryle Lamonica Jack Kemp Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Defensive backs

Special teams

K-Booth Lusteg

Postseason

AFL Championship Game

Kansas City Chiefs 31, Buffalo Bills 7 January 1, 1967, at War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New YorkAttendance: 42,080

The Bills entered the AFL championship game seeking their third consecutive title. Though the game was played in Buffalo, the visiting Kansas City Chiefs were three-point favorites, mainly because of their explosive and innovative offense led by head coach Hank Stram. The Bills were a more conventional team with a solid defensive line and a running mindset on offense.

Buffalo found no offensive rhythm in the second half, and the Chiefs closed the game out in the fourth quarter with Dawson found Chris Burford for a 45-yard gain, setting up a one-foot touchdown run by rookie Mike Garrett. Less than two minutes later, Garrett scored a second touchdown following another Bills fumble.

Scoring KC – Arbanas 29 pass from Dawson (Mercer kick) 7-0 BUF – Dubenion 69 pass from Kemp (Lusteg kick) 7-7 KC – Taylor 29 pass from Dawson (Mercer kick) 14-7 KC – Field goal Mercer 32 17-7 KC – Garrett 1 run (Mercer kick) 24-7 KC – Garrett 18 run (Mercer kick) 31-7

Awards and records Bobby Burnett, Rookie of the Year

References

1966 Buffalo Bills season

Bron en licentie