1965 Buffalo Bills season
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1965 Buffalo Bills season
Head coach Lou Saban
Owner Ralph Wilson
Home field War Memorial Stadium
Results
Record 10–3–1
Division place 1st AFL Eastern
Playoff finish Won AFL Championship
(Chargers, 23–0)
← 1964 Bills seasons 1966 →
The 1965 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s sixth season in the American Football League. Though not as statistically do
… Moreminant as the previous season, the Bills won a second consecutive league championship.
Although Buffalo's offense was in the middle of the pack in 1965, it was their dominant team defense that kept them atop the league's standings. Buffalo gave up only 226 points (16.1 per game), fewest in the AFL, and one point fewer than AFL Championship runner-up San Diego.[1] The Bills' opportunistic defense led the league in interceptions, with 32, and gave up a league-low four rushing touchdowns all season. Between week 6 of the 1964 season, through week eight of the 1965 season, including two 1964 playoff games, the Bills' defense did not allow a touchdown by rushing, a Professional Football record that still stands.
The Bills, who had led the AFL in points, rushing yards and total yards the previous season, suffered significantly after losing star running back Cookie Gilchrist in the offseason. Statistically, the Bills dropped to 6th (out of 8) in rushing yards, and 7th in passing yards. Still, they managed to finish 3rd in the AFL in points scored, with 313 (22.3 per game).[2]
The Bills' turnover ratio was +18, best in the AFL, and fourth best in AFL history.[3] Buffalo's +87 point differential was second-best in the league in 1965.
Seven Bills made the 1965 AFL All-Star team: safety George Saimes, cornerback Butch Byrd, linebacker Mike Stratton, defensive tackle Tom Sestak, guard Billy Shaw, kicker Pete Gogolak, and quarterback Jack Kemp.[4]
85 Glenn Bass
44 Elbert Dubenion
81 Bill Groman
48 Pete Mills
46 Bo Roberson LB/P
40 Ed Rutkowski QB/RB/SE/KR
Tight Ends
82 Paul Costa
80 Charley Ferguson
84 Ernie Warlick
Offensive Linemen
77 Stew Barber T
60 Dave Behrman C
50 Al Bemiller G
73 George Flint G
79 Dick Hudson T
67 Joe O'Donnell G
66 Billy Shaw G
Defensive Linemen
88 Tom Day DE
78 Jim Dunaway DT
74 Tom Keating DT
72 Ron McDole DE
75 Dudley Meredith DT
83 Hatch Rosdahl DL
76 Henry Schmidt DT
70 Tom Sestak DT
Linebackers
64 Harry Jacobs MLB
52 Bill Laskey
55 Paul Maguire LB/P
56 Marty Schottenheimer MLB
58 Mike Stratton OLB
51 John Tracey OLB
Defensive Backs
42 Butch Byrd CB
45 Hagood Clarke SS
24 Booker Edgerson CB
49 Floyd Hudlow DB
26 George Saimes FS
32 Donnie Stone DB
22 Charley Warner DB
Special Teams
3 Pete Gogolak K
27 Tom Janik S/P
23 Eugene Sykes LS/DB
Note: Rookies in italics
Offseason
The Bills lost All-AFL running back Cookie Gilchrist to the Denver Broncos after the 1964 season. Bills running back Wray Carlton would take over as the Bills' lead back.
AFL Draft
Main article: 1965 American Football League draft
Regular season
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Standings
AFL Eastern Division
viewtalkedit W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Buffalo Bills 10 3 1 .769 4–2 313 226 L1
New York Jets 5 8 1 .385 3–3 285 303 W1
Boston Patriots 4 8 2 .333 2–4 244 302 W3
Houston Oilers 4 10 0 .286 3–3 298 429 L7
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Season schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 11 Boston Patriots W 24–7
45,502
2 September 19 at Denver Broncos W 30–15
30,682
3 September 26 New York Jets W 33–21
45,056
4 October 3 Oakland Raiders W 17–12
41,256
5 October 10 San Diego Chargers L 34–3
45,260
6 October 17 at Kansas City Chiefs W 23–7
26,941
7 October 24 Denver Broncos W 31–13
45,046
8 October 31 Houston Oilers L 19–17
44,267
9 November 7 at Boston Patriots W 23–7
24,415
10 November 14 at Oakland Raiders W 17–14
19,352
11 November 21 Bye
12 November 25 at San Diego Chargers T 20–20
27,473
13 December 5 at Houston Oilers W 29–18
23,087
14 December 12 Kansas City Chiefs W 34–25
40,298
15 December 19 at New York Jets Less
