1991 Buffalo Bills
1991 American Football Conference Champions!
1991 Record: 13-3 (Regular Season), 2-1 (Playoffs)
Head Coach: Marv Levy
Points Scored: 458 (2nd out of 28 NFL teams)
Points Allowed: 318 (19th out of 28 NFL teams)
Home Stadium: Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, NY
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1991 Results
Regular Season
Date Opponent Result
9/ 1/91 Miami W 35-31
9/ 8/91 Pittsburgh W 52-34
9/15/91 at N.Y. Jets W 23-20
9/22/91 at Tampa Bay W 17-10
9/29/91 Chicago W 35-20
10/ 7/91 at Kansas City L 6-33
10/13/91 Indianapolis W 42- 6
10/21/91 Cincinnati W 35-16
10/27/91 Bye Week
11/ 3/91 New England W 22-17
11/10/91 at Green Bay W 34-24
11/18/91 at Miami W 41-27
11/24/91 at New England L 13-16
12/ 1/91 N.Y. Jets W 24-13
12/ 8/91 at L.A. Raiders W 30-27 (OT)
12/15/91 at Indianapolis W 35- 7
12/22/91 Detroit L 14-17 (OT)
Playoffs
Round Opponent Result
AFC Div. Playoff Kansas City W 37-14
AFC Championship Denver W 10- 7
Super Bowl XXVI Washington L 24-37
Note: Super Bowl XXVI played at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN.
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1991 Buffalo Bills Depth Chart / Roster
(Note: Use 1990 Bills as a template)
# Player Ht Wt Age Exp College Face Shape Hair Equipment
Quarterbacks
1. 12 Jim Kelly 6-3 218 31 5 Miami 28 5 l. brn crop 2 bar, wt wristbands, wt sleeves
2. 14 Frank Reich 6-4 210 30 6 Maryland 73 5 blk crop 2 bar, bk sleeves
3. 7 Gale Gilbert 6-3 210 30 5 California 19 3 l. brn crop 2 bar, wt wristbands, wt sleeves
Halfbacks
1. 34 Thurman Thomas 5-10 198 25 3 Oklahoma St. 216 5 blk bald half cage, wt wristbands, tc gloves (grass), wt gloves (turf)
2. 23 Kenneth Davis 5-10 209 29 5 TCU 102 5 blk fade half cage, tc mouthpiece, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt elbowpads (turf)
3. 33 Eddie Fuller 5-9 201 23 R LSU dk skin half cage, wt wristbands, wt gloves, tc sleeves
Fullbacks
1. 35 Carwell Gardner 6-2 235 25 1 Louisville dk skin 12 4 blk flat top style 3 helmet, full cage, neck roll, wt wristbands, wt gloves
2. n/a (switch position to LOLB)
Wide Receivers
1. 80 James Lofton 6-3 190 35 13 Stanford 79 4 blk flat top 2 bar, eye paint, bk gloves, wt half sleeves
2. 83 Andre Reed 6-2 190 27 6 Kutztown 52 2 blk flat top style 3 helmet, 3 bar, eye paint, wt wristbands, tc gloves, tc sleeves, wt gloves (turf)
3. 82 Don Beebe 5-11 177 27 2 N/A 28 3 l. brn crop 2 bar, eye paint, wt wristbands, bk gloves, wt sleeves, wt gloves (turf)
4. 89 Steve Tasker 5-9 185 29 6 Northwestern 21 5 brn crop style 3 helmet, 3 bar rb, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves
5. 85 Al Edwards 5-8 170 24 1 N'western St. 251 3 blk fade 2 bar, wt wristbands, tc rb gloves, wt sleeves
Tight Ends
1. 84 Keith McKeller 6-4 245 27 3 Jacksonv. St. 145 9 blk fade style 3 helmet, half cage, tc extended, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, tc gloves, wt sleeves, rubber pads (turf), wt gloves (turf)
2. 88 Pete Metzelaars 6-7 250 31 9 N/A 39 11 red crop 3 bar qb, qb wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves, wt elbowpads (turf)
3. 87 Butch Rolle 6-3 245 27 5 Michigan St. 194 9 blk flat top 3 bar qb, wt elbowpads, wt gloves, tc sleeves, wt ankles taped
Left Tackles
1. 69 Will Wolford 6-5 295 27 5 Vanderbilt 91 9 l. brn crop half cage, tc extended, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves, wt elbowpads (turf)
2. 59 Mitch Frerotte 6-3 285 26 2 Penn State 39 15 blo long 3 bar qb, dk visor, tc extended, bk elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves
Left Guards
1. 51 Jim Ritcher 6-3 273 33 11 N.C. State 55 12 brn crop half cage, tc extended, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves
2. 74 Glenn Parker 6-5 301 25 3 Arizona 77 7 brn bald right patch2 tattoo, full cage, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves
Centers
1. 67 Kent Hull 6-5 275 30 5 Miss. State 81 18 brn crop half cage, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves
2. 63 Adam Lingner 6-4 263 31 8 Illinois 30 12 brn crop half cage, wt wristbands, wt sleeves
Right Guards
1. 65 John Davis 6-4 310 26 4 Georgia Tech 86 12 blk crop half cage, tc extended, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves
2. 79 Joe Staysniak 6-5 295 25 R Ohio State 4 17 brn crop half cage, tc extended, rubber pads, wt wristbands, wt gloves
Right Tackles
1. 34 Thurman Thomas 5-10 198 25 3 Oklahoma St. 216 5 blk bald half cage, wt wristbands, tc gloves (grass), wt
1. 75 Howard Ballard 6-6 325 28 3 Alabama A&M 177 15 blk crop style 3 helmet, full cage, tc extended, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves, rubber pads (turf)
2. n/a (switch position to DT)
Left Defensive Ends
1. 97 Cornelius Bennett 6-2 236 26 4 Alabama med skin 13 6 blk fade style 3 helmet, full cage, eye paint, wt wristbands, tc gloves, tc sleeves, wt elbowpads (turf)
2. 94 Mark Pike 6-4 272 28 6 Georgia Tech 18 16 brn buzz style 3 helmet, half cage, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves
Right Defensive Ends
1. 78 Bruce Smith 6-4 275 28 6 Virginia Tech 92 13 blk fade style 3 helmet, half cage, wt wristbands
2. 90 Phil Hansen 6-5 258 23 R North Dakota 3 12 brn crop half cage, rubber pads, wt wristbands, wt gloves (grass), tc rb gloves (turf)
Defensive Tackles
1. 96 Leon Seals 6-5 270 27 4 Jackson St. dk skin 178 16 blk fade style 2 helmet, full cage, dk visor, tc extended, bk elbowpads, wt wrist double, tc gloves, wt sleeves, wt elbowpads (turf), wt gloves (turf)
2. 91 Jeff Wright 6-3 270 28 3 N/A 107 12 brn mullet style 3 helmet, full cage, wt wristbands, wt gloves (grass), tc gloves (turf)
# 73 Mike Lodish 6-3 270 24 2 UCLA 35 11 l. brn crop style 3 helmet, half cage, wt wristbands, wt rb gloves
# 92 Gary Baldinger 6-4 275 28 4 Wake Forest 63 12 brn crop full cage, wt gloves, wt elbowpads (turf)
Left Outside Linebackers
1. 58 Shane Conlan 6-3 230 27 4 Penn State lt skin 29 7 brn crop full cage, neck roll, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves
2. n/a (switch position to MLB)
# 99 Hal Garner 6-4 238 29 5 Utah State lt skin 9 7 l. brn crop half cage, neck roll, wt elbowpads, wt wristbands, wt gloves, tc sleeves
Middle Linebackers
1. 54 Carlton Bailey 6-3 235 26 3 N. Carolina dk skin 71 14 blk flat top style 3 helmet, full cage, neck roll, qb wristbands, wt gloves, rubber pads (turf)
2. n/a (switch position to DT)
3. n/a (switch position to DT)
# 50 Ray Bentley 6-2 235 31 5 Central MI 15 9 l. brn mullet full cage, eye paint, neck roll, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves, bk gloves (turf)
# 52 David Bavaro 6-0 235 24 1 Syracuse lt skin half cage, wt gloves, wt sleeves
Right Outside Linebackers
1. 56 Darryl Talley 6-4 235 31 8 West Virginia med skin 32 9 blk crop full cage, eye paint, tc gloves, wt sleeves, wt wristbands (turf), wt gloves (turf)
2. 53 Marvcus Patton 6-2 225 24 1 UCLA dk skin 167 7 blk fade full cage, rubber pads, wt wristbands, tc gloves
Cornerbacks
1. 37 Nate Odomes 5-10 188 26 4 Wisconsin 86 3 blk fade style 3 helmet, 3 bar, wt gloves, wt sleeves, left wt elbowband (turf)
2. 47 Kirby Jackson 5-10 180 26 4 Miss. State 203 6 blk crop 3 bar, wt elbowpads, qb wristbands, wt gloves, tc sleeves
3. 31 James Williams 5-10 178 24 1 Fresno State 149 6 blk buzz 3 bar rb, wt wristbands, bk gloves, wt sleeves, wt gloves (turf)
4. 27 Clifford Hicks 5-10 188 27 4 Oregon 3 bar rb, qb wristbands, tc gloves
# 26 Chris Hale 5-7 170 25 1 USC 89 6 blk fade style 3 helmet, 2 bar, wt wristbands, tc gloves
# 21 Brian Taylor 5-10 195 24 1 Oregon State dk skin blk buzz 2 bar rb, wt wristbands
Free Safeties
1. 38 Mark Kelso 5-11 185 28 5 William & Mary 37 1 l. brn crop style 2 helmet, 3 bar qb, wt wristbands, wt gloves
2. 45 Dwight Drane 6-2 205 29 5 Oklahoma 226 4 blk flat top 3 bar qb, wt wristbands, wt gloves, wt sleeves, tc rb gloves (turf)
Strong Safeties
1. 46 Leonard Smith 5-11 202 31 8 McNeese St. 38 4 blk flat top 3 bar rb, tc gloves, wt half sleeves
2. 20 Henry Jones 6-0 197 24 R Illinois dk skin 50 4 blk fade 3 bar qb, rubber pads, wt wristbands, tc gloves, wt ankles taped, wt rb gloves (turf)
3. n/a (switch position to CB)
Kicker
1. 11 Scott Norwood 6-0 207 31 6 J. Madison 97 4 brn crop 2 bar (thin), wt sleeves
Punter
1. 9 Chris Mohr 6-5 215 25 1 Alabama 84 5 blo crop 2 bar (thin), wt wristbands
Players Not Included
# 86 Mike Alexander WR 6-3 185 26 1 Penn State dk skin
# 64 Mike Brennan T 6-5 285 24 1 Notre Dame lt skin brn crop
# 5 Brad Daluiso K 6-2 206 24 R UCLA lt skin 54 1 blk crop 2 bar, wt wristbands (grass)
# 93 Odell Haggins DT 6-2 278 24 R Florida State dk skin
# 77 Reggie Rogers RE 6-6 280 27 2 Washington dk skin blk buzz style 3 helmet, full cage, rubber pads, wt wristbands, tc gloves
Player Ratings spd-str-awr-agi-acl-cth-car-jmp-bkt-tak-thp-tha-pbk-rbk-kpr-kac-ret-stm-inj-tgh
J. Kelly 59-65-90-64-66-53-56-56-50-74-96-97-21-24-42-30-0-84-84-66
Reich 51-57-78-56-55-26-53-48-39-21-85-90-22-27-32-23-0-82-80-81
G. Gilbert 47-52-70-62-61-29-44-59-42-17-81-77-22-25-25-23-0-77-77-72
T. Thomas 95-74-87-98-97-84-87-66-86-24-32-24-41-40-27-23-10-84-88-90
K. Davis 99-56-82-92-96-76-80-79-73-23-28-22-36-33-27-25-63-80-86-82
E. Fuller 83-66-54-80-86-71-79-63-82-20-33-26-35-37-28-22-66-81-73-64
C. Gardner 67-79-61-68-75-65-75-54-62-23-34-23-62-59-28-25-10-79-83-70
A. Reed 91-64-88-95-94-96-75-86-78-22-38-34-35-39-32-23-10-89-87-84
J. Lofton 95-61-93-96-92-91-78-82-74-22-36-31-33-35-28-24-10-84-78-74
Beebe 95-56-69-96-93-84-79-79-66-19-27-23-37-35-25-19-78-81-73-65
Tasker 87-55-63-89-86-82-73-74-58-38-30-24-27-29-28-23-47-82-82-80
A. Edwards 94-43-62-92-91-72-68-84-55-25-27-24-23-26-29-24-76-85-71-65
McKeller 80-67-68-80-84-77-72-63-73-24-27-23-57-54-25-23-8-80-78-68
Metzelaars 68-74-86-71-66-76-73-55-62-23-26-24-62-58-25-22-8-83-85-76
B. Rolle 62-67-72-54-75-52-51-48-57-23-32-18-74-70-25-22-8-76-86-83
W. Wolford 63-95-90-61-83-23-21-55-29-28-34-21-92-92-26-24-0-71-78-83
M. Frerotte 56-85-66-54-73-56-49-50-27-25-30-18-77-81-30-22-0-72-80-84
Ritcher 52-92-92-51-69-21-21-42-29-23-27-22-93-90-26-23-0-69-83-78
G. Parker 51-90-67-50-68-32-30-44-30-26-22-20-82-85-28-25-0-68-77-75
K. Hull 61-94-87-60-73-25-22-55-26-23-23-20-92-92-25-20-0-67-80-82
Lingner 55-78-56-54-60-29-27-48-27-24-26-22-85-80-25-22-0-61-83-77
J. Davis 62-91-68-60-72-22-22-47-25-23-26-22-86-86-24-22-0-67-77-72
Staysniak 57-88-55-56-73-19-22-52-28-25-31-20-81-79-30-23-0-71-81-77
H. Ballard 59-93-79-54-84-23-21-54-28-26-28-23-90-91-27-24-0-70-93-86
C. Bennett 84-78-87-83-80-41-43-61-28-94-25-23-26-44-29-23-0-84-88-87
M. Pike 66-77-69-67-65-30-36-56-28-78-25-24-25-43-29-22-10-76-81-78
B. Smith 83-95-92-83-80-24-24-62-28-92-15-33-31-21-19-19-0-80-77-89
P. Hansen 75-83-57-74-77-26-29-54-28-81-25-23-25-42-27-23-0-79-77-83
R. Rogers 73-73-63-71-72-22-26-53-28-72-26-22-25-27-27-22-0-73-73-74
L. Seals 67-84-74-67-69-26-28-56-28-81-25-21-24-28-27-19-0-79-83-82
J. Wright 62-88-78-60-73-25-24-49-28-88-27-24-26-35-31-24-0-78-75-83
G. Baldinger 64-84-68-63-67-20-22-52-28-76-27-23-26-31-25-21-0-77-66-77
O. Haggins 57-85-52-54-62-18-19-46-28-78-28-21-26-36-29-17-0-72-74-72
Lodish 62-88-60-60-69-19-21-56-29-75-28-18-26-42-28-26-0-78-82-83
Conlan 78-76-85-82-77-46-42-61-28-93-28-25-24-42-31-23-0-80-78-85
H. Garner 71-72-73-70-68-37-36-56-28-84-26-23-25-42-27-22-0-78-70-74
C. Bailey 74-73-75-80-77-43-42-58-28-91-27-24-25-46-29-23-0-87-95-87
R. Bentley 72-75-81-71-69-42-39-51-28-86-26-24-26-47-28-24-0-78-77-85
D. Bavaro 71-75-58-68-71-38-37-53-28-84-27-23-25-44-27-22-0-74-78-73
D. Talley 81-83-93-80-76-49-41-57-28-95-30-27-26-43-27-22-0-81-98-84
M. Patton 75-79-64-76-72-52-32-60-31-87-20-26-31-24-26-26-0-82-85-85
N. Odomes 90-54-81-89-89-66-51-82-28-76-26-23-22-25-25-21-27-81-78-71
K. Jackson 89-51-79-90-89-56-45-80-28-77-27-24-22-25-25-22-10-78-81-78
J. Williams 94-55-65-94-93-58-44-85-28-71-23-21-19-24-26-22-10-82-74-74
C. Hicks 92-49-75-94-90-60-55-74-47-62-22-21-19-23-23-22-77-78-73-69
C. Hale 95-47-58-90-92-59-56-86-38-52-24-22-19-23-22-20-71-78-70-62
B. Taylor 92-48-47-93-88-63-75-74-66-49-26-23-27-25-25-23-64-77-75-68
Kelso 84-55-84-86-84-65-44-68-28-83-24-22-22-27-26-22-10-79-77-77
Drane 86-56-74-85-83-53-46-77-28-74-23-20-21-32-28-25-10-76-69-71
L. Smith 82-54-87-84-80-59-47-76-28-85-26-23-24-29-28-24-27-87-87-85
H. Jones 91-56-59-91-92-62-43-82-43-84-31-22-17-19-30-29-10-86-85-85
S. Norwood 40-37-82-48-44-41-32-53-28-25-22-22-16-19-88-85-0-63-86-53
Daluiso 50-36-56-49-45-19-18-48-31-22-25-19-15-25-94-77-0-58-51-43
Mohr 59-17-57-48-62-32-23-38-17-17-46-42-27-17-89-84-0-85-72-32
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Halfback Thurman Thomas (below) enjoyed his best season in 1991 with 1,407 rushing yards, a 4.9 yards per carry average, and 7 TD's on the ground.
Quarterback Jim Kelly fires a pass against the Raiders in L.A. He improved his passing numbers in 1991 from the previous year with 3844 yards passing, a 64.1 completion %, and 33 touchdowns against 17 interceptions.
Linebacker Cornelius Bennett played all four linebacker positions in 1991 due to injuries, but still led the team with 9 sacks. He also forced 4 fumbles, recovered 2 and registered 107 tackles on the season.
Wide Receiver James Lofton led the Bills with 18.8 yards per catch in 1991. He caught 57 passes for 1,072 yards, and 8 TDs.
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An Encore Performance
The Bills "K-Gun" no-huddle offensive attack continued to dominate the NFL by gaining a league best 6,525 yards and scoring 458 points, second only to Washington. Quarterback Jim Kelly completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,844 yards and a league leading 33 touchdowns against only 17 interceptions for a 97.6 passer rating. Halfback Thurman Thomas gained 2,027 yards from scrimmage (1,407 rushing and 620 yards receiving), and scored 12 TDs. He was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and league MVP. Kenneth Davis, Thomas' backup added another 624 on the ground. Kelly and Thomas made the Pro Bowl along with both starting wideouts Andre Reed and James Lofton and tight end Keith McKellar. Reed caught 81 passes for 1,113 yards to lead the Bills. 10 of those receptions went for touchdowns. James Lofton caught 57 passes for 1,072 yards and 8 TD's. McKellar caught 44 passes for 434 yards. Kelly's fastest target, Don Beebe, caught 32 passes for 414 and 6 TD's. The offensive line protecting Kelly was the best in the NFL and featured two Pro Bowlers: center Kent Hull and guard Jim Ritcher. Tackles Will Wolford and Howard "House" Ballard also had All-Pro worthy campaigns in 1991.
The Bills offensive production was a necessity due to their rash of defensive injuries. Most notably absent was defensive end Bruce Smith who missed 11 games, but starting nose tackle Jeff Wright also missed much of the season. Linebackers Darryl Talley and Cornelius Bennett made the Pro Bowl as a result of their efforts to replace those two starters. Talley led the team with 90 tackles and tied with cornerback Nate Odomes for the team lead in interceptions with 5. Bennett led the Bills with 9 sacks, added 78 tackles, forced 4 fumbles and recovered 2. In spite of their efforts the Bills allowed more yards than every team in the NFL with one exception. They also were 19th in points allowed with 318 and saw their team sack total drop precipitously to 31.
The Bills were perfect in September with wins against Miami, Pittsburgh, and Chicago at home and the Jets and Tampa on the road. The Bills would get humbled at Kansas City in a 33-6 Monday Night loss. The Bills would rattle off 5 straight wins for a second time as they won each of their games in their 3-game home stand (Indy, Cincinnati, New England) and their next two away from Rich Stadium (Green Bay, Miami). The Bills ran into an inspired New England team in Foxboro and fell short, 16-13. The Bills would win three straight with wins over the Jets at home, the Raiders in L.A., and the Colts in the Hoosier Dome. With the Bills sitting pretty at 13-2 and having clinched home field throughout the AFC Playoffs once again, they rested their starters for much of their 17-14 home loss in overtime against Detroit.
Bruce Smith and Jeff Wright were back and healthy for the playoffs and the Bills would dominate their division playoff matchup with K.C. as they scored the first 24 points of the game and stuffed Barry Word and the Chief running attack by lining Talley and Bennett up at the line of scrimmage. The Bills advanced with a 37-14 victory. The AFC Championship Game against Denver was supposed to be a shootout on paper. Well, the game was certainly not a shootout as the AFC's top defense held the K-Gun offense to just a FG all day. Fortunately for the Bills, the defense provided the Bills' only touchdown as Carlton Bailey intercepted a John Elway screen pass for a touchdown and the Bills won 10-7 to advance to the Metrodome for Super Bowl XXVI.
The same defense that grounded Elway and the Broncos had no answer for Mark Rypien, the Posse, Earnest Byner, & Gerald Riggs as the Redskins scored the first 24 points of the contest. Mark Rypien threw for 292 yards and 2 TD's and the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI 37-24. Once again the Bills came up a game short of taking home the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Outside linebacker Darryl Talley made his second trip to Hawaii to play in the Pro Bowl after registering 90 tackles, 5 interceptions to tie for the team lead, and 4 sacks in 1991.
1991 Buffalo Bills Individual Leaders
Passing: Jim Kelly, 3844 yds., 64.1 comp. pct, 33 TDs, 97.6 rating
Rushing: Thurman Thomas, 1407 yds., 7 TDs, 4.9 yds./carry
Receiving: Andre Reed, 81 rec., 1113 yds., 10 TDs
Touchdowns: Thurman Thomas, 12 (7 rush., 5 rec.)
QB Sacks: Cornelius Bennett, 9
Interceptions: Nate Odomes & Darryl Talley, 5
Scoring: Scott Norwood, 110 pts. (18 FG’s, 56 PAT’s)
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1991 AFC EAST STANDINGS
1st Place – Buffalo (13-3)
2nd Place – Miami (8-8)
3rd Place – N.Y. Jets (8-8)
4th Place – New England (6-10)
5th Place – Indianapolis (1-15)