The Buffalo Bills have been an AFC East powerhouse for decades and have been a near-constant presence in the playoffs for the last 20 years. But the 1995 season saw the Bills in a weird spot where the team was coming off a disappointing 7-9 season and trying to get back to the promise of their previous four trips to the Super Bowl. The Bills had a lot of questions to answer and a lot of changes to make as they prepared to battle their AFC East rivals.
The Bills started the 1995 season looking to rebuild their offense around starting quarterback Jim Kelly and running backs Thurman Thomas and Carwell Gardner. Along with Kelly, the Bills had a number of additions to their offense coming into the season including wide receivers Andre Reed, Quinn Early and tight end Lonnie Johnson. On the defensive side of the ball, the Bills added cornerback Jeff Burris, linebacker Bryce Paup and defensive tackle Ted Washington. The team was also bolstered by the addition of head coach Marv Levy, who’d come over from the Chiefs in the offseason.
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The Bills started the 1995 season on a strong note, winning their first five games and heading into the bye week with a 5-2 record. After the bye week, the Bills stumbled and went on a six game losing streak, including losses to the Jets, Dolphins and Patriots. Despite the losing streak, the Bills were still in the playoff hunt as they headed into the final five games of the season. The Bills finished the season strong, winning four of the final five games to finish 9-7 and clinch the second Wild Card spot in the AFC.
The Bills’ run through the playoffs was a memorable one as they faced off against the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card game. The Bills won the game 24-17, with Jim Kelly throwing for three touchdowns. In the Divisional Round, the Bills faced off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat the Bills 20-3 in Pittsburgh. The Bills headed into the 1995 AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs as the underdogs. Despite the odds, the Bills’ defense held the Chiefs to only 13 points and the offense scored enough to give the Bills the 30-13 victory and a trip to Super Bowl XXIX.
In Super Bowl XXIX, the Bills looked to end their four-game losing streak in the big game and finally win their first Super Bowl. The Bills were up against the San Francisco 49ers and their star quarterback, Steve Young, and the game was a close one. The Bills held a 13-7 lead in the fourth quarter but the 49ers managed to score two touchdowns to take a 21-17 lead. The Bills had one last chance to tie the game but were stopped just short of the goal line on their final drive. The 49ers held on to win the game and the Bills lost their fourth Super Bowl in a row.
The 1995 season was a rollercoaster for the Bills but in the end, the team came up just short of the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl. The team still had a strong season and made it further than most expected, but it was a bittersweet ending for a team that had come so close to winning it all. While the 1995 season was ultimately a disappointment for the Bills, the team will always look back fondly on the run they made through the playoffs and the memories they made along the way.