1964 Buffalo Bills season

The 1964 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s fifth season. Buffalo was 12–2 in the regular season and won the first of two consecutive championships in the American Football League.

1964 Buffalo Bills season
Owner	Ralph Wilson
Head coach	Lou Saban
Home field	War Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	12–2
Division place	1st AFL Eastern
Playoff finish	Won AFL Championship (vs. Chargers) 20–7

The 1964 Bills' defense set an AFL record by giving up the fewest rushing yards in league history, with only 918, or 65.5 yards per game. They also led the league in points allowed (242), total yards allowed (3,878), first downs surrendered (206), and rushing touchdowns allowed (four).

Buffalo's offense also led the AFL in total yards (5,206), passing yards (2,040) and total points (400).

Offseason

AFL Draft

Main article: 1964 American Football League draft

Personnel

Staff

1964 Buffalo Bills staff
Front office President/team owner – Ralph Wilson Vice-president/minority owner - Pat McGroder Head coaches Head coach – Lou Saban Offensive coaches Running backs/wide receivers – John Mazur Offensive line – Jerry Smith			Defensive coaches Linebackers/Defensive Backs – Joe Collier

Roster

1964 Buffalo Bills roster
Quarterbacks 15 Jack Kemp 12 Daryle Lamonica Running backs 43 Joe Auer RB 30 Wray Carlton RB 34 Cookie Gilchrist FB 47 Willie Ross HB 20 Bobby Smith HB Wide receivers 85 Glenn Bass 44 Elbert Dubenion 81 Bill Groman 40 Ed Rutkowski QB/RB/WR/KR Tight ends 84 Ernie Warlick		Offensive linemen 77 Stew Barber T 50 Al Bemiller G 53 Walt Cudzik C 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 75 Dudley Meredith DT 72 Ron McDole DE 83 Hatch Rosdahl DE 70 Tom Sestak DT		Linebackers 64 Harry Jacobs MLB 58 Mike Stratton OLB 51 John Tracey OLB Defensive backs 46 Ray Abruzzese SS 42 Butch Byrd CB 45 Hagood Clarke SS 25 Oliver Dobbins CB 24 Booker Edgerson CB 26 George Saimes FS 23 Eugene Sykes FS 22 Charley Warner CB Special teams  3 Pete Gogolak K 55 Paul Maguire LB/P
Note: rookies in italics

Regular season

Season schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 13	Kansas City Chiefs	W 34–17	1–0	War Memorial Stadium	30,157	Recap
2	September 20	Denver Broncos	W 30–13	2–0	War Memorial Stadium	28,501	Recap
3	September 26	San Diego Chargers	W 30–3	3–0	War Memorial Stadium	40,167	Recap
4	October 3	Oakland Raiders	W 23–20	4–0	War Memorial Stadium	36,461	Recap
5	October 11	at Houston Oilers	W 48–17	5–0	Jeppesen Stadium	26,218	Recap
6	October 18	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 35–22	6–0	Municipal Stadium	20,904	Recap
7	October 24	New York Jets	W 34–24	7–0	War Memorial Stadium	39,621	Recap
8	November 1	Houston Oilers	W 24–10	8–0	War Memorial Stadium	40,119	Recap
9	November 8	at New York Jets	W 20–7	9–0	Shea Stadium	61,929	Recap
10	November 15	Boston Patriots	L 28–36	9–1	War Memorial Stadium	42,308	Recap
11	Bye
12	November 26	at San Diego Chargers	W 27–24	10–1	Balboa Stadium	34,865	Recap
13	December 6	at Oakland Raiders	L 13–16	10–2	Frank Youell Field	18,134	Recap
14	December 13	at Denver Broncos	W 30–19	11–2	Bears Stadium	14,431	Recap
15	December 20	at Boston Patriots	W 24–14	12–2	Fenway Park	38,021	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 0 3 14 0 17 • Bills 31 0 0 3 34 Date: September 13 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, NY Game attendance: 30,157 Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C); wind 6 mph

Scoring summary Q1 BUF Gogolak 13 yard field goal BUF 3–0 Q1 BUF Bass 10 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 10–0 Q1 BUF Dubenion 6 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 17–0 Q1 BUF Bass 17 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 24–0 Q1 BUF Sestak 15 yard interception return (Gogolak kick) BUF 31–0 Q2 KC Brooker 12 yard field goal BUF 31–3 Q3 KC Arbanas 5 yard pass from Dawson (Brooker kick) BUF 31–10 Q3 KC Haynes 44 yard pass from Dawson (Brooker kick) BUF 31–17 Q4 BUF Gogolak 13 yard field goal BUF 34–17

Week 2

1 2 3 4 Total Broncos 3 7 3 0 13 • Bills 3 10 7 10 30 Date: September 20 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, NY Game attendance: 28,501 Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C); wind 11 mph

Scoring summary Q1 DEN Mingo 51 yard field goal DEN 3–0 Q1 BUF Gogolak 33 yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q2 BUF Gilchrist 15 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 10–3 Q2 BUF Gogolak 21 yard field goal BUF 13–3 Q2 DEN Taylor 46 yard pass from Lee (Mingo kick) BUF 13–10 Q3 DEN Mingo 49 yard field goal Tie 13–13 Q3 BUF Gilchrist 1 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 20–13 Q4 BUF Gogolak 17 yard field goal BUF 23–13 Q4 BUF Lamonica 8 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 30–13

Week 3

1 2 3 4 Total Chargers 0 3 0 0 3 • Bills 7 7 3 13 30 Date: September 26 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, NY Game attendance: 40,167 Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C); wind 13 mph

Scoring summary Q1 BUF Byrd 85 yard interception return (Gogolak kick) BUF 7–0 Q2 SD Blair 12 yard field goal BUF 7–3 Q2 BUF Clarke 53 yard punt return (Gogolak kick) BUF 14–3 Q3 BUF Gogolak 13 yard field goal BUF 17–3 Q4 BUF Auer 2 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 24–3 Q4 BUF Dubenion 40 yard pass from Lamonica (kick failed) BUF 30–3

Week 4

1 2 3 4 Total Raiders 3 0 7 10 20 • Bills 0 7 7 9 23 Date: October 3 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, NY Game attendance: 36,461 Game weather: 58°; wind 17 mph

Scoring summary Q1 OAK Mercer 25 yard field goal OAK 3–0 Q2 BUF Kemp 9 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 7–3 Q3 OAK Davidson 6 yard run (Mercer kick) OAK 10–7 Q3 BUF Lamonica 1 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 14–10 Q4 OAK Mercer 19 yard field goal BUF 14–13 Q4 BUF Dubenion 44 yard pass from Lamonica (Gogolak kick) BUF 21–13 Q4 BUF Safety, Davidson tackled by McDole in end zone BUF 23–13 Q4 OAK Herock 4 yard pass from Davdison (Mercer kick) BUF 23–20

Week 5

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 14 17 17 10 58 Oilers 7 3 7 0 17 Date: October 11 Location: Jeppesen Stadium, Houston, TX Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C); wind 4 mph

Scoring summary Q1 BUF Gilchrist 1 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 7–0 Q1 HOU Blanks 4 yard run (Blanda kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 BUF Bass 9 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 14–7 Q2 BUF Dubenion 19 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 21–7 Q2 HOU Blanda 47 yard field goal BUF 21–10 Q2 BUF Bass 94 yard pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick) BUF 28–10 Q2 BUF Gogolak 18 yard field goal BUF 31–10 Q3 HOU Hennigan 53 yard pass from Blanda (Blanda kick) BUF 31–17 Q3 BUF Gilchirst 3 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 38–17 Q4 BUF Gogolak 26 yard field goal BUF 41–17 Q4 BUF Ross 1 yard run (Gogolak kick) BUF 48–17

• Jack Kemp 14/26, 378 Yds
• Elbert Dubenion 5 Rec, 183 Yds
• Glenn Bass 5 Rec, 147 Yds

Standings

AFL Eastern Division
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
Buffalo Bills	12	2	0	.857	5–1	400	242	W2
Boston Patriots	10	3	1	.769	4–2	365	297	L1
New York Jets	5	8	1	.385	2–4	278	315	L3
Houston Oilers	4	10	0	.286	1–5	310	355	W2

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings in the AFL.

Postseason

Round	Date	Opponent	Result	Venue	Attendance	Recap
Championship	December 26	San Diego Chargers	W 20–7	40,242	War Memorial Stadium	Recap

AFL Championship Game

Main article: 1964 American Football League Championship Game

1 2 3 4 Total Chargers 7 0 0 0 7 • Bills 3 10 0 7 20 Date: December 26 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York Game attendance: 40,242 Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C) • Wind 13 mph

Scoring summary 1 SD Dave Kocourek 26 yard pass from Tobin Rote (Keith Lincoln kick) Chargers 7–0 1 BUF Pete Gogolak 12 yard field goal Chargers 7–3 2 BUF Wray Carlton 4 yard run (Pete Gogolak kick) Bills 10–7 2 BUF Pete Gogolak 17 yard field goal Bills 13–7 4 BUF Jack Kemp 1 yard run (Pete Gogolak kick) Bills 20–7

Player stats

Passing

Player	Comp	Att	Yds	Completion %	TD	INT
Jack Kemp	119	269	2285	44.2	13	26
Daryle Lamonica	55	128	1137	43.0	6	8

Rushing

Player	Att	Yds	Average	Long	TD
Cookie Gilchrist	230	981	4.3	67	6
B. Smith	62	306	4.9	37	4
Daryle Lamonica	55	289	5.3	18	6
Joe Auer	63	191	3.0	21	2
Jack Kemp	37	124	3.4	14	5
Wray Carlton	39	114	2.9	11	1

Special teams

Kicking

Player	FG	Att	XP	XP Att	Pts
Pete Gogolak	19	29	45	46	102

Punting

Player	No.	Yards	Avg.	Long
Paul Maguire	65	2777	42.7	64

Awards and records

• Lou Saban, Coach of the Year

See also

• List of American Football League players

External links

• Buffalo Bills on Pro Football Reference
• Buffalo Bills on jt-sw.com
• 1964 AFL Champions