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 stadium	War Memorial Stadium
Results
Record	12–2
Division place	1st AFL Eastern
Playoffs	Won AFL Championship (vs. Chargers) 20–7
← 1963 Bills seasons 1965 →

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.^[1] They also led the league in points allowed (242), total yards allowed (3,878), first downs surrendered (206), and rushing touchdowns allowed (four).^[2]

Buffalo's offense also led the AFL in total yards (5,206), passing yards (2,040) and total points (400).^[3]

Offseason

AFL draft

Main article: 1964 American Football League draft

Regular season

Season schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap	Sources
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
—	Bye
11	November 26	at San Diego Chargers	W 27–24	10–1	Balboa Stadium	34,865	Recap
12	December 6	at Oakland Raiders	L 13–16	10–2	Frank Youell Field	18,134	Recap
13	December 13	at Denver Broncos	W 30–19	11–2	Bears Stadium	14,431	Recap
14	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

Team	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

^[4]

Week 2

Team	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

^[5]

Week 3

Team	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

^[6]

Week 4

Team	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

^[7]

Week 5

Team	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

^[8]

Standings

Program for the October 24 home game against the New York Jets.

AFL Eastern Division
view talk edit	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.

AFL Western Division
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	PF	PA	STK
San Diego Chargers	8	5	1	.615	4–2	341	300	L2
Kansas City Chiefs	7	7	0	.500	4–2	366	306	W2
Oakland Raiders	5	7	2	.417	2–3–1	303	350	W2
Denver Broncos	2	11	1	.154	1–4–1	240	438	L2

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

Team	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

^[9] Bills win and in 1965 finished 10-3-1.

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

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

^[10]

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

^[10]

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