Buffalo Bills · Franchise era 2 of 5
The Electric Company and Ground Chuck: the Buffalo Bills story
Franchise era
1966—1984
The Electric Company and Ground Chuck
Buffalo Bills
The story in one sentence
An elite line powered Simpson's 2,003-yard season before Chuck Knox later returned Buffalo to the playoffs with a tougher, balanced roster.
Simpson runs into history
O.J. Simpson, Joe Ferguson and Joe DeLamielleure gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for the k-gun years.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1966
What came before
Lou Saban's Bills won consecutive AFL championships and established Buffalo as one of the young league's strongest organizations.
1967-01-01
Conference Championship: Kansas City Chiefs vs Buffalo Bills
1981-01-03
Divisional Round: Buffalo Bills vs San Diego Chargers
1981-12-27
Wild Card: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets
After 1984
What came next
Kelly's no-huddle offense and a defense led by Smith reached four straight Super Bowls, an achievement defined equally by dominance and heartbreak.
The core