What is the worst play in Bills history?

[Augie]

9 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

It was a good discussion on WGR and boy, we've had a lot.

 

To me, it's the JP Losman fumble against the Jets.  

 

BTW...preseason counts too.  I forgot who the back up QB was but who got sacked and threw the ball backwards.

 

 

 

For the worst play in history, I’m going with ranch dip with wings. Hands down!  

 

Plenty of other options, but that sits atop of the pile by a wide margin! 

[BillsFan619]

10 hours ago, Royale with Cheese said:

It was a good discussion on WGR and boy, we've had a lot.

 

To me, it's the JP Losman fumble against the Jets.  

 

BTW...preseason counts too.  I forgot who the back up QB was but who got sacked and threw the ball backwards.

 

 

In a vacuum there may have been more bad looking, goofy looking or worse plays.

 

That said, it’s definitely wide right because of the magnitude of the play. He hits that thing and we are Super Bowl champions. He hits it and we would’ve had the monkey off of our back 30 years ago.

[Houston's #1 Bills Fan]

I went through the whole thread and didn't see these two listed:

 

1. Pick 6 by JJ Watt on EJ Manual. Absolutely hated that. 

2. Stupid "Hail Murray" against the Cards last year! Crushing defeat after we HAD that game won. 

 

But, besides "Wide Right" and "Music City", the most cruel play that I distinctly remember watching is still the Leodis McKelvin play. Seriously pissed off for a long time after that because, like the Cards game mentioned above, we HAD those bastards and should have beat them that night! Absolutely hated that play and was glad I found McKelvin's address that night and used the last of my spray paint! 

[SinceThe70s]

5 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

Threads like this make me cringe thinking about all those lost opportunities, now I need a drink 🥃 

 

Go Bills!!!

 

 

 

You make that sound like a bad thing.

 

Worst play is entirely subjective but 'just let them have it' is worth mentioning.  

[reddogblitz]

Rob Johnson fumbling out of the back of the end zone in the playoff game in Tennessee.  After the free kick, riding the safety mojo, Tennessee scored their only TD of the game.

[chongli]

13 hours ago, WhoTom said:

A couple of years ago, someone let a kickoff roll into the endzone and didn't bother to pick it up and take a knee. Instead, the opposing team (Jets, I think?) fell on it for a TD.

 

 

Good post. It also happened in the early or mid-80's to a Bills KR. He thought it was a dead ball, but it wasn't. I was furious when if happened. A lot of plays from those mid-80's teams would qualify for this thread, lol 

 

Also, haven't read the entire thread, but has someone mentioned the Stevie Johnson dropped TD pass (because of God)?? 😁

Edited May 29, 2021 by chongli

[eball]

Man, you guys are gluttons for punishment.

[BobbyC81]

In my mind, it can’t be a regular season play.  There’s enough playoff history to pick from.

 

Wide Right is at the top because it could’ve won a Super Bowl.

 

Second would be Thurman fumbling early in the 2nd half of Super Bowl 28.  It ended up a scoop and score to tie the game but deflated the Bills and gave Dallas all the momentum.

 

Third is the Music City Miracle.  It seemed the game was over and all the Bills had to do is make a tackle on the kickoff.

 

I SAID ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS MAKE A TACKLE ON THE KICKOFF!

[chongli]

7 minutes ago, ColeB said:

 

 

Third is the Music City Miracle.  It seemed the game was over and all the Bills had to do is make a tackle on the kickoff.

 

Yep, the sad thing is Tennessee went on to go to the SB. That could have been Buffalo. ☹

Edited May 29, 2021 by chongli

[longtimebillsfan]

This has probably been mentioned, but Herb Mul-key's kickoff return for a touchdown on the first play ever in the original Rich Stadium. August 18, 1973.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by longtimebillsfan

[Dan Darragh]

Once back in the awful days of the 1970s one of the Bills got a penalty for running off the field to the wrong sideline.

 

And then there's the time Lee Smith got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty even though he wasn't dressed for the game.

[1ManRaid]

I vaguely recall a Super Bowl play where we still had a chance late in the 4th, but our receiver screwed it by trying to be a hero.  Maybe against Washington?

 

Perfectly executed big passing gain for a first down to the sideline, clearly designed to get him out of bounds to stop the clock.  The receiver seemed to consider going out, but then reconsiders and turns back infield, attempting the superhuman feat of juking out and running through 4 or 5 defenders playing prevent defense.  He was hell bent on hitting a home run, but it was like trying to stretch a double into an inside the park homer when the ball is already in the catcher's glove as you approach third.  Even aside from not stopping the clock, the time he took to dance and run in circles all for just a few extra yards alone cost us the time to run another play.  Baffling.

 

I'm probably misremembering a couple details as I was a kid at the time, but I remember "he's trying to be a hero" by a commentator.

[1ManRaid]

2 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

And then there's the time Lee Smith got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty even though he wasn't dressed for the game.

 

I guess on that note, how about the 15 yard penalty for patting your teammate on the helmet...

[longtimebillsfan]

12 minutes ago, Dan Darragh said:

Once back in the awful days of the 1970s one of the Bills got a penalty for running off the field to the wrong sideline.

 

And then there's the time Lee Smith got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty even though he wasn't dressed for the game.

I remember that penalty of running off the wrong side of the field.   Wasn't it Bill "Earthquake" Enyart?

[chongli]

May have been mentioned, but the Andre Reed helmet slam for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during a crucial time?

[Captain Caveman]

for me it's Home Run Throwback.  Wide Right is terrible, but I can't call a missed field goal a "Play", and while it was a makeable field goal, it wasn't a gimme.

[Cantankeous]

5 hours ago, SinceThe70s said:

 

You make that sound like a bad thing.

 

Worst play is entirely subjective but 'just let them have it' is worth mentioning.  

Agreed. For me, it’s a 2-part answer; did we lose the game because of it and did it consequently keep us from the playoffs or advancing further. All the rest are just ‘sucky plays’. 
 

with my 2 criteria, 2 bad plays in playoff games ended our season. The Music City Miracle and Johnny Robinsons’  75 yd interception return in the ‘66 Titie Game. We were on the doorstep to tying the game at 14 when it happened. KC scored soon after abd while it still just the 2nd quarter, it was lights out for us. KC advanced to the 1st Super Bowl because of it.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by Cantankeous

[SoCal Deek]

During the 70’s Dolphins streak a Bills player got called for the infamous phantom penalty of ‘pushing a ref’ going after a fumble if I recall. The call sealed the game and the streak for Miami. Darn that Don Shula!

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

16 hours ago, vincec said:

I know that this is a Bills bad play thread, but no play in Bills history is as comical as this Miami fiasco, IMO. I watch this play every once in a while for entertainment.

 

Right before the snap: "Get rid of the ball quickly if you're John Beck."

 

He sure did! LOL

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

12 hours ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

 

The Stevie Johnson drop against the Steelers where Fitz threw the most perfect pass I've ever seen. Then he went on Twitter and blamed God. The game wasn't really that important standings wise, they were already out of the playoffs, but Kyle Williams had one of his best games as a Bill all for nothing.

That was the first game my three brothers and I attended together. Crushing