The 1965 Buffalo Bills season was the team’s sixth season in the
American Football League
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...
. Though not as statistically dominant as the previous season, the Bills won a second consecutive
league championship.
Although Buffalo's offense was in the middle of the pack in 1965, it was their dominant team defense that kept them atop the league's standings. Buffalo gave up only 226 points (16.1 per game), fewest in the AFL, and one point fewer than AFL Championship runner-up
San Diego. The Bills' opportunistic defense led the league in interceptions, with 32, and gave up a league-low four rushing touchdowns all season. Between week 6 of the 1964 season, through week eight of the 1965 season, including two 1964 playoff games, the Bills' defense did not allow a touchdown by rushing, a Professional Football record that still stands.
The Bills, who had led the AFL in points, rushing yards and total yards the previous season, suffered significantly after losing star running back
Cookie Gilchrist in the offseason. Statistically, the Bills dropped to 6th (out of 8) in rushing yards, and 7th in passing yards. Still, they managed to finish 3rd in the AFL in points scored, with 313 (22.3 per game).
The Bills' turnover ratio was +18, best in the AFL, and fourth best in AFL history. Buffalo's +87 point differential was second-best in the league in 1965.
Seven Bills made the 1965 AFL All-Star team:
safety George Saimes,
cornerback Butch Byrd
George Edward "Butch" Byrd (born September 20, 1941) is a former professional American football defensive back. He started his career playing college football at Boston University. He joined the Buffalo Bills in 1964 and immediately made an imp ...
,
linebacker Mike Stratton
David Michael Stratton (April 10, 1941 – March 25, 2020) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 12 seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He won two AFL championships ...
,
defensive tackle
A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
Tom Sestak
Thomas Joseph Sestak (March 9, 1936 – April 3, 1987) was an American football defensive lineman who played for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League (AFL).
Early life
Sestak was born in Gonzales, Texas. He had mixed European he ...
,
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
Billy Shaw,
kicker Pete Gogolak, and
quarterback Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp (July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009) was an American politician and a professional football player. A member of the Republican Party from New York, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bu ...
.
Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1965 AFL All-Pros
/ref>
Personnel
Coaches/Staff
Final roster
Offseason
The Bills lost All-AFL running back Cookie Gilchrist to the Denver Broncos after the 1964 season. Bills running back Wray Carlton would take over as the Bills' lead back.
AFL Draft
Regular season
Standings
Season schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Player stats
Passing
Rushing
Postseason
AFL Championship Game
Buffalo Bills 23, San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
0
:''December 26, 1965, at Balboa Stadium, San Diego, California''
Attendance: 30,361
Scoring
* BUF – Warlick 18 pass from Kemp (Gogolak kick)
* BUF – Byrd 74 punt return (Gogolak kick)
* BUF – Field goal Gogolak 11
* BUF – Field goal Gogolak 39
* BUF – Field goal Gogolak 32
AFL All-Star Game
Awards and Records
* Lou Saban, Coach of the Year
References
Buffalo Bills on Pro Football Reference
Buffalo Bills on jt-sw.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:1965 Buffalo Bills Season
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
American Football League championship seasons
Buffalo Bills seasons
1965 in sports in New York (state)