The 2008 Buffalo Bills season was the 39th season for the team in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
and their 49th season overall. The team finished with a record of 7–9 for the third consecutive year. It started the season 5–1 before a 2–8 stretch to finish the season.
After a 5–1 beginning to the season, starting quarterback
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
suffered a
concussion
A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a head injury that temporarily affects brain functioning. Symptoms may include loss of consciousness (LOC); memory loss; headaches; difficulty with thinking, concentration, ...
in week 5 at
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
after an
Adrian Wilson hit. Edwards had started the year throwing 4 touchdowns and two interceptions through the first five games. After the injury, he threw 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, before missing two of the final four games of the season with a groin injury. After their 4–0 start, the Bills won only three of their final 12 games of the year.
Despite strong years from second-year running back
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
(1,036 rushing yards, 1,336 yards from scrimmage) and wide receiver
Lee Evans (1,017 receiving yards), the team was eliminated from playoff contention in week 15, which secured their ninth straight year without a playoff appearance.
Staff
Off-season
Acquisitions
The Bills signed
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
defensive tackle
Spencer Johnson,
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
fullback
Darian Barnes
Darian Durrell Barnes (born February 28, 1980) is a former American football fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and New Orleans ...
and
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
linebacker
Kawika Mitchell
Kawika Uilani Mitchell is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of South Florida. Mitchell was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd round in 2003. Mitche ...
in free agency.
Also, the Bills traded for
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
defensive tackle
Marcus Stroud
Marcus LaVar Stroud (born June 25, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and was select ...
.
NFL Draft
Buffalo found some impact players in the 2008 NFL Draft. Leodis McKelvin was named to the ''Sporting News'' All-NFL team in his rookie year; he became a dynamic kick- and punt-return specialist. Demetress Bell eventually won a starting job at offensive tackle in Buffalo, a position he held for four seasons. Stevie Johnson had a breakout year in
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
; he is the only receiver in Bills history to gain 1,000 receiving yards in consecutive seasons.
[Johnson gained 1,000 or more yards in three straight seasons, from 2010 through 2012.]
Roster
Preseason
Schedule
Schedule
* Green background indicates win.
* Red background indicates loss.
* An asterisk (*) indicates games potentially moved to
Sunday Night Football due to flex scheduling.
One regular season home game per year will be played at the
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it ...
in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
as part of a five-year deal. For 2008, December 7's matchup with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
was staged in Toronto.
Standings
Regular season
Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Bills began their 2008 campaign at home against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo drew first blood as running back
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
got a 21-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, the Bills increased their lead with wide receiver/punt returner
Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish (born July 16, 1982) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the second round (55th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college foo ...
returning a punt 63 yards for a touchdown. The Seahawks responded with quarterback
Matt Hasselbeck
Matthew Michael Hasselbeck (born September 25, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Boston College and was drafted in the sixth ro ...
completing a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Nate Burleson
Nathaniel Eugene Burleson (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian-born television host, American football commentator, and former wide receiver. He played college football for the University of Nevada, Reno and was drafted into the National Footb ...
. Buffalo closed out the half with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
getting a 35-yard and a 38-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Seattle responded with kicker
Olindo Mare
Olindo Franco Mare (born June 6, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was se ...
nailing a 45-yard field goal. Afterwards, Buffalo dug into their bag of tricks. Appearing to attempt a 32-yard field goal, holder
Brian Moorman
Brian Donald Moorman (born February 5, 1976) is an American former football punter in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Pittsburg State University, and was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free age ...
completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to defensive end
Ryan Denney. The Bills pulled away with quarterback
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completing a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Robert Royal
Robert Shelton Royal (born May 15, 1979) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU Tigers football, Louisiana State. He also pl ...
.
With this win, the Bills started their season with a 1–0 record.
Week 2: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Coming off an impressive home win over the Seahawks, the Bills flew to
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium
TIAA Bank Field is an American football stadium located in Jacksonville, Florida, that primarily serves as the home facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL) and the headquarters of the professional wrestling prom ...
for a Week 2 duel with the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo drew first blood as RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
got an 11-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Jaguars responded with kicker
Josh Scobee
Joshua Taylor Scobee (born June 23, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL draft. He also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at L ...
getting a 28-yard field goal. The Bills closed the half with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
's a 21-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Jacksonville took the lead with RB
Maurice Jones-Drew
Maurice Christopher Jones-Drew (born March 23, 1985), often called "MJD", is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins and earned unan ...
getting a 2-yard TD run and Scobee getting a 50-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Jaguars increased their lead with Scobee nailing a 39-yard field goal. Buffalo rallied as QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completed a 7-yard TD pass to rookie WR
James Hardy, along with Lindell's yard field goal.
With yet another win, the Bills improved to their first 2–0 start since 2003.
Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Coming off their road win over the Jaguars, the Bills went home, donned their throwback uniforms, and played a Week 3 duel with the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Raiders kicker
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Paweł Janikowski (; born March 2, 1978) is a Polish former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Oakland Raiders. He played college football at Florida State ...
got a 23-yard and a 35-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Bills got on the board with RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
's 14-yard TD run. Oakland responded with Janikowski's 32-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Raiders increased their lead with QB
JaMarcus Russell
JaMarcus Trenell Russell (born August 9, 1985) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Highly successful at LSU, where he was MVP of the 2007 Sugar ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, Buffalo began to rally as Lynch got a 3-yard TD run. Oakland immediately responded with Russell completing an 84-yard TD pass to WR
Johnnie Lee Higgins
Johnnie Lee Higgins (born September 8, 1983) is a former professional American football wide receiver. Higgins played college football for the University of Texas at El Paso. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round (99th pick ...
. Afterwards, the Bills completed its rally with QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR
Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish (born July 16, 1982) is a former American football wide receiver and kick returner. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in the second round (55th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college foo ...
. Then, Buffalo sealed the win with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
nailing the game-winning 38-yard field goal.
With the win, the Bills improved to 3–0 for the first time since 1992. With the Patriots' loss to the Dolphins, the Bills are now in first place in the AFC East after 3 weeks.
Also, during halftime, former Bills DE
Bruce Smith
Bruce Bernard Smith (born June 18, 1963) is an American former football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Virginia Tech, where he was ...
(the NFL's All-Time Sack Leader) was added to the
Bills Wall of Fame.
Week 4: at St. Louis Rams
Coming off their last-second home win over the Raiders, the Bills flew to the
Edward Jones Dome
The Dome at America's Center is a multi-purpose stadium used for concerts, major conventions, and sporting events in Downtown St. Louis, downtown St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Previously known as the Trans World Dome from 1995 to 2001 and ...
for a Week 4 interconference duel with the winless
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994.
The arr ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo drew first blood as kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
got a 45-yard field goal. The Rams responded with WR
Donnie Avery
Donnie Dion Avery (born June 12, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Houston and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Avery ...
getting a 37-yard TD run. The Bills answered with Lindell's 35-yard field goal. In the second quarter, St. Louis increased its lead with RB
Steven Jackson
Steven Rashad Jackson (born July 22, 1983) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams. He played college football at Oregon State and was sele ...
getting a 29-yard TD run.
In the third quarter, Buffalo began to rally as RB
Fred Jackson got a 22-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Bills completed their comeback with CB
Jabari Greer
Jabari Amin Greer (born February 11, 1982) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He played college football at Tennessee and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Greer also pl ...
returning an interception 33 yards for a touchdown, QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completing a 39-yard TD pass to WR
Lee Evans, and Lindell nailing a 45-yard field goal.
With the win, Buffalo got its first 4–0 start since 1992.
Week 5: at Arizona Cardinals
Coming off their road win over the Rams, the Bills flew to the
University of Phoenix Stadium
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
for a Week 5 interconference game with the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Cardinals QB
Kurt Warner
Kurtis Eugene Warner (born June 22, 1971) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals. His career, which saw him ascend fr ...
completed a 2-yard TD pass to WR
Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver. Fitzgerald played in the National Football League for 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at University of Pittsburg ...
. In the second quarter, Arizona increased its lead as RB
Tim Hightower
Timothy Michael Hightower (born May 23, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football at the University of Richmond and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He also played f ...
got a 17-yard TD run. The Bills responded as QB
J.P. Losman completing an 87-yard TD pass to WR
Lee Evans, yet the Cardinals replied with RB
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James (; born August 1, 1978) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at the University of Miami ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. Buffalo answered with Losman's 1-yard TD run, yet Arizona closed out the half with kicker
Neil Rackers
Neil William Rackers (born August 16, 1976) is a former American football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons. He played college football for the University of Illinois. Rackers was drafted by ...
getting a 47-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Bills tried to catch up as kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
got a 48-yard field goal, but the Cardinals answered with Warner completing a 2-yard TD pass to Fitzgerald. In the fourth quarter, Arizona pulled away as Rackers nailed a 38-yard field goal, along with Hightower getting a 2-yard TD run,
With the loss, Buffalo went into their bye week at 4–1.
QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
(3/3 for 18 yards), who originally started, was knocked out the game on the Bills' third offensive play by Cardinals safety
Adrian Wilson with a concussion.
Week 7: vs. San Diego Chargers
Coming off their bye week, the Bills played a Week 7 duel with the
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 ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo drew first blood as kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
got a 38-yard field goal. The Chargers responded with QB
Philip Rivers
Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was sele ...
completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR
Malcom Floyd
Malcom Maiuu Floyd (born September 8, 1981) is a former American professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He played his entire NFL career with San Diego after sign ...
. In the second quarter, the Bills regained the lead with QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
(fully recovered from his concussion) completing a 2-yard TD pass to WR
Lee Evans, along with Lindell getting a 27-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, San Diego regained the lead with Rivers completing a 12-yard TD pass to WR
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Terrell Jackson (January 14, 1983 – February 15, 2021) was an American professional football player who played as a wide receiver for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Northern Colorad ...
. Buffalo answered with RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
getting a 9-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Bills pulled away with Lindell nailing a 44-yard field goal.
With the win, not only did Buffalo improve to 5–1, they also got their first 3–0 home start since 1995.
A power outage at Ralph Wilson Stadium, caused by three helium balloons coming in contact with a transformer, led to portions of the game not being televised. For a short time during the first and second quarters, the game was played with no public address announcers, no scoreboard, and the time being kept by the officials on the field.
Week 8: at Miami Dolphins
Coming off their win over the Chargers, the Bills flew to
Dolphin Stadium
Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I colleg ...
for a Week 8 AFC East duel with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Dolphins QB
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick Pennington (born June 26, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at Marshall, where he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, and was selecte ...
completed a 2-yard TD pass to TE
Anthony Fasano
Anthony Joseph Fasano (born April 20, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame. Fasano also played for the Kansas City ...
. The Bills responded with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
getting a 19-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Buffalo took the lead as Lindell got a 43-yard and a 47-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Bills increased their lead as RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
got an 8-yard TD run. However, Miami began to respond as kicker
Dan Carpenter
Daniel Roy Carpenter (born November 25, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college football for the University of Montana. He has also played for ...
got a 43-yard field goal, while RB
Ricky Williams
Errick Miron (born Errick Lynne Williams Jr.; May 21, 1977) is an American former football running back who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL).
After playing baseball an ...
got a 3-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Dolphins sealed Buffalo's fate as Carpenter made a 45-yard field goal, LB
Joey Porter
Joseph Eugene Porter (born March 22, 1977) is an American former football outside linebacker who played 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), and is a former outside linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After playing coll ...
causing QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
to fumble the ball in his own endzone (leading to a safety), and Carpenter nailing a 35-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Bills fell to 5–2.
Week 9: vs. New York Jets
The Bills went home for a Week 9 AFC East duel with the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Jets kicker
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker and current sportscaster. He started his career with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League as a street free agent in 1999 before playing for sever ...
got a 37-yard field goal. Buffalo responded as QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completed a 9-yard TD pass to rookie TE
Derek Fine
Derek Fine (born August 24, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.
Fine has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams ...
. However, New York responded as Feely got a 26-yard field goal, along with safety
Abram Elam returning an interception 92 yards for a touchdown. After a scoreless second quarter, the Bills' deficit increased in the third quarter as Feely got a 20-yard field goal. Buffalo responded with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
getting a 53-yard field goal, but the Jets replied with RB
Thomas Jones getting a 7-yard TD run. In the fourth quarter, the Bills tried to rally as CB
Jabari Greer
Jabari Amin Greer (born February 11, 1982) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He played college football at Tennessee and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Greer also pl ...
returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown. However, New York pulled away with Feely making a 31-yard field goal.
With the loss, Buffalo fell to 5–3.
Week 10: at New England Patriots
Trying to snap their two-game losing streak, the Bills wrapped up their three-straight divisional games in
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is southwest of downtown Boston. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the New England Patriots of the National Footb ...
with a Week 10 AFC East duel with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Patriots QB
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. A member of seven NFL teams, Cassel's most notable stints were with the New England Patriots an ...
got a 13-yard TD run. In the second quarter, New England increased their lead as kicker
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
got a 32-yard field goal. The Bills closed out the half with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
getting a 25-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Patriots answered with Gostkowski nailing a 37-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, New England pulled away with RB
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football running back who played for the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played co ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. Buffalo ended the game with QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completing a 14-yard TD pass to rookie WR
James Hardy.
With their third-straight loss, the Bills fell to 5–4.
Week 11: vs. Cleveland Browns
Trying to snap a three-game losing streak, the Bills went home for a Week 11 MNF duel with the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo struggled early as early interceptions from QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
helped Browns kicker
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is a former American football placekicker. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds their franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He pl ...
get a 40-yard and a 33-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Cleveland increased their lead as WR/KR
Joshua Cribbs
Joshua Cribbs (born June 9, 1983) is an American former football return specialist and wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Kent State University, and was signed by the Cleveland Browns ...
got a 2-yard TD run. The Bills answered as Edwards completed an 18-yard TD pass to RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
, along with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
getting a 26-yard field goal.
In the third quarter, the Browns answered with Dawson getting a 43-yard field. Buffalo replied with Lindell getting a 31-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland greatly answered as RB
Jerome Harrison
Jerome Harrison (born February 26, 1983) is a former American football running back who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Washington State University, and was recognized as a consensus All ...
got a 72-yard TD run. The Bills immediately replied as rookie CB
Leodis McKelvin
Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist. He played college football for Troy Trojans football, Troy University and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NF ...
returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. The Browns responded as Dawson got a 22-yard field goal. Buffalo took the lead as Edwards got a 1-yard TD run. Cleveland regained the lead as Dawson nailed a 56-yard field goal. The Bills' Lindell missed a 47-yard field goal wide right.
With their fourth-straight loss, Buffalo fell to 5–5.
Week 12: at Kansas City Chiefs
Hoping to snap a four-game losing streak, the Bills flew to
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is an American football stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stad ...
for a Week 12 duel with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Chiefs QB
Tyler Thigpen
Tyler Beckham Thigpen (born April 14, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft (217th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings.
He was the first ...
completed a 36-yard TD pass to RB
Jamaal Charles
Jamaal RaShaad Jones Charles (born December 27, 1986) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Texas, where he won the 2006 Rose Bowl, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third ro ...
. The Bills responded with RB
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
getting a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, Buffalo took the lead as kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
made a 21-yard field goal. Kansas City answered with Thigpen completing a 2-yard TD pass to TE
Tony Gonzalez
Anthony David Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is the NFL's all-time leader ...
. Buffalo regained the lead as Lindell got a 39-yard field goal, while rookie CB
Leodis McKelvin
Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist. He played college football for Troy Trojans football, Troy University and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NF ...
returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown. The Chiefs struck back with kicker
Connor Barth
Connor Thomas Barth (born April 11, 1986) is a former American football placekicker who played ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at North Carolina and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undraft ...
getting a 45-yard field goal, yet the Bills continued their offensive explosion as Lindell got a 34-yard field goal, along with QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
getting a 15-yard TD run.
In the third quarter, Buffalo continued its poundings with Edwards getting a 5-yard TD run, while Lindell got himself a 38-yard field goal. Kansas City tried to rally as Thigpen completed a 45-yard TD pass to WR
Mark Bradley
Mark Anthony Bradley (born January 29, 1982) is a former American football wide receiver and punt returner who played five seasons in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. ...
, yet the Bills replied with Edwards completing an 8-yard TD pass to WR
Josh Reed
Joshua Blake Reed (born May 1, 1980) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons during the 2000s. He played college football for Louisiana State Universi ...
. In the fourth quarter, Buffalo pulled away as Edwards completed a 17-yard TD pass to TE
Derek Schouman. The Chiefs tried to come back as QB
Quinn Gray
Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. (born May 21, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played for four seasons in the National Football League and one season each in the United Football League and NFL Europe. He played college football at Flor ...
completed a 3-yard TD pass to WR
Dwayne Bowe
Dwayne Lorenzo Bowe (born September 21, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Louisiana State University, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played ...
, yet the Bills' lead was too much for Kansas City to overcome.
With the win, Buffalo improved to 6–5.
This marked the first time the Bills scored 50+ points on an opponent since Sept. 1991 against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
(52–34
Week 13: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Coming off a road win over the Chiefs, the Bills went home for a Week 13 interconference duel against the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as 49ers QB
Shaun Hill
Shaun Christopher Hill (born January 9, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college fo ...
completed a 12-yard TD pass to WR
Isaac Bruce
Isaac Isidore Bruce (born November 10, 1972) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) and a member of the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round o ...
. In the second quarter, the Bills continued to trail as kicker
Joe Nedney
Joseph Thomas Nedney (born March 22, 1973) is a former American football placekicker. Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nedney played college football at San Jose State and signed as an undrafted player with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. H ...
made a 50-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Buffalo tried to rally as kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
nailed a 22-yard field goal, but the team struggled offensively for the rest of the game.
With the loss, the Bills fell to 6–6.
QB
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
(10/21 for 112 yards) didn't play the second half, due to a groin injury.
Week 14: vs. Miami Dolphins
Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the 49ers, the Bills flew to the
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, it ...
for their first game of their Canadian International series, with an AFC East rematch against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
. In the first quarter, Buffalo trailed early as Dolphins QB
Chad Pennington
James Chadwick Pennington (born June 26, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He played college football at Marshall, where he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, and was selecte ...
completed a 20-yard TD pass to TE
Anthony Fasano
Anthony Joseph Fasano (born April 20, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame. Fasano also played for the Kansas City ...
. The Bills answered with kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
. After that, Miami pulled away as kicker
Dan Carpenter
Daniel Roy Carpenter (born November 25, 1985) is a former American football placekicker. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008 after playing college football for the University of Montana. He has also played for ...
made three field goals (50, 35, and 27 yards).
With the loss, Buffalo fell to 6–7.
Week 15: at New York Jets
Hoping to snap a two-game losing streak, the Bills flew to
The Meadowlands for a Week 15 AFC East rematch with the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
. With
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
still recovering from a groin injury,
J.P. Losman was given the start.
Early on in the first quarter, Buffalo trailed as Jets running back
Thomas Jones got a 2-yard touchdown run. The Bills responded with a 34-yard field goal from kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
, but New York answered with quarterback
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 20 ...
completing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver
Jerricho Cotchery. In the second quarter, Buffalo took the lead as Losman got an 8-yard touchdown run and completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver
Stevie Johnson
Steven John Johnson Jr. (born July 22, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draf ...
. However, the Jets got the halftime lead with a 47-yard touchdown run from running back
Leon Washington
Leon Dewitt Washington Sr. (born August 29, 1982) is a former American football running back and return specialist. He currently serves as a coach for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Dra ...
.
In the third quarter, the Bills kept pace as Lindell made a 48-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, New York responded with kicker
Jay Feely
Thomas James "Jay" Feely (born May 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker and current sportscaster. He started his career with the Florida Bobcats in the Arena Football League as a street free agent in 1999 before playing for sever ...
's 31-yard field goal. Buffalo regained the lead as running back
Fred Jackson powered his way for an 11-yard touchdown run. However, the Jets prevailed as safety
Abram Elam forced a fumble, allowing DE
Shaun Ellis to return the ball 11 yards for a touchdown.
With the loss, not only did the Bills fall to 6–8, but they were eliminated from the playoff race.
Week 16: at Denver Broncos
Hoping to snap a three-game losing streak, the Bills flew to
Invesco Field at Mile High
Empower Field at Mile High (previously known as Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Invesco Field at Mile High and Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, New Mile High or Mile High Stadium) is an American football stadium ...
for a Week 16 duel with the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. Buffalo trailed early in the first quarter as Broncos quarterback
Jay Cutler
Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
got a 2-yard touchdown run, followed by kicker
Matt Prater
Matthew Phillip Prater (born August 10, 1984) is an American football placekicker for
the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best long distance kickers in NFL history, he held the NFL record for lon ...
getting a 23-yard field goal. Denver increased its lead in the second quarter with Prater's 30-yard field goal. The Bills responded with a 37-yard field goal from kicker
Rian Lindell
Rian David Lindell (born January 20, 1977) is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Washington State.
Early years ...
, followed by running back
Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
's 2-yard touchdown run.
In the third quarter, Buffalo took the lead with Lindell's 49-yard and 28-yard field goal, but the Broncos answered with Cutler's 6-yard touchdown run. The Bills struck right back in the fourth quarter as quarterback
Trent Edwards
Trent Addison Edwards (born October 30, 1983) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Stanford and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Edwards took over the sta ...
completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver
Stevie Johnson
Steven John Johnson Jr. (born July 22, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draf ...
. Denver tied the game with Prater nailing a 43-yard field goal. Buffalo rallied with running back
Fred Jackson getting an 8-yard touchdown run, followed the defense surviving the Broncos' late-game drive.
With the win, the Bills improved to 7–8.
Week 17: vs. New England Patriots
Coming off their road win over the Broncos, the Bills closed out their season at home with a Week 17 AFC East rematch with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. Buffalo trailed early in the first quarter as Patriots kicker
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots.
He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
got a 33-yard field goal. After a scoreless second quarter, the Bills' deficit increased in the third quarter as running back
LaMont Jordan
LaMont Damon Jordan (born November 11, 1978) is an American football coach and former running back. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Maryland.
Jordan also played for the ...
got a 2-yard touchdown run. In the fourth quarter, New England added to their lead as Gostkowski nailed a 23-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Bills closed out their season at 7–9 for the third-straight season.
Notable roster additions
* DT
Marcus Stroud
Marcus LaVar Stroud (born June 25, 1978) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, and was select ...
- Acquired via trade with the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
in exchange for 2008 3rd and 5th round selections.
* LB
Kawika Mitchell
Kawika Uilani Mitchell is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at University of South Florida. Mitchell was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2nd round in 2003. Mitche ...
- Signed as a free agent from the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
.
* DT
Spencer Johnson- Signed as a free agent from the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
.
* TE
Courtney Anderson
Courtney Jerome Anderson Sr. (born November 19, 1980) is a former American football tight end. Born in Greenville, Texas, Anderson attended high school in Richmond, California and played college football at Contra Costa College and San Jose State ...
- Signed as a free agent from the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
. Released on August 30.
* CB
William James
William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was an American philosopher, historian, and psychologist, and the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States.
James is considered to be a leading thinker of the lat ...
– Signed as a free agent from the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
. Released on August 30, after being beaten out in training camp.
Notable roster losses
* DT
Anthony Hargrove
Anthony La'Ron Tony Hargrove (born July 20, 1983) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech.
Hargrove also played for t ...
- Suspended by league for one year January 24
* RB
Anthony Thomas- Released on February 27
* DT
Larry Tripplett- Released on February 29
* LB
Coy Wire
Coy Michael Wire (born November 7, 1978) is an American television anchor and correspondent, and former professional football player in the National Football League. Since 2015, he has worked for CNN as a sports anchor and correspondent. He curr ...
- Released on February 27, failed physical
* WR
Peerless Price
Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL).
Price played college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and was drafte ...
- Released on February 14
* WR
Sam Aiken
Samuel Aiken (born December 14, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at North Carolina Tar Heels football, North Carolina.
He ...
- Signed with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
as a free agent
* CB
Jason Webster
Jason Richmond Webster (born September 8, 1977) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Texas A&M and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
Webster was also a member o ...
- Signed with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
as a free agent
* TE
Michael Gaines
Michael J. Gaines (born March 30, 1980 in Tallahassee, Florida) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at UCF.
Gaines has also pla ...
- Signed with the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
as a free agent
NFL Draft
Going into the 2008 NFL Draft the team's biggest needs were at wide receiver, cornerback, and tight end. Specifically, the team's top three wide receivers were all under 5'11" in height, and a large wide receiver was a high priority for the team. The Bills had a large number of selections in the 2008 draft and addressed these needs by selecting
Leodis McKelvin
Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist. He played college football for Troy Trojans football, Troy University and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NF ...
, considered by many to be the top cornerback in the draft, in round 1, and
James Hardy, a 6'5" playmaking receiver also considered to be among the best in the class, in round 2. Tight end, however, was not addressed until Round 4, with the selection of
Derek Fine
Derek Fine (born August 24, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.
Fine has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams ...
. Depth picks filled out the rest of the draft order.
Draft Results
* Round 1(11)-
Leodis McKelvin
Leodis Anquan McKelvin (born September 4, 1985) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist. He played college football for Troy Trojans football, Troy University and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 11th overall in the 2008 NF ...
, CB,
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...
* Round 2(41)-
James Hardy, WR,
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
* Round 3(72)-
Chris Ellis, DE,
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...
* Round 4(114)-
Reggie Corner, CB,
Akron
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
* Round 4(132)-
Derek Fine
Derek Fine (born August 24, 1983) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Kansas.
Fine has also been a member of the St. Louis Rams ...
, TE,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
* Round 5(147)-
Alvin Bowen
Alvin Bowen (born December 24, 1983) is a former gridiron football linebacker. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa State. Bowen has also played for the Washington R ...
, OLB,
Iowa State
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
* Round 6(179)-
Xavier Omon
Xavier Omon (born February 15, 1985) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwest Miss ...
, RB,
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Missouri State University is a public university in Maryville, Missouri. It has an enrollment of about 8,505 students. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, its campus is based on the design for Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis Worl ...
* Round 7(219)-
Demetress Bell
Demetress Carte Bell (born May 3, 1984), formerly known as Demetrius Bell, is a former American football offensive tackle. After playing college football for Northwestern State, he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 ...
, OT,
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
* Round 7(224)-
Stevie Johnson
Steven John Johnson Jr. (born July 22, 1986) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draf ...
, WR,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
* Round 7(251)-
Kennard Cox, DB,
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
draft analyst
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. (; born July 25, 1960) is an analyst covering American football for ESPN. He has appeared on ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.
Career
Kiper said th ...
gave the Buffalo Bills a C+ grade for their 2008 NFL Draft, praising the selections of McKelvin and Hardy but criticizing the selections of Corner and Fine as reaches in the 4th round.
References
External links
Official WebsiteBuffalo Bills Team Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:2008 Buffalo Bills Season
Buffalo Bills seasons
Buffalo
Bills Toronto Series
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. ...