Joe Ferguson

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"A Star is Born," read the headlines in the local sports section. "The Bills are no longer a one weapon team."

As long as O.J. was healthy however, Fergy knew his place on the team was to hand off the ball to him. He never complained, he never tried to lobby the coaching staff to install more passing plays into the Bills offensive scheme. Fergy was the consummate "Team Player" and his teammates had the utmost respect for him. In 1975 Ferguson threw for 25 TD passes setting the Bills single season record as the Bills led the league in total offense once again. Fergy and the Bills future looked promising.

In 1976 Joe Ferguson was having a career year as he was leading all quarterbacks in most statistical categories going into game 7 against the New England Patriots, when he sustained a back injury and was sidelined for the season. He finished that year throwing just 1 interception, an NFL record that stands to this day.

In 1978 Chuck Knox became the coach of the Bills, O.J. Simpson was traded away and it seemed as if the team was now handed over to Fergy. Frank Lewis, a former stand-out wide receiver of the Pittsburgh Steelers was acquired in a trade and the shot-gun formation was installed into the offense to give Joe more time in the pocket, as the Bills offensive line was way past it's "Electric Company" prime and Joe's safety became a major concern. '78 was written off as a rebuilding year by Knox and the passing game showed little promise. Knox urged fans to be patient, "Good things were on the horizon," he said.

In 1979 the offense showed signs of vast improvement as Ferguson enjoyed his best year, throwing for 3,572 yards a Bills record. However he threw 15 interceptions to 14 TD passes. This was due to the fact that the Offensive line was still young and inexperienced, as Fergy was sacked 43 times that year. The Bills were still optimistic about the future however, speedy rookie wide-out Jerry Butler was added to the team that year to compliment rising Bills star, Frank Lewis, giving the Bills their most dynamic set of receivers since the days of Haven Moses and Marlin Briscoe.

In 1980 the Bills exploded out of the gates, winning their first 5 games without a loss, their best start since 1964. Ferguson was becoming a bona fide NFL star and Bills fans were starting to mutter the S-word. Super Bowl. The Bills needed to win their last game against the woeful San Francisco 49ers, to win their first ever AFC Eastern Division title. They could have clinched the week before but Ferguson went down with a severely sprained left ankle and the offense sputtered under his back-ups, Dan Manucci and David Humm. Fergy played against the 49ers in the swampy conditions that were Candlestick Park that Sunday and led the Bills to the title, beating the 49ers and rookie quarterback Joe Montana, 18-13, finishing with an 11-5 record.

Two weeks later, his ankle still injured and heavily taped, Joe Feguson gave one of the most gritty performances in Bills history. In their first playoff game since 1974, against the explosive San Diego Chargers, Fergy had the Bills leading for almost the entire game. With 2:08 remaining, Dan Fouts hit little used Ron Smith with a 50 yard TD strike that broke the hearts of Bills fans everywhere. Limping to the line of scrimmage, Fergy tried desperately with time running out, as he hit Frank Lewis with an 18 yard pass bringing the Bills to their 48 yard line. On the next pass he tried to hit Jerry Butler with a bomb but his left ankle was now so painful that as he tried to step into his throw, the ball sailed high and was intercepted. All season long Ferguson was sacked an NFL low 20 times but during the first series of the game he was sacked and his ankle was re-injured. Ferguson was literally dragging his leg along the whole game. Unable to move effectively, Ferguson was sacked 3 times. It was later learned that Ferguson was playing on a fractured ankle.

1981 was filled with promise as Ferguson broke his own season record for passing yardage with 3,652 and also tossing 24 TD passes. The Bills made the playoffs again, this time as a wild card team finishing with a 10-6 record. Their first playoff game was in Shea Stadium against the N.Y. Jets and Joe Ferguson out gunned Richard Todd in a wild aerial showing throwing for 268 yards, as the Bills beat the Jets 31-27. Giving the Bills their first playoff win since 1965. The following week, against the Cincinnati Bengals the Bills season came to a heartbreaking conclusion. With 2:58 left in the game and the Bills down 28-21, Ferguson hit Lou Piccone on a 6 yard out pattern on 4th. and three, bringing the Bills to the Cincinnati 20 yard line. The Bills seemed destined to tie the score and force overtime but a flag was thrown for Delay of game and Ferguson and the Bills were facing 4th. and eight. On the next play Ferguson overthrew an open Roland Hooks in the end zone and the Bengals had won.

1982 saw the Bills hungry and ready for another playoff run. Ferguson looked sharp as ever in leading the Bills to victory in their first two games, passing for a combined 496 yards. A players strike brought the season to a halt, though, and team unity suffered as the strike wore on. When the season resumed, the Bills went 2-5 during the abbreviated season. At the end of the season Chuck Knox quit and the Bills future was uncertain.

Quarterback coach and former Bills QB, Kay Stevenson, was named head coach of the Bills in 1983, Fergusons 11th. season with the Bills. Stevenson vowed, "I will pass the ball on 1st. down!" On Sunday, October 9, 1983 in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, Joe Ferguson had his best game ever. Out-dueling a rookie QB in his first start for the Miami Dolphins, a guy named Dan Marino, Ferguson set Bills single game records for attempts (55), completions (38) and passing yards (419). Records that still stand today. The Bills beat the Dolphins 38-35 in overtime for their 1st. victory in the Orange Bowl since 1966.

"I feel as good as I ever felt," Fergy said after the game. "It's taken me 11 years to win down here in Miami and it's a great win for us. This is something I really wanted to do before I got out of football. It really hasn't sunk in yet what we did against the Dolphins because you just don't do that. It was the most emotional game I've ever played in. I'm happy for everybody, especially Joe Ferguson."

I was fortunate enough to be at that game and I must say it was very emotional. The only game I've ever witnessed live that tops it is the "Comeback Game" against Houston in 1993. Ferguson and the Bills just refused to lose.

Unfortunately that was Fergy's last shining moment as a Bill. The team was aging and they just weren't what they were in the 80-81 seasons. In 1984 the Bills won only 2 games and the press fingered Ferguson as it's scapegoat. Buffalo News sports editor, Larry Felser, made Ferguson his daily whipping boy in his column and literally ran Joe out of town. Before the 1985 season, the Bills mercifully traded Fergy to the Detroit Lions for a future draft pick. He left as the teams all-time leader in seasons played (12), games (168), and remains one of the leaders in every major passing category including attempts (4,166), completions (2,188), yards (27,590), touchdowns (181) and interceptions (190).

"I would have liked to have left on a winning note," Ferguson had said. "That's my biggest regret. The fans will always wonder if I was the right quarterback for this team in recent years. I want to be remembered as a guy who tried."