| 1971 Buffalo Bills season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Ralph Wilson |
| Head coach | Harvey Johnson |
| Home field | War Memorial Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 1–13 |
| Division place | 5th AFC East |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
The 1971 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's second season in the National Football League, and the 12th overall.
For the second time in four seasons, the Bills finished with only one victory. The Bills 1–13 record (a 0.071 winning percentage) remains the worst in franchise history. The team allowed 394 points, the most in franchise history for a 14-game season.
The season began in turmoil when coach John Rauch resigned, forcing pro personnel director Harvey Johnson to assume the position for the second time on an interim basis.[a]
Buffalo lost their first ten games of the season, extending their losing streak to 15 and winless streak to 17, dating back to the previous season. They were held scoreless in four games; their minus-210 point differential is the worst in the team's history, and one of the forty worst point-differentials in NFL history.[1]
Running back O. J. Simpson would have a stellar year, despite the Billsʼ poor team record. Simpson would rush for 742 yards on 183 attempts. However, Simpson would only score 5 touchdowns, the fewest for a single season in his career. The Bills would only score 21 touchdowns as a team during the 1971 season, a franchise low.[2]
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- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: Team Game Finder Query Results
- ^ "1971 Buffalo Bills Statistics & Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2021.