The 2000 Buffalo Bills season was the team's 41st and 31st as part of the National Football League. The Bills total offense ranked 9th in the league and their total defense ranked 3rd in the league.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 215 The 2000 season was the first since the 1987 season that long-time Bills players Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas were not on the team together, as all three were released just days after the Bills were eliminated from the 1999 playoffs. Smith and Reed signed with the Redskins, while Thomas signed with the Dolphins. The Buffalo Bills finished in fourth place in the AFC East and finished the National Football League's 2000 season with a record of 8 wins and 8 losses. Though the Bills were 7–4 after eleven games, they lost their next four in a row, only avoiding a losing season in the final game of the year.
The 2000 season marked a turning point in Buffalo's history. From 2000 until 2016, the Bills would fail to make the playoffs, a streak that would end in 2017. Before the 2000 season ended, general manager John Butler was fired on December 19. He ended up taking the same position with the San Diego Chargers.
Quarterback controversy Doug Flutie led the Bills to a 10–5 record in 1999 but, in a controversial decision, was replaced by Rob Johnson for the playoffs by coach Wade Phillips, who later said he was ordered to do so by Bills owner Ralph Wilson. The Bills lost, 22–16 to the eventual AFC champion Tennessee Titans in a game that has become known as the Music City Miracle, where the Titans scored on the penultimate play of the game—a kickoff return following the Bills' apparent game-clinching field goal with 16 seconds left. After the season ended, Flutie was named the Bills' backup and only played late in games or when Johnson was injured; the two split playing time in seven games. Despite posting a 4–1 record, Flutie was released at the end of the 2000 season. Johnson would spend an injury-plagued 2001 season with the Bills before also being released.
Special teams futility and the end of the Phillips era Phillips was fired on January 8, 2001. Wilson cited the refusal of Phillips to fire special teams coach Ronnie Jones.
Football statistics site Football Outsiders calculated that the 2000 Bills had the worst special teams unit of any single-season team from 1993 to 2010. Said Wilson at the time, "Buffalo special teams' record was among the worst in the National Football League last season. ... I felt we needed a change and that my request was reasonable... I did not want to release Wade, but his refusal left me with no option." Said Football Outsiders of Buffalo's special teams in 2000, "Could special teams possibly be that negative? Oh, yes. They could. The 2000 Buffalo Bills had the worst special teams of any team in any season for which [Football Outsiders has] data. I would not be shocked if they had the worst special teams of all time, except maybe for some expansion teams in the sixties and seventies. Everything about special teams was horrible for the Bills that year, but Steve Christie was the biggest black hole among a galaxy of sucking black holes. ...Christie's average kickoff went only 55.6 yards, 7.5 yards less than the league average. And the bad kickoffs didn't just come late in the season in Buffalo's usual snow and wind. ...On the season, 18 of his kickoffs went for 50 yards or less. No other kicker had more than 10 kicks that short. ...Buffalo allowed opponents kick returns worth 22 points more than the league average. ...So the average opposing drive after a Buffalo kickoff started at the 37-yard line. Wow."
According to sources, Wilson had not expected Phillips to essentially tie himself to Jones as an "act of insubordination." Buffalo hired Tom Donahoe to become the new general manager the following season. Donahoe hired Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to be the head coach in a season which saw the rebuilding team struggle to a 3–13 record.
Offseason Additions Subtractions CB Chris Watson (Broncos) DE Bruce Smith (Redskins) LB Dan Brandenburg (Eagles) LB Gabe Northern (Vikings) WR Andre Reed (Broncos) RB Thurman Thomas (Dolphins) WR Kevin Williams (49ers) FB Sam Gash (Ravens) LB Sean Moran (Rams) CB Thomas Smith (Bears)
NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 2000 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeAskari AdamsDefensive backPenn StateDavid ByrdDefensive backSyracuseJon CarmanTackleGeorgia TechKwame CavilWide receiverTexasDustin CohenLinebackerMiami (OH)Jason CorleRunning backTowsonPhil CrosbyRunning backTennesseeReggie DurdenCornerbackFlorida StateIvan GustafsonTight endWhitworthJay HillCornerbackUtahCourtney JacksonDefensive backArizona StateFred JonesLinebackerColoradoKeith KelseyLinebackerFloridaJarrett ProcellDefensive endLouisiana TechSpencer RileyCenterTennesseeJosh RothFullbackBuffaloPhil StambaughQuarterbackLehighCorey SullivanWide receiverTennessee StateMike TosawOffensive lineMissouri SouthernJason Van DykePunterAdams StateNathaniel WilliamsDefensive TackleVirginia TechKenyatta WrightLinebackerOklahoma State
Personnel
Staff
Roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue 1 Cincinnati Bengals W 21–20 1–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium 2 at Detroit Lions L 13–15 1–1 Pontiac Silverdome 3 at St. Louis Rams W 31–27 2–1 Trans World Dome 4 at Philadelphia Eagles W 16–12 3–1 Veterans Stadium
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 3 Tennessee Titans W 16–13 1–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,492 2 September 10 Green Bay Packers W 27–18 2–0 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,722 3 September 17 at New York Jets L 14–27 2–1 Giants Stadium 77,884 4 Bye 5 October 1 Indianapolis Colts L 16–18 2–2 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,617 6 October 8 at Miami Dolphins L 13–22 2–3 Pro Player Stadium 73,901 7 October 15 San Diego Chargers W 27–24 3–3 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,351 8 October 22 at Minnesota Vikings L 27–31 3–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 64,116 9 October 29 New York Jets W 23–20 4–4 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,861 10 November 5 at New England Patriots W 16–13 5–4Foxboro Stadium 60,292 11 November 12 Chicago Bears W 20–3 6–4 Ralph Wilson Stadium 72,420 12 November 19 at Kansas City Chiefs W 21–17 7–4 Arrowhead Stadium 78,457 13 November 26 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–31 7–5 Raymond James Stadium 65,546 14 December 3 Miami Dolphins L 6–33 7–6 Ralph Wilson Stadium 73,002 15 December 11 at Indianapolis Colts L 20–44 7–7 RCA Dome 56,671 16 December 17 New England Patriots L 10–13 7–8 Ralph Wilson Stadium 47,230 17 at Seattle Seahawks W 42–23 8–8 Husky Stadium 61,025 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: Tennessee Titans
"Bills Barely Keep Titans From Repeating Miracle." LATimes.com. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
Week 2: vs. Green Bay Packers
Source: Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 3: at New York Jets
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Date: September 17, 2000 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST TV: CBS Announcers: Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf and Bonnie Bernstein
The 2–0 Bills traveled to New Jersey to take on the 2–0 Jets in a battle for first place in the AFC East. However, numerous blunders by the Bills, particularly on special teams, assured that they would receive their first loss of the season.
The Bills opened the scoring with Rob Johnson throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Eric Moulds for a 7–0 lead. But on the very next play, Jets kick returner Kevin Williams returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a game tying touchdown. In the second quarter, the Jets drove to the Bills' 5-yard line when the Bills held on a 3rd and 1. Jets coach Al Groh elected to go for it, and on the fourth down play, running back Curtis Martin broke through for a 5-yard touchdown run to make it 14–7 Jets. With 1:17 to go, the Bills faced a third down at their own 26-yard line when Johnson went long for receiver Jeremy McDaniel. Two Jets defenders misplayed the ball, and McDaniel caught the pass and went in untouched for the 74-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 with 1:07 to go in the half. However, the Bills' worst play of the game came at the end of the half. With time expiring at the end of the half, Jets QB Vinny Testaverde heaved a Hail Mary towards the end zone, and Marcus Coleman, who checked into the game as an eligible receiver for the Hail Mary attempt, caught the pass between numerous Bills defenders. This score made it 21–14 Jets at the half.
The Bills never recovered from this turn of events as the second half was defined by numerous costly errors. On the first possession of the second half, veteran kicker Steve Christie missed a 45-yard field goal. With the Bills trailing 24–14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter they drove into Jets territory. Rob Johnson then completed a pass to Peerless Price to get the Bills into the red zone, but he fumbled and the ball was recovered by the Jets. The Bills defense forced a three and out on the next possession. On the ensuing punt, Bills cornerback Chris Watson started up the middle then cut to the right sideline, but Chris Hayes, who was blocked at the beginning of the play but got back up as the play continued, hit Watson from behind and forced him to fumble, with the Jets recovering the ball. Finally, Watson muffed a short punt later in the quarter, which was recovered by Hayes.
Although the Bills outgained the Jets 354–279 with Rob Johnson completing 21 of 36 passes for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception, the Bills committed four turnovers compared to just one by the Jets.
With the loss, the Bills fell to 2–1 heading into their bye week.
Week 4: Bye Week
Week 5: vs. Indianapolis Colts
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Date: October 1, 2000 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST TV: CBS Announcers: Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
The Bills hosted the Colts in a Week 5 divisional matchup.
Although the Bills dominated the first half, they failed to convert three red zone drives into touchdowns, and settled for three Steve Christie field goals to make it 9–0 in the second quarter. A Peyton Manning touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison made it 9–7 Bills at the half. In the fourth quarter, Manning found Terrence Wilkins for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and a two-point conversion made it 15–9 Colts. With 1:08 to go, Rob Johnson went long for Eric Moulds, who caught the pass for a 40-yard touchdown to make it 16–15 Bills. However, the Colts drove to the Bills' 28-yard line, and kicker Mike Vanderjagt made a 45-yard field goal as time expired to win the game for the Colts.
Week 6: at Miami Dolphins
at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Date: October 8, 2000 Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST TV: CBS Announcers: Dick Enberg, Dan Dierdorf and Bonnie Bernstein
The Bills traveled next to South Florida to take on the Dolphins. Much interest in the game revolved around longtime Bills running back Thurman Thomas, who had signed with the Dolphins in the offseason and who was playing his first game against his former team.