2000 Buffalo Bills season
| 2000 Buffalo Bills season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Wade Phillips |
| General manager | John Butler |
| Owner | Ralph Wilson |
| Home field | Ralph Wilson Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–8 |
| Division place | 4th AFC East |
| Playoff finish | did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | 4 |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bills | Jeremy McDaniel 6 yard pass from Rob Johnson (Steve Christie kick) | Bills 7–0 | |
| 2 | Bills | Steve Christie 45 yard field goal | Bills 10–0 | |
| 3 | Bills | Jay Riemersma 6 yard pass from Rob Johnson (Steve Christie kick) | Bills 17–0 | |
| 3 | Packers | Antonio Freeman 7 yard pass from Brett Favre (Ryan Longwell kick) | Bills 17–7 | |
| 3 | Bills | Steve Christie 20 yard field goal | Bills 20–7 | |
| 3 | Packers | Ryan Longwell 24 yard field goal | Bills 20–10 | |
| 4 | Bills | Jay Riemersma 14 yard pass from Rob Johnson (Steve Christie kick) | Bills 27–10 | |
| 4 | Packers | Antonio Freeman 18 yard pass from Brett Favre (Tyrone Davis pass from Brett Favre) | Bills 27–18 | |
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. 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 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 to present, the Bills have failed to make the playoffs. After the 2000 season ended, general manager John Butler left the team to take the same position with the San Diego Chargers.
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 had permission from Bills owner Ralph Wilson to do so. 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. 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 getting his chances in December to help the team, Flutie was unable to get the team key wins in December, sealing his fate as a casualty to a roster cut. Flutie would be released at the end of the 2000 season and Johnson would spend an injury-plagued 2001 season with the Bills before also being released.
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