1989 Buffalo Bills season

1989 Buffalo Bills season
Head coach	Marv Levy
General manager	Bill Polian
Owner	Ralph Wilson
Home field	Rich Stadium
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	1st AFC East
Playoff finish	Lost Divisional round
← 1988 Bills seasons 1990 →

1 2 3 4 Total • Bills 3 0 10 14 27 Dolphins 0 10 7 7 24 Date: September 10 Location: Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida Game start: 4:00 p.m. Game weather: 82°F, wind 11

Scoring summary 1 BUF Scott Norwood 34 yard field goal Bills 3–0 2 MIA Troy Stradford 1 yard run (Pete Stoyanovich kick) Dolphins 7–3 2 MIA Pete Stoyanovich 29 yard field goal Dolphins 10–3 3 BUF Larry Kinnebrew 2 yard run (Scott Norwood kick) Tie 10–10 3 MIA Marc Logan 2 yard blocked punt return (Pete Stoyanovich kick) Dolphins 17–10 3 BUF Scott Norwood 37 yard field goal Dolphins 17–13 4 MIA Andre Brown 8 yard pass from Dan Marino (Pete Stoyanovich kick) Dolphins 24–13 4 BUF Flip Johnson 26 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick) Dolphins 24–20 4 BUF Jim Kelly 2 yard run (Scott Norwood kick) Bills 27–24

Scoring summary
1		BUF	Scott Norwood 34 yard field goal	Bills 3–0
2		MIA	Troy Stradford 1 yard run (Pete Stoyanovich kick)	Dolphins 7–3
2		MIA	Pete Stoyanovich 29 yard field goal	Dolphins 10–3
3		BUF	Larry Kinnebrew 2 yard run (Scott Norwood kick)	Tie 10–10
3		MIA	Marc Logan 2 yard blocked punt return (Pete Stoyanovich kick)	Dolphins 17–10
3		BUF	Scott Norwood 37 yard field goal	Dolphins 17–13
4		MIA	Andre Brown 8 yard pass from Dan Marino (Pete Stoyanovich kick)	Dolphins 24–13
4		BUF	Flip Johnson 26 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick)	Dolphins 24–20
4		BUF	Jim Kelly 2 yard run (Scott Norwood kick)	Bills 27–24

1 2 3 4 Total Rams 7 0 3 10 20 • Bills 0 6 0 17 23 Date: October 16 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 9:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 66°F; wind 16 Television network: ABC

Scoring summary Q1 LA Buford McGee 3 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) LA 7–0 Q2 BUF Scott Norwood 38 yard field goal LA 7–3 Q2 BUF Scott Norwood 47 yard field goal LA 7–6 Q3 LA Mike Lansford 34 yard field goal LA 10–6 Q4 BUF Scott Norwood 40 yard field goal LA 10–9 Q4 LA Mike Lansford 36 yard field goal LA 13–9 Q4 BUF Thurman Thomas 1 yard pass from Frank Reich (Scott Norwood kick) BUF 16–13 Q4 LA Flipper Anderson 78 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick) LA 20–16 Q4 BUF Andre Reed 8 yard pass from Frank Reich (Scott Norwood kick) BUF 23–20

Scoring summary
Q1		LA	Buford McGee 3 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick)	LA 7–0
Q2		BUF	Scott Norwood 38 yard field goal	LA 7–3
Q2		BUF	Scott Norwood 47 yard field goal	LA 7–6
Q3		LA	Mike Lansford 34 yard field goal	LA 10–6
Q4		BUF	Scott Norwood 40 yard field goal	LA 10–9
Q4		LA	Mike Lansford 36 yard field goal	LA 13–9
Q4		BUF	Thurman Thomas 1 yard pass from Frank Reich (Scott Norwood kick)	BUF 16–13
Q4		LA	Flipper Anderson 78 yard pass from Jim Everett (Mike Lansford kick)	LA 20–16
Q4		BUF	Andre Reed 8 yard pass from Frank Reich (Scott Norwood kick)	BUF 23–20

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 0 0 0 7 7 • Bills 13 14 0 3 30 Date: November 12 Location: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 38°F; wind 19

Scoring summary Q1 BUF Thurman Thomas 8 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick) BUF 7–0 Q1 BUF Scott Norwood 42 yard field goal BUF 10–0 Q1 BUF Scott Norwood 40 yard field goal BUF 13–0 Q2 BUF Andre Reed 32 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick) BUF 20–0 Q2 BUF Andre Reed 3 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick) BUF 27–0 Q4 BUF Scott Norwood 32 yard field goal BUF 30–0 Q4 IND Randy Dixon recovered fumble in end zone (Dean Biasucci kick) BUF 30–7

Scoring summary
Q1		BUF	Thurman Thomas 8 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick)	BUF 7–0
Q1		BUF	Scott Norwood 42 yard field goal	BUF 10–0
Q1		BUF	Scott Norwood 40 yard field goal	BUF 13–0
Q2		BUF	Andre Reed 32 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick)	BUF 20–0
Q2		BUF	Andre Reed 3 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick)	BUF 27–0
Q4		BUF	Scott Norwood 32 yard field goal	BUF 30–0
Q4		IND	Randy Dixon recovered fumble in end zone (Dean Biasucci kick)	BUF 30–7

The 1989 Buffalo Bills season was the 30th season for the team and the 20th season in the National Football League (NFL). The Bills finished in first place in the AFC East and finished the National Football League's 1989 season with a record of 9 wins and 7 losses. Although Buffalo won the division and qualified for the postseason, their record was a drop off from their 12–4 mark in 1988.

The team was nicknamed the Bickering Bills because of a rash of internal conflicts within the team. During a Monday Night loss to the Denver Broncos, Jim Kelly could be seen yelling at wide receiver Chris Burkett; it would be Burkett's last game with the team, as he was released shortly after the game.

Kelly was injured in a Week Five blowout loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and subsequently blamed his offensive line's blocking—notably offensive tackle Howard Ballard—for contributing to his injury.

In the week leading up to a Week Eight matchup with Miami, assistant coaches Tom Bresnahan and Nick Nicolau got into a fistfight while the two were reviewing game film.

The biggest blowup occurred when starting running back Thurman Thomas, asking to address Jim Kelly's criticism of the offense—and the pass-catching ability of running back Ronnie Harmon in particular—criticized Kelly himself on a Rochester, New York television show. When asked what position the Bills could upgrade at, Thomas replied, "Quarterback." Thomas claimed at first that it was a joke, but later, when appearing on Paul Maguire's Budweiser Sportsline show, he stated that the team didn't appreciate Kelly's public criticism, and that Kelly should elevate his own level of play.

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