1998 Buffalo Bills season

The 1998 Buffalo Bills season was the team's 39th season, and 29th in the National Football League. The season marked an important development in the Bills’ history as a quarterback controversy would consume the whole season between Rob Johnson and Doug Flutie. It would also mark the beginning of the Wade Phillips era. The Bills improved on the previous season's output of 6–10, and finished third in the AFC East with a 10–6 record, and would qualify for the playoffs only to lose in the wild card round to the Miami Dolphins.
The Bills lost their first three games of the season, all by six points or less, and looked to be headed for a losing season. After a bye in Week Four, quarterback Rob Johnson finally won his first game with Buffalo, holding on for a 26–21 win over San Francisco in Week Five. Flutie started the next eleven games, winning nine of them. The Bills had a playoff spot locked up by the final game of the season, which Johnson started and won.
The Bills played the Dolphins in the Wild Card round of the 1998 AFC Playoffs, where wide receiver Eric Moulds would set the NFL playoff record for receiving yards, with 240. The Bills would end up losing the game 24–17, as Dolphins lineman Trace Armstrong sacked Flutie on Buffalo's last drive, forcing him to fumble, and icing the game for Miami.

Offseason

The Bills, looking to upgrade the quarterback position, signed Rob Johnson, who had played for Jacksonville in 1997, and improved his stock with a win in relief of Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell. Bills general manager John Butler traded away the Bills' first- and fourth-round picks to Jacksonville for the rights to Johnson.
The Bills also signed long-time CFL quarterback Doug Flutie to back up Johnson; Flutie would end the 1998 season with the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Additions	Subtractions
QB Rob Johnson	WR Steve Tasker
QB Doug Flutie	QB Todd Collins
G Joe Panos	LB Bryce Paup
	G Corbin Lacina

NFL draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	Notes
2	39	Sam Cowart	MLB	Florida State
3	68	Robert Hicks	OT	Mississippi State
5	131	Jonathan Linton	FB	North Carolina
6	160	Fred Coleman	WR	[1997 1997 Washington Huskies football team\|Washington Huskies football team\|Washington]
7	198	Victor Allotey	OG	Indiana
7	238	Kamil Loud	WR	Cal-Poly SLO

Undrafted free agents

Player	Position	College
Jason Crebo	Linebacker	Montana
Shane Doyle	Defensive end	Washington State
James Grier	Defensive tackle	Mississippi State
Raymond Hill	Defensive back	Michigan State
Herb Howard	Defensive tackle	Virginia State
Todd Kollar	Offensive tackle	Youngstown State
Carl McCullough	Running back	Wisconsin
Hardy Mitchell	Defensive tackle	Buffalo
David Mudge	Offensive tackle	Michigan State
Mark Nohra	Running back	British Columbia
Willie Rodgers	Linebacker	Florida
Jerry Ross	Tight end	Pittsburg State
Hassan Shamsid-Deen	Defensive back	NC State
Adrion Smith	Defensive back	Southwest Missouri State
Duane Stewart	Defensive back	Washington State
Paul Turner	Wide receiver	Colorado State
Clarence "Pooh Bear" Williams	Running back	Florida State
Dan Williams	Center	Wofford
Undre Williams	Wide receiver	Florida A&M

Regular season

The opening game for 1998 constituted the first time since 1985 that the Bills played the San Diego Chargers. The reason for this is that before the admission of the Texans in 2002, NFL scheduling formulas for games outside a team's division were much more influenced by table position during the previous season.

Schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1

Starting QBs: Buffalo: Rob Johnson ** Johnson left with a concussion with the Bills trailing 10-0. **
San Diego Chargers: Ryan Leaf ** 1st NFL Start **
Vegas Line: San Diego Chargers -1.5
Over/Under:41.0

Week 2

Week 2 at Miami Dolphins

Score: L 13-7
Date: September 13, 1998
Stadium: Pro Player Stadium, Miami FL
Start Time: 1PM ET/10AM PT
Attendance: 73,097
Weather:, 10% chance of rain
TV: CBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle and Mark May

Week 3 vs St Louis Rams

Score: L 33-34
Date: September 20, 1998
Stadium: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Start Time: 1PM ET/10AM PT
Attendance: 65,199
Weather:, sunny, wind
TV: Fox
Announcers: Kenny Albert and Tim Green

Week 4 Bye
Week 5 vs San Francisco 49ers

Score: W 26-21
Date: October 4, 1998
Stadium: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Start Time: 1PM ET/10AM PT
Attendance: 76,615
Weather:, cloudy
TV: Fox
Announcers: Ray Bentley and Ron Pitts

Week 6 at Indianapolis Colts

Score: W 31-24
Date: October 11, 1998
Stadium: RCA Dome, Indianapolis IN
Start Time: 1PM ET/10AM PT
Attendance: 52,938
Weather: Dome
TV: CBS
Announcers: Bill Macatee and John Dockery

Week 7 vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Score: W 17-16
Date: October 18, 1998
Stadium: Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
Start Time: 1PM ET/10AM PT
Attendance: 77,635
Weather:, sunny
TV: CBS
Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms

Week 14

First meeting of the two teams in Cincinnati since the 1988 AFC Championship Game.
Starting QBs: Buffalo: Doug Flutie
Cincinnati: Neil O'Donnell
Vegas Line: Buffalo Bills -4.5
Over/Under: 43.0
On the first play from scrimmage, Eric Moulds became the 20th Player in Bills History With 50+ Receptions In A Season, as he caught a 55 yard reception from Doug Flutie.

Week 15

Wade Wilson gets his 2nd start at QB since 1993 by head coach John Gruden. Buffalo clinches playoff berth with the win. Wade Phillips also gets his first head coaching win vs the Raiders.

Awards and honors

Doug Flutie, AFC Pro Bowl Selection
Doug Flutie, NFL Comeback Player of the Year