The 1998

1998 NFL season

The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League.The Tennessee Oilers moved their home games from Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis to Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, still awaiting construction on a new stadium in Nashville.This was the first season that CBS...

 Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 season was the 39th season for the team in the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. 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

Doug Flutie

Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...

. It would also mark the beginning of the Wade Phillips

Wade Phillips

Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...

 era. The Bills finished second in the AFC East with a 10–6 record, and would qualify for the play-offs only to lose in the wild card round to the Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

.

NFL Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club Team
2	39	Sam Cowart Sam Cowart Samuel Cowart, III is a former American football linebacker who primarily played for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Minnesota Vikings of the NFL...	Middle Linebacker	Florida State
3	68	Robert Hicks Robert Hicks Robert Hicks may refer to:* Barbecue Bob, born Robert Hicks, early American blues musician* Robert Hicks , British Conservative Member of Parliament for Cornish constituencies...	Offensive Tackle	Mississippi State
5	131	Jonathan Linton Jonathan Linton Jonathan C. Linton is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League...	Fullback	North Carolina
6	160	Fred Coleman Fred Coleman Fredrick Dewayne Coleman was a professional American football wide receiver He has played in the National Football League, Arena Football League and the XFL. Coleman graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler, Texas and played for the Lee Red Raiders...	Wide Receiver	Washington
7	198	Victor Allotey	Offensive Guard	Indiana
7	238	Kamil Loud	Wide Receiver	Cal-Poly SLO

Staff

1998 Buffalo Bills staff
Front Office President – Ralph Wilson Executive Vice President/General Manager – John Butler Director of Pro Personnel – A. J. Smith A. J. Smith A.J. Smith is a professional American football executive, currently serving as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the San Diego Chargers.... Director of Player Personnel – Dwight Adams Head Coaches Vice President of Football Operations/Head Coach – Wade Phillips Wade Phillips Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons... Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator – Joe Pendry Joe Pendry Joe Pendry is a former American football coach. From 1971 until 2010, he was an assistant coach or offensive coordinator for multiple teams in both the collegiate and professional ranks.... Quarterbacks – Turk Schonert Turk Schonert Turk Leroy Schonert is a former quarterback, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in the National Football League.-Early years:... Running Backs – Bishop Harris Bishop Harris Bishop Harris was the 16th head football coach for the North Carolina Central University Eagles located in Durham, North Carolina and he held that position for two seasons, from 1991 until 1992. His coaching record at North Carolina Central was 7 wins, 14 losses, and 0 ties... Receivers – Charlie Joiner Charlie Joiner Charles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was... Assistant to the Head Coach/Tight Ends – Max Bowman Offensive Line – Carl Mauck Carl Mauck Carl Mauck is a former American football player who was a center who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League for four teams, and later served as an offensive line coach for several teams... Offensive Quality Control – Chris Dickson			Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – Ted Cottrell Ted Cottrell Theodore John "Ted" Cottrell is the former head coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League... Defensive Line – John Levra Linebackers – Chuck Lester Defensive Backs – Bill Bradley Special Teams Coaches Special Teams – Bruce DeHaven Bruce DeHaven Bruce DeHaven is an American football coach who is currently the special teams coach of the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. DeHaven is most known for being the special teams coach of the Bills from 1986 to 1999. He was their special teams coach when, most notably, Scott Norwood missed a 47 yard field... Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning Coordinator – Rusty Jones Rusty Jones (American football coach) Rusty Jones is the current strength and conditioning coordinator for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League.-Coaching career:Jones' National Football League career began in 1985 with the Buffalo Bills. Jones coached for the Bills for 20 NFL seasons before joining the Chicago Bears on...

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 6, 1998	at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 16–14	64,037
2	September 13, 1998	at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 13–7	73,097
3	September 20, 1998	St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...	L 34–33	65,199
4	Bye
5	October 4, 1998	San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...	W 26–21	76,615
6	October 11, 1998	at Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....	W 31–24	52,938
7	October 18, 1998	Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 17–16	77,635
8	October 25, 1998	at Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...	W 30–14	64,050
9	November 1, 1998	Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 30–24	79,011
10	November 8, 1998	at New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 34–12	75,403
11	November 15, 1998	New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...	W 13–10	72,020
12	November 23, 1998	Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....	W 34–11	49,032
13	November 29, 1998	at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...	L 25–21	58,304
14	December 6, 1998	at Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...	W 33–20	54,359
15	December 13, 1998	Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	W 44–21	62,002
16	December 19, 1998	New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...	L 17–10	79,056
17	December 27, 1998	at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....	W 45–33	39,707

Standings

AFC East AFC East The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA
New York Jets 1998 New York Jets season The 1998 New York Jets season was the 39th season for the team and the 29th in the National Football League. The team tried to improve upon its 9–7 record from 1997 and finished 12–4 in their second season under head coach Bill Parcells, winning their first division title since the AFL-NFL merger...	12	4	0	.750	416	266
Miami Dolphins 1998 Miami Dolphins season The 1998 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 33rd as a member of the National Football League. The Dolphins improved upon their previous season's output of 9–7, winning ten games. The team qualified for the playoffs for the second straight year.-Schedule:...	10	6	0	.625	321	265
Buffalo Bills	10	6	0	.625	400	333
New England Patriots 1998 New England Patriots season The 1998 New England Patriots season was the 29th season for the team in the National Football League and 39th season overall. They finished with a 9–7 record, good for fourth place in the division but also a playoff berth; they lost in the first round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.In the offseason,...	9	7	0	.563	337	329
Indianapolis Colts 1998 Indianapolis Colts season The 1998 Indianapolis Colts season was the 46th season for the team in the National Football League and 15th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1998 season with a record of 3 wins and 13 losses, and finished fifth in the AFC East division.-NFL...	3	13	0	.188	310	444

AFC: Miami Dolphins 24, Buffalo Bills 17

Awards and honors

• Doug Flutie
  Doug Flutie
  Douglas Richard "Doug" Flutie is a former American and Canadian football quarterback. Flutie played college football at Boston College, and played professionally in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, and United States Football League...
  
  , AFC Pro Bowl Selection
• Doug Flutie, NFL Comeback Player of the Year