NFL game summary for 10/16/1977:
Neil O'Donoghue's 30-yard field goal with 4:44 left in the first half was enough to snap the Bills' 14-game losing streak and give Jim Ringo his first NFL coaching victory. Buffalo got good field position when John Kimbrough returned an Atlanta punt 18 yards to the Falcons' 35. The Bills then went 22 yards in six plays to position themselves for O'Donoghue's winning field goal. O. J. Simpson rushed for 138 yards and became only the second player in NFL history to gain over 10,000 yards for a career. Buffalo's defense registered its first shutout since blanking Baltimore 6-0 in 1974.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 131.8 (14) | 154.0 (12) | 285.8 (14) | 3 |
| DEFENSE | 105.5 (4) | 90.5 (1) | 196.0 (2) | 11 | |
 | OFFENSE | 110.5 (23) | 171.0 (5) | 281.5 (15) | 14 |
| DEFENSE | 156.5 (21) | 123.2 (6) | 279.8 (12) | 6 |
Line: Falcons by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (3-2-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Buffalo Bills (1-4-0) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
( 0- 3) BUF Neil O'Donoghue 30 yard field goal
ATL BUF
First Downs: 15 15
Rushes-yards: 39-114 45-218
Yards/rush: 2.9 4.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 9-30-95-2 8-21-96-0
Sacked-yards: 1-9 0-0
Net pass yards: 86 96
Net yards/pass: 2.8 4.6
Total net yards: 200 314
Total plays: 70 (55% run) 66 (68% run)
Yards/play: 2.9 4.8
Fumbles-lost: 0-0 3-2
Turnovers: 2 2
Penalties-yards: 6-65 6-73
Attendance: 27,348
Passing:
ATL: Scott Hunter, 9 of 29 for 95 yards (2 int); John James, 0 of 1 for 0 yards BUF: Joe Ferguson, 8 of 21 for 96 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Monroe Eley, 25 for 90 yards; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 16 yards; Scott Hunter, 4 for 6 yards; Wallace Francis, 3 for 3 yards; Kim McQuilken, 1 for -1 yards BUF: O.J. Simpson, 23 for 138 yards; Jim Braxton, 18 for 64 yards; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 5 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Jim Mitchell, 4 for 32 yards; Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 34 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 20 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 6 yards; Monroe Eley, 1 for 3 yards BUF: Reuben Gant, 3 for 40 yards; Jim Braxton, 2 for 32 yards; Lou Piccone, 1 for 13 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 6 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Wallace Francis, 1 for 22 yards; Monroe Eley, 1 for 16 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 2 for 11 yards; Rick Byas, 1 for 10 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 35 yards; John Kimbrough, 1 for 18 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Tony Greene, 1 for 6 yards; Dwight Harrison, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 8 for 343 yards BUF: Marv Bateman, 7 for 254 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 0/1 BUF: Neil O'Donoghue, 1/2
ATL: Scott Hunter, 9 of 29 for 95 yards (2 int); John James, 0 of 1 for 0 yards BUF: Joe Ferguson, 8 of 21 for 96 yards
Rushing:
ATL: Monroe Eley, 25 for 90 yards; Haskel Stanback, 6 for 16 yards; Scott Hunter, 4 for 6 yards; Wallace Francis, 3 for 3 yards; Kim McQuilken, 1 for -1 yards BUF: O.J. Simpson, 23 for 138 yards; Jim Braxton, 18 for 64 yards; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 5 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 11 yards
Receiving:
ATL: Jim Mitchell, 4 for 32 yards; Alfred Jenkins, 2 for 34 yards; Wallace Francis, 1 for 20 yards; Haskel Stanback, 1 for 6 yards; Monroe Eley, 1 for 3 yards BUF: Reuben Gant, 3 for 40 yards; Jim Braxton, 2 for 32 yards; Lou Piccone, 1 for 13 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 6 yards; O.J. Simpson, 1 for 5 yards
Kick returns:
ATL: Wallace Francis, 1 for 22 yards; Monroe Eley, 1 for 16 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 19 yards
Punt returns:
ATL: Rolland Lawrence, 2 for 11 yards; Rick Byas, 1 for 10 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 1 for 35 yards; John Kimbrough, 1 for 18 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Tony Greene, 1 for 6 yards; Dwight Harrison, 1 for 0 yards
Punting:
ATL: John James, 8 for 343 yards BUF: Marv Bateman, 7 for 254 yards
Field Goals:
ATL: Nick Mike-Mayer, 0/1 BUF: Neil O'Donoghue, 1/2