2004 Buffalo Bills season


The 2004 Buffalo Bills season was their 45th in the National Football League. The team improved upon their previous season's output of 6–10, finishing 9–7. However, this was the fifth straight season in which the team missed the playoffs.
Buffalo needed a win in the final game of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers to qualify for the playoffs. However, despite the Steelers playing their third-stringers, Buffalo lost and subsequently missed the playoffs. It was the only winning season that Buffalo had in the 2000s and would be the Bills' last winning season until 2014.
According to Football Outsiders, who has tracked every play in the NFL since the early 1990s, the 2004 Bills are statistically the best NFL team to have failed to qualify for the playoffs.
The Bills set an NFL record by returning six kickoffs for touchdowns in 2004.
Their match with the Miami Dolphins in Week 6 is the only time in the NFL since 1968 that the last two winless teams have met each other.

Offseason

NFL Draft

The Bills drafted future starters Lee Evans from Wisconsin and J. P. Losman from Tulane in the first round of the 2004 Draft. Buffalo also signed undrafted tight end Jason Peters from Arkansas and converted him into a Pro Bowl offensive tackle. Buffalo traded their 2004 second round pick and 2005 first round pick to move into position to draft Losman.
RoundPick #PlayerPositionCollege
113Lee EvansWide ReceiverWisconsin
122J. P. LosmanQuarterbackTulane
374Tim AndersonDefensive TackleOhio State
4109Tim EuhusTight EndOregon State
7207Dylan McFarlandOffensive TackleMontana
7214Jonathan SmithWide ReceiverGeorgia Tech

Roster

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1

Standings