Breaking down the history of the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl

The Buffalo Bills are the only team in NFL history to make four consecutive Super Bowls which is an incredible accomplishment. However, that is overshadowed due to the fact that the Bills were not able to win one Lombardi Trophy during that stretch.

Their Super Bowl run began in the 1990 season when the Buffalo Bills played the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV and they would play Washington before back-to-back years against the Dallas Cowboys. This is a recap of each of those games.

Super Bowl XXV: Buffalo Bills 19, New York Giants 20

This was the Buffalo Bills’ first trip to the Super Bowl and probably would be their best chance at winning the Lombardi Trophy. The scoring started slow as both teams were only able to muster one field goal each in the first quarter.

Then in the second quarter, the Bills would build a 12-3 lead after a rushing touchdown by Don Smith and then a safety by the Bills defense. However, the Giants would add a touchdown of their own and the two teams went into halftime with the Bills up 12-10.

The lead would change hands three times in the second half with the New York Giants scoring a touchdown in the third, followed by a Thurman Thomas touchdown in the fourth. The Giants were not done and added a field goal to take a 20-19 lead.

Jim Kelly would be able to put together one more drive and get the Bills in field goal range but Scott Norwood would miss a 47-yard field goal wide right in the closing seconds and the Bills would come up short.

Super Bowl XXVI: Buffalo Bills 24, Washington 37

The Bills next trip to the Super Bowl was not nearly as competitive as Washington would build a 24-0 lead in the third quarter and Buffalo was never able to really close the gap. The Buffalo Bills were not nearly as sharp as Jim Kelly would throw four interceptions and be sacked five times in this game.

Super Bowl XXVII: Buffalo Bills 17, Dallas Cowboys 52

The Buffalo Bills returned to the Super Bowl the next year and once again faced off against an NFC East team, this time their opponent was the Dallas Cowboys. The game early on was much closer than the final score might indicate as the Bills were down only 14-10 in the second quarter.

However, Jim Kelly would be knocked out of the game in the second quarter due to an injury and the game would slip away from the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys would go on to outscore the Bills 38-7 and the Bills’ chances of winning their first Lombardi Trophy disappear.

Super Bowl XXVIII: Buffalo Bills 13, Dallas Cowboys 30

The Buffalo Bills last trip to the Super Bowl would set up a rematch with the Dallas Cowboys and the Bills would play the Cowboys close early in the game. In fact, they took a 13-6 lead into halftime due to a Thurman Thomas touchdown and a pair of field goals from Steve Christie.

However, the Cowboys would score 24 straight points with a defensive touchdown from James Washington, two rushing touchdowns from Emmitt Smith, and a field goal by Eddie Murray.

The Buffalo Bills have not returned to the Super Bowl since that four year stretch in the early 1990s. However, this team is the closest they have been since that run with three straight AFC East division titles and four straight playoff appearances.