NFL game summary for 09/09/1979:
The Bills exploded for 41 second-half points to post their initial win of the season. Running back Roland Hooks carried the ball four times in the second half and scored all four times -- on runs of 3, 4, 28 and 32 yards -- as the Bills had the second-highest scoring game in their history. Buffalo's offense, which compiled 455 yards, was led by Hooks (70 yards rushing and 60 yards on three pass receptions), quarterback Joe Ferguson (16 of 21 for 282 yards), and rookie wide receiver Jerry Butler (seven receptions for 116 yards). Linebackers Isiah Robertson and Lucius Sanford scored Buffalo touchdowns, Robertson on a 23-yard interception return and Sanford on a three-yard return of a blocked punt.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 95.0 (24) | 137.0 (17) | 232.0 (24) | 0 |
| DEFENSE | 199.0 (23) | 200.0 (18) | 399.0 (24) | 0 | |
 | OFFENSE | 45.0 (28) | 76.0 (26) | 121.0 (28) | 1 |
| DEFENSE | 175.0 (19) | 118.0 (11) | 293.0 (10) | 1 |
Line: Bengals by 3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals (0-2-0) | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Buffalo Bills (1-1-0) | 0 | 10 | 21 | 20 | 51 |
( 0- 3) BUF Tom Dempsey 18 yard field goal ( 7- 3) CIN Pete Johnson 1 yard rush (Chris Bahr kick) ( 7-10) BUF Terry Miller 2 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick) (10-10) CIN Chris Bahr 24 yard field goal (10-17) BUF Roland Hooks 3 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick) (10-24) BUF Isiah Robertson 23 yard interception return (Tom Dempsey kick) (17-24) CIN Billy Brooks 73 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Chris Bahr kick) (17-31) BUF Roland Hooks 32 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick) (17-38) BUF Roland Hooks 4 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick) (17-44) BUF Roland Hooks 28 yard rush (kick failed) (17-51) BUF Lucius Sanford 3 yard return of blocked punt (Tom Dempsey kick) (24-51) CIN Jack Thompson 5 yard rush (Chris Bahr kick)
CIN BUF
First Downs: 16 23
Rushes-yards: 33-134 36-209
Yards/rush: 4.1 5.8
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 13-27-220-2 16-21-282-0
Sacked-yards: 2-19 4-36
Net pass yards: 201 246
Net yards/pass: 6.9 9.8
Total net yards: 335 455
Total plays: 62 (53% run) 61 (59% run)
Yards/play: 5.4 7.5
Fumbles-lost: 1-1 4-2
Turnovers: 3 2
Penalties-yards: 9-67 3-30
Attendance: 43,504
Passing:
CIN: Ken Anderson, 11 of 22 for 196 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Jack Thompson, 2 of 5 for 24 yards (1 int) BUF: Joe Ferguson, 16 of 21 for 282 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Pete Johnson, 13 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Archie Griffin, 12 for 56 yards; Deacon Turner, 4 for 10 yards; Ken Anderson, 2 for 17 yards; Jack Thompson, 1 for 5 yards and 1 TD; Charles Alexander, 1 for 4 yards BUF: Curtis Brown, 14 for 64 yards; Terry Miller, 8 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Steve Powell, 7 for 28 yards; Roland Hooks, 5 for 70 yards and 4 TDs; Joe Ferguson, 1 for 2 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Billy Brooks, 6 for 156 yards and 1 TD; Archie Griffin, 3 for 31 yards; Charles Alexander, 2 for 13 yards; Don Bass, 1 for 11 yards; Pete Johnson, 1 for 9 yards BUF: Jerry Butler, 7 for 116 yards; Roland Hooks, 3 for 60 yards; Frank Lewis, 2 for 35 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 29 yards; Lou Piccone, 1 for 33 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Deacon Turner, 3 for 71 yards; Vaughn Lusby, 3 for 50 yards; Nathan Poole, 1 for 24 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 5 for 86 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Vaughn Lusby, 2 for 0 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 3 for 29 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Lucius Sanford, 1 for 25 yards; Isiah Robertson, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
CIN: Pat McInally, 7 for 274 yards BUF: Rusty Jackson, 4 for 133 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Chris Bahr, 1/1 BUF: Tom Dempsey, 1/2
CIN: Ken Anderson, 11 of 22 for 196 yards and 1 TD (1 int); Jack Thompson, 2 of 5 for 24 yards (1 int) BUF: Joe Ferguson, 16 of 21 for 282 yards
Rushing:
CIN: Pete Johnson, 13 for 42 yards and 1 TD; Archie Griffin, 12 for 56 yards; Deacon Turner, 4 for 10 yards; Ken Anderson, 2 for 17 yards; Jack Thompson, 1 for 5 yards and 1 TD; Charles Alexander, 1 for 4 yards BUF: Curtis Brown, 14 for 64 yards; Terry Miller, 8 for 43 yards and 1 TD; Steve Powell, 7 for 28 yards; Roland Hooks, 5 for 70 yards and 4 TDs; Joe Ferguson, 1 for 2 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
CIN: Billy Brooks, 6 for 156 yards and 1 TD; Archie Griffin, 3 for 31 yards; Charles Alexander, 2 for 13 yards; Don Bass, 1 for 11 yards; Pete Johnson, 1 for 9 yards BUF: Jerry Butler, 7 for 116 yards; Roland Hooks, 3 for 60 yards; Frank Lewis, 2 for 35 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 29 yards; Lou Piccone, 1 for 33 yards; Curtis Brown, 1 for 9 yards
Kick returns:
CIN: Deacon Turner, 3 for 71 yards; Vaughn Lusby, 3 for 50 yards; Nathan Poole, 1 for 24 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 5 for 86 yards
Punt returns:
CIN: Vaughn Lusby, 2 for 0 yards BUF: Keith Moody, 3 for 29 yards
Interceptions:
BUF: Lucius Sanford, 1 for 25 yards; Isiah Robertson, 1 for 23 yards and 1 TD
Punting:
CIN: Pat McInally, 7 for 274 yards BUF: Rusty Jackson, 4 for 133 yards
Field Goals:
CIN: Chris Bahr, 1/1 BUF: Tom Dempsey, 1/2