BB5: One-Hit Wonders
Welcome to this edition of BB5, where we delve into the realm of 'One-hit Wonders’ players who, with a single play or a brief stretch of the season, etched their names into the hearts of Bills fans. Some of these plays or players have more significance than others, but I remember all of them vividly due to what they meant for the team at that point in the season and the hope they gave me as a fan. I probably missed a few, but these five players stand out to me when I think of players who made an impact in their brief stints in Buffalo.
5. Duke Williams GW TD vs. Tennessee Week 5, 2019: Williams was called up from the practice squad the day before and made the most of his limited action that season. He caught four passes for 29 yards and the game-winning touchdown, his only one of the season, in a 14–7 Bills win over the Titans. Williams played five games in 2019, including their postseason loss to the Texans. He was called up twice the following season but didn't log any stats. He finished his Bills career with 12 catches for 166 yards and one touchdown.
4. Joe Webb Relieves Nathan Peterman vs Indianapolis Colts “Snow Game” Week 14, 2017: There were not a lot of highlights in this game that looked more like a shaken snow globe than an NFL game. Webb came in relief of an injured Nathan Peterman on the 2nd drive of the 2nd half with the Bills leading 7-0. He completed two passes for 35 yards and one interception. The Colts tied it up late, and it went overtime. The game looked destined to end in a tie until Webb completed a 34-yard pass to Deonte Thompson that got the Bills inside the Colts 30. Three plays later, LeSean McCoy broke free for the game-winning 21-yard touchdown run. McCoy was the true star of the game, but Joe Webb’s relief efforts gave the Bills a chance, and this game proved pivotal to the Bills ending their 17-year playoff drought.
Joe Webb Completes 34 Yard Pass to Thompson
3. Karlos Williams: First 5 games as a Buffalo Bill, 2015: Williams started his rookie season buried on the depth chart behind LeSean McCoy and Anthony Dixon as a 5th-round pick out of Florida St. With limited touches, Williams had 6 TDs and 336 yards including two 100+ yard games in his first five games as Buffalo Bill. He played six more games totaling 181 yards and 3 TDs. He showed up to the 2016 training camp overweight and was later cut before being suspended by the NFL for four games for substance abuse. The once-promising start to Williams's career was over before it ever started.
Karlos Williams Rookie Highlights
2. Deonte Harty: Punt Return TD vs. Miami Week 18, 2023: Maybe there is some recency bias in this choice, but Harty’s punt return changed the momentum in the Bills’ favor. After re-watching the highlight, you can see the difference that one play made for the team to go out and finish the game strong. After Harty’s early 4th-quarter TD tied the game, the Bills scored again late to win 21-14 and capture their 4th straight AFC East crown. This was one of the only highlights in Harty’s underwhelming season in Buffalo.
1. Nyheim Hines 2 Kick Return TDs vs. New England Week 17, 2022: The highlights of the opening game kick return TD and Jim Nantz’s call still give me goosebumps. The team was on fumes after Damar Hamlin’s nearly fatal incident the week prior. The opening kickoff return TD electrified the stadium, brought players to their feet, and probably gave them the energy needed to play that game. In an encore performance, Hines returned another kickoff halfway through the 3rd quarter after New England had broken a 14-all tie. Unfortunately, Hines suffered a season-ending knee injury before the 2023 campaign in the offseason, ultimately ending his short stint in Buffalo.
