The AFC Divisional playoff game in Orchard Park, NY on January
12, 1991 featured two AFC East rivals, the Buffalo Bills, who had topped the
division in 1990 with the conference’s best record at 13-3, against the Miami
Dolphins, the second-place team that compiled a 12-4 tally to qualify for the
postseason as a Wild Card entry.
The Bills were in the postseason for the third straight
year under Head Coach Marv Levy. They featured a quick-striking offense led by
QB Jim Kelly (pictured above), who had fine targets in WRs Andre Reed and James Lofton, plus an
excellent all-purpose back in RB Thurman Thomas. The defensive line was
anchored by DE Bruce Smith and the corps of linebackers was solid with
Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan, and Darryl Talley. If there was a concern, it
was that Kelly was returning to action after missing 2 ½ games with a sprained
left knee, and he had been listed as questionable in the week leading up to the
game.
Miami was coached by Don Shula for the 21st
season and had put together its best record in five years. The offense still
featured the brilliant passing of QB Dan Marino, but had gained an added
element in the running of RB Sammie Smith, who came on late in the season. The
veteran wide receiver tandem of Mark Duper and Mark Clayton was still in place,
although Clayton was showing signs of wear. But the offensive line was
revitalized by OT Richmond Webb and G Keith Sims, both rookies. The defense
also was improved, although the unit’s best player, LB John Offerdahl, was out
for the playoff game against the Bills with an injury. Marino rallied the
Dolphins to a Wild Card playoff win the previous week against the Chiefs, thus
reaching the Divisional round and a matchup with a team against which they had
split the season series.
There were 77,067 fans in attendance at Rich Stadium for
the Saturday afternoon game. The temperature was in the thirties and there was
a light mist that turned to a steady snow, which caused the artificial surface
to become slippery as the game progressed.
The Bills took the opening kickoff and moved in typically
brisk fashion to a score in a five-play drive that covered 76 yards. Jim Kelly
threw to Thurman Thomas for 20 yards, Thomas ran for 14 and, two plays later, a
pass to Andre Reed covered the last 40 yards for a touchdown. Scott Norwood
added the extra point and, with less than two minutes elapsed, the home team
held a 7-0 lead.
The Dolphins responded by going 40 yards in ten plays in
a series that was punctuated by five penalties, three of them on the Bills.
Pete Stoyanovich kicked a 49-yard field goal that narrowed the score to 7-3.
Once again Buffalo moved swiftly on offense. Kelly threw
to Thomas for seven yards and then to James Lofton for 44 yards to the Miami
12. The Bills were able to pick up six more yards on a pass to TE Keith
McKeller, and that was it, but they added a 24-yard Norwood field goal that
made the score 10-3.
On the next series, a Marino pass was tipped by Darryl
Talley and intercepted by CB Nate Odomes. Starting with favorable field
position at the Miami 38, the Bills converted a third-and-eight play when Kelly
ran out of the pocket for a first down, and although he fumbled, C Kent Hull
recovered at the 18. The nine-play, 33-yard possession ended with Norwood
kicking another field goal, this time from 22 yards. The score remained 13-3
heading into the second quarter.
Following a punt by the Dolphins, the Bills advanced 67
yards in five plays. Thomas (pictured at left) ran twice for eight yards and then caught a pass
for another 11 before Kelly threw to Reed for 43 yards to the Miami five. From
there, Thomas ran up the middle for a touchdown and, adding Norwood’s extra
point, it was a 20-3 lead for the home team.
With the game slipping away, it was Miami’s turn to
strike quickly. In a third-and-five situation, Marino connected with Mark Duper
for 11 yards and then went back to Duper again, this time for a 64-yard TD.
Having gone 80 yards in four plays, Stoyanovich added the PAT and Buffalo’s
lead was narrowed to 20-10.
The Bills responded by driving 68 yards in 11 plays.
Kelly immediately threw to Lofton for 19 yards and, two plays later, ran for
nine yards. Reaching the Miami 32, Buffalo converted a fourth-and-three play as
Kelly connected with Reed for 13 yards. The series ended with a seven-yard
Kelly-to-Lofton touchdown pass and, adding the extra point, the home team again
enjoyed a 17-point lead of 27-10 with five minutes remaining in the first half.
The Dolphins reached midfield before an intentional
grounding penalty backed them up and they were forced to punt. However, after
returning the kick 17 yards, WR Al Edwards fumbled and the punter, Reggie Roby,
recovered at the Buffalo 47. A five-yard carry was followed by two incomplete
passes, but then, on fourth-and-five, Marino threw to Duper for 38 yards to the
four. Marino ran for a two-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left on the clock and
Stoyanovich added the extra point. Buffalo’s lead was 27-17 at halftime.
Miami narrowed the lead further with a 62-yard drive in
eight plays to start the third quarter. The big play was a 17-yard run by
Sammie Smith in a third-and-two situation that got the ball to the Buffalo 12.
Stoyanovich finished off the series with a 22-yard field goal that made it a
seven-point game at 27-20.
The Bills stormed back as Thomas had back-to-back eight yard
runs and Kelly threw to Lofton for 31 yards to the Miami 27. However, two plays
later Kelly was picked off by SS Jarvis Williams. The Dolphins were deep in
their own territory, starting at the two, and on a third-down play from their
12, Marino went long and was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso.
With the ball at the Miami 48, the Bills used two carries
by Thomas and a pass to McKeller to reach the 33. Facing third-and-seven, Kelly
completed a pass to Lofton for 13 yards and, after Thomas gained nine yards on
three straight runs, Norwood kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 30-20.
RB Marc Logan returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to
give the Dolphins good starting field position at their 43, and Marino
immediately threw to Mark Clayton for 23 yards. Smith ran twice for 18 yards to
finish off the period at the Buffalo 13, and three plays into the fourth
quarter, Marino (pictured below) tossed a pass to G Roy Foster, an eligible receiver in short
yardage, for a two-yard TD. Stoyanovich added the extra point and Buffalo’s
once-formidable lead was down to three points at 30-27.
The Bills drove 63 yards in ten plays in response. Kelly
completed four passes, including one of five yards to McKeller to convert a
fourth-and-two situation, and had a key eight-yard scramble along that way. A
12-yard completion to Edwards advanced the ball to the Miami 17 and a defensive
holding penalty on CB Tim McKyer on a third-and-eight play gave the Bills a
first down and Thomas ran for a five-yard touchdown to cap the possession.
Norwood’s successful conversion put Buffalo in front by ten.
The key turnover of the game occurred on the ensuing
kickoff when Logan fumbled when hit by LB Hal Garner and Norwood recovered for
the Bills at the Miami 29. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Reed for a 26-yard
TD. Norwood added the extra point once again and Buffalo’s lead was 44-27 with
9:42 remaining in the game.
The Dolphins fought back, with Marino throwing to Clayton
for 21 yards and to TE Ferrell Edmunds for eight, and Smith running for 12
yards on a third-and-two play. But the drive stalled at the Buffalo 35 as
Marino threw four straight incomplete passes, the last while facing
fourth-and-ten.
The Bills ran the clock down to under five minutes before
punting, and Miami put together a scoring drive of 91 yards in 15 plays. Marino
completed eight passes along the way, the last one of eight yards to WR Tony
Martin for a touchdown. Stoyanovich added the extra point, but it was a
ten-point game with 1:15 left on the clock. When the Bills recovered the
ensuing onside kick, Miami’s fate was sealed. The Bills came away winners by a
score of 44-34.
Buffalo had the edge in total yards (493 to 430) while
the teams were even with 24 first downs apiece. The Dolphins turned the ball
over three times, the last time with devastating results, to two suffered by
the Bills.
Jim Kelly completed 19 of 29 passes for 339 yards and
three touchdowns while giving up one interception. Thurman Thomas ran for 117
yards and two TDs on 32 carries and also caught three passes for 38 yards.
James Lofton had 7 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown and Andre Reed had
four receptions for 122 yards and two TDs.
For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 23 of 49
throws for 323 yards and three TDs while tossing two interceptions. Mark Duper (pictured below) gained 113 yards on his three catches that included a score while Mark Clayton
had four pass receptions for 82 yards. Tony Martin and RB/WR Jim Jensen also
had four catches, for 44 and 38 yards, respectively, and one of Martin’s was
good for a touchdown. Sammie Smith rushed for 99 yards on 21 attempts.
“We have so many weapons, it’s tough to double-cover
anybody,” said Jim Kelly. “We put it all together today and we’re tough when we
do that.”
“I thought we were going to make it interesting when we
got to within three,” said Don Shula. “Then we didn’t stop them defensively and
fumbled the kickoff, and they scored again to build the lead that eventually won
the game for them.”
“They moved the ball well all day,” added Dan Marino. “We
did, too. But they played mistake-free football.”
Buffalo went on to rout the Raiders for the AFC
Championship but lost a close Super Bowl contest to the New York Giants. The
Bills won the AFC title in each of the next three seasons, but fell each time
in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins dropped back to 8-8 in 1991, but returned to
the postseason in ’92 at 11-5.
