1996: Bills Rally to Force Tie, Defeat Giants in Overtime

The Buffalo Bills were highly-regarded favorites as they faced the New York Giants in a season-opening game on September 1, 1996. Coached by Marv Levy, who guided the club to four consecutive AFC Championships from 1990 to ’93, the Bills were coming off of a 10-6 record in 1995. They still had their solid, if aging, core on offense of QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed (pictured at right), and hoped to benefit from the arrival of free agent WR Quinn Early. DE Bruce Smith remained the cornerstone of a defense that had returned to form in ‘95 following a down year in 1994. There was some concern regarding Smith, who was involved in a contract dispute and threatened to boycott the game, but he was in the lineup to face the Giants.

New York was in its fourth season under Head Coach Dan Reeves and went a miserable 5-11 the previous year. The Giants managed to retain star RB Rodney Hampton, who received an offer sheet from the 49ers in the offseason, but elsewhere there were question marks. QB Dave Brown had failed to develop as hoped and the defense did not look good in a lackluster preseason.

There were 74,218 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands for the Sunday night contest. Following a three-and-out series by the Bills that included two sacks of Jim Kelly and forced the visitors to punt from their own end zone, the Giants started off with good field position at the Buffalo 46 and drove to the game’s first score. Dave Brown completed passes to WR Lawrence Dawsey for 13 yards and FB Charles Way for 12 and Rodney Hampton had a 12-yard run. After gaining a first-and-goal at the five, New York was unable to reach the end zone and settled for a 22-yard Brad Daluiso field goal.

The teams traded punts as the game headed into the second quarter, but one of them yielded more points for the Giants when rookie WR Amani Toomer thrilled the crowd as he returned Chris Mohr’s 51-yard kick for a club-record 87-yard touchdown.  Daluiso’s PAT made it 10-0.

A short possession by the Bills, struggling against a swarming New York defense, ended in yet another punt and the Giants went 57 yards in four plays, the big one a Brown pass to Way for a 37-yard TD. Daluiso converted for a seventeen point advantage, and an upset seemed very possible.

Buffalo began to dig out of the 17-0 hole on the next series, helped when Daluiso’s kickoff went out of bounds and thus gave the Bills the ball at their 40, driving 60 yards in nine plays. Kelly completed three straight passes, to TE Lonnie Johnson for three yards, TE Tony Cline for six, and then to Andre Reed for 31 yards to the New York 16. Thurman Thomas ran twice for eight yards before Kelly again connected with Cline, this time for seven yards to the one, and two plays later it was Thomas bulling up the middle for a touchdown.  Steve Christie converted to narrow the score to 17-7, which remained the tally at the half.

The Giants had the ball first in the third quarter and punted, but got it back on the next play with Kelly’s pass was intercepted by CB Philippi Sparks, who returned it 19 yards to the Buffalo 14. Four plays later Daluiso booted a 34-yard field goal and the lead was extended to 20-7.

The Bills responded by advancing 80 yards in 10 plays, the biggest of which were passes by Kelly (pictured at left) to Quinn Early for 39 yards and Reed for 28. Christie’s 28-yard field goal made it a ten-point contest at 20-10.

A short series by the Giants ended with a punt and Buffalo, now utilizing its no-huddle offense effectively against a tiring defense, moved quickly to score again. RB Darrick Holmes ran twice for 12 yards before Kelly went for Reed on a slant pattern and the receiver split the secondary and raced for a 60-yard touchdown. Christie again added the PAT and, with 6:30 remaining in the period, the New York lead was narrowed to 20-17.

The Giants got an apparent break on the next series when, forced to punt, Buffalo DB Jeff Burris fumbled and LB Corey Widmer recovered for the home team, but they were unable to take advantage and shortly thereafter had to punt again.

The teams exchanged punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter until the Bills put together a long drive of 75 yards in 13 plays. Thomas started things off with two runs that covered a total of 13 yards and Kelly connected with Johnson for eight. Three plays later Reed ran for 13 yards on a reverse to get the ball into Buffalo territory but, following a sack of Kelly by LB Corey Miller, the visitors were facing a third-and-18 situation at the New York 45. Kelly completed a pass to Early for 20 yards that kept the drive alive and four plays later Christie kicked a 39-yard field goal that tied the score at 20-20.

Neither team was able to score in the remaining minutes of regulation, although a long pass by Brown with 2:56 remaining on the clock barely missed being caught for a sizable gain by WR Thomas Lewis, and the contest headed into overtime. Buffalo had the ball first and punted. The Giants advanced to their 41 on the ensuing possession but Brown fumbled when sacked by Bruce Smith and LB Chris Spielman recovered at the New York 33. The Bills advanced methodically to the 16, with Kelly throwing to Cline for eight yards to convert a third-and-seven play, before Christie came in to kick a 34-yard field goal with 4:52 remaining in the extra period and Buffalo, which had trailed for most of the contest, came away the winner by a final score of 23-20.

The Bills led significantly in total yards (410 to 231), first downs (25 to 12), and time of possession (40:30 to 29:38). However, the Giants recorded seven sacks, to five by Buffalo, and the Bills turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by New York, although it led to the decisive score. The teams punted a combined 19 times, with 10 by Mike Horan of the Giants and 9 by Buffalo’s Chris Mohr.

Jim Kelly completed 24 of 41 passes for 313 yards and a touchdown along with an interception. Thurman Thomas rushed for 97 yards on 32 carries that included a TD. Andre Reed gained 138 yards on his five catches that included a touchdown while Tony Cline and Lonnie Johnson had 6 pass receptions apiece, for 41 and 37 yards, respectively. On defense, Bruce Smith was credited with two sacks, including the one that resulted in the game-deciding turnover.

For the Giants, Dave Brown was successful on 11 of 27 throws for 169 yards and a TD with none intercepted. Rodney Hampton led the club with 50 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Charles Way topped the receivers with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Including the 87-yard touchdown, Amani Toomer (pictured at right) had a noteworthy debut with a 28.3-yard average on four punt returns.

“I can tell you, we can play better, that’s good news,” said Buffalo’s Coach Levy. “I’m very proud of our team hanging in and coming back and playing the game out.”

The Bills got off to a 9-3 start, although initially struggling to put points on the board, but faded down the stretch to finish at 10-6, which placed second in the AFC East and qualified for a Wild Card playoff spot. They lost to the upstart Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round. New York was 0-3 before winning two straight games on the way to a 6-10 record that placed last in the NFC East.

Andre Reed’s big opening game heralded a return from an injury-plagued ’95 season as he caught 66 passes for 1036 yards (15.7 avg.) and six touchdowns. Bruce Smith’s two sacks were part of an eventual 13.5 for the year, his best total since 1993, and he was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection for the fourth straight year.

Amani Toomer averaged 16.6 yards on 18 punt returns and returned one more for a touchdown during the season. Primarily a kick returner in his first three seasons, he would move into the starting lineup as a wide receiver and catch 668 passes for 9497 yards (14.7 avg.) and 54 TDs in a 13-year career with the Giants.

1983: Jim Kelly Signs with USFL

The Houston Gamblers, one of the United States Football League’s six expansion franchises for its second season, made a major acquisition on June 9, 1983 as prize QB Jim Kelly from the Univ. of Miami signed a contract.

Kelly had been chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the NFL draft as part of a much-heralded quarterback class that included Stanford’s John Elway and Dan Marino of Pittsburgh. While contract terms were not released at the time of the signing, it was later revealed to be a five-year fully-guaranteed deal for $3.3 million. While they were at it, the Gamblers also signed Kelly’s roommate at Miami, RB Mark Rush, who had been Minnesota’s fourth-round draft pick (he lasted five games with Houston before being released).

“Kelly is more ready to play pro football than some of the others because of the type of offense he was under in college,” explained Gene Burrough, Houston’s general manager.

Playing under Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger at Miami, who utilized a pro-style passing offense, Kelly set school records for pass completions (376), passing yards (5228), and TD passes (31), but his college career was curtailed when he suffered a separated shoulder against Virginia Tech in the third game of the 1982 season. Already given a clean bill of health, but with the USFL season not set to start until February of 1984, he would have that much more time to fully heal.

While the Gamblers were coached by Jack Pardee, the offensive coordinator was Darrel “Mouse” Davis, architect of the “run-and-shoot” offense at Portland State. Houston lost its opening game, 20-17 to the Tampa Bay Bandits, and Kelly passed for 229 yards and a touchdown while giving up two interceptions. But the following week, on a Monday night, the Gamblers blasted the San Antonio Gunslingers, another first-year club, and Kelly threw for 309 yards and a TD while running for two more. The Gamblers got off to a 3-1 start, stumbled for two losses, and then went on to a 13-5 record that placed first in the Central Division. Moreover, the offense was nothing short of sensational, averaging 34.3 points per game on the way to racking up 618 points, which were 79 more than the runner-up, and scoring 79 touchdowns over the course of 18 games.

Kelly significantly exceeded rookie expectations, topping the circuit in pass attempts (587), completions (370), yards (5219), and touchdowns (44), although also in interceptions (26). In addition, he rushed for 493 yards on 85 carries (5.8 avg.) and five TDs. Two of his receivers, Richard Johnson (115 catches, 1455 yards, 15 TDs) and Ricky Sanders (101 receptions, 1378 yards, 11 TDs) finished first and second in pass receptions. For his efforts, Kelly was a consensus first-team All-USFL selection and was named Player of the Year by the league. That the Gamblers fell short in the first round of the playoffs against the Arizona Wranglers took little luster off of the season of accomplishments.

The Gamblers were without “Mouse” Davis in 1985, who became the head coach of the Denver Gold, but it did not slow down Kelly and the offense. In the opening game against the Los Angeles Express and another heralded young quarterback, Steve Young, Kelly had a remarkable performance in a 34-33 come-from-behind win. His 574 passing yards not only far exceeded the existing USFL record but also the NFL mark of 554 set in 1951 by Norm Van Brocklin of the Rams. He went to the air 54 times, completed 35, and five were good for touchdowns.

Kelly maintained high production through another outstanding season until he was sidelined for the last four games with a knee injury, yet he still topped the USFL in pass attempts (567), completions (360), yards (4623), and TD passes (39). He again received consensus first-team All-USFL honors. And while Kelly returned for the postseason, Houston was once more eliminated in the first round.

The 1985 season proved to be the end of the line for the USFL. A planned move to the autumn in 1986 was aborted when an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL led to a favorable ruling but, essentially, no cash award (one dollar, times three), something that was desperately needed by the USFL. The Gamblers had been merged with the New Jersey Generals during the offseason in a move that was to put Kelly in the same backfield with star RB Herschel Walker, but it was not to be. He left the USFL having thrown for 9842 yards and 83 TDs in just two seasons and 32 games.

Kelly went on to the NFL and the Buffalo Bills, who retained his rights. He stayed with Buffalo for eleven years, passing for 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns, and performing well in a fast-paced, no-huddle offense that was similar to the one he had so much success with in the USFL. The club won four straight AFC Championships between 1990 and ’93 and Kelly, who received consensus first-team All-NFL honors once and was chosen to five Pro Bowls, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.    

1984: Gamblers Rally but Panthers Win in Overtime

The Michigan Panthers hosted the Central Division-rival Houston Gamblers in a United States Football League game on May 6, 1984 with hopes of ending a four-game losing streak.

The Panthers were the defending USFL Champions under Head Coach Jim Stanley and had started the season fast with six straight wins before going into the swoon to stand at 6-4 and in a three-way battle for the division lead. QB Bobby Hebert (pictured at right) was hampered by a bad knee and the losses had begun when star WR Anthony Carter went down for the year with a broken arm. The offensive line, a strength coming into the season, was injury-ridden as well, but the defense remained one of the league’s better units.

Houston, a first-year club coached by Jack Pardee, was also at 6-4 and was coming off a tough overtime loss the previous week. Rookie QB Jim Kelly had been outstanding in operating the run-and-shoot passing offense, although he had taken many sacks. The Gamblers had lost starting RB Sam Harrell to injury and Todd Fowler, a lightly-regarded rookie out of Stephen F. Austin, was taking his place.

There were 29,068 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. The first quarter was scoreless until, following an interception by LB John Corker that gave the Panthers the ball at the Houston 39, the home team advanced in four plays to a touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Bobby Hebert to a wide-open RB Ken Lacy. Novo Bojovic added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

With the Michigan defense keeping the Gamblers in check, the Panthers moved methodically in a 12-play, 61-yard series that extended into the second quarter and ended with another Hebert TD pass, this time to WR Walter Broughton from four yards out. Bojovic converted and Michigan was up by 14-0.

The next possession by the Panthers ended with Hebert being picked off by CB Mike Mitchell and the Gamblers capitalized when Kelly completed a third down pass to WR Ricky Sanders for a 37-yard touchdown. Toni Fritsch added the extra point to narrow the score to 14-7.

A short Michigan possession led to a punt and Bojovic, normally just the placekicker but forced to do double duty due to an injury to SS/P David Greenwood, boomed a 59-yard kick that pinned the Gamblers inside their 10 yard line. The teams traded punts for the remainder of the half and the score remained unchanged.

The Panthers had first possession in the third quarter and, with Hebert passing effectively and RB John Williams picking up 17 yards on a key carry, they drove 72 yards in nine plays to a TD on a seven-yard run by Williams. Bojovic converted to put Michigan ahead by 14 points at 21-7.

Todd Fowler ran effectively on Houston’s next series that ended with Kelly firing long to Sanders for a 44-yard touchdown. Fritsch’s point after narrowed Michigan’s lead to seven points once more. But it didn’t take long for the Panthers to respond as, on their third play of the next series, Williams took off down the right sideline for a 68-yard TD. Bojovic booted the extra point and the score was 28-14 in favor of the home team.

WR Clarence Verdin returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards and the Gamblers again interspersed draw plays by Fowler to good effect. With the game now early in the fourth quarter, they scored on a five-yard bootleg by Kelly to complete the six-play, 61-yard drive. Fritsch successfully converted to make the score 28-21.

An onside kick by Houston was recovered by the Panthers and, while they were unable to capitalize, Bojovic’s punt was downed at the Gamblers’ seven yard line. Fowler immediately took off for a 20-yard run and caught a third-and-10 screen pass for a first down, but the visitors were ultimately forced to punt. However, they got the ball back at the Michigan 14 when Hebert fumbled while being sacked and FS Tommy Myers recovered. Fowler hit the line repeatedly, the last time for a touchdown from less than a yard out. Fritsch’s kick tied the score at 28-28 with 4:37 remaining in regulation. Neither team was able to get into scoring position the rest of the way and the contest headed into overtime.

The Gamblers won the toss for the overtime period but the squibbed kick hit a Houston player and was recovered by Michigan center Max Gill at the Houston 49. However, Hebert was sacked on first down and two passes fell incomplete to force a punt. The Gamblers drove into Michigan territory, converting two third downs along the way, and appeared set to win until Fritsch’s 30-yard field goal attempt was partially deflected by John Corker and missed to the left. Granted a reprieve, the Panthers drove methodically in 12 plays with Williams running well and Hebert hitting key passes. Bojovic kicked a 29-yard field goal and Michigan won by a final score of 31-28 with 59 seconds remaining in the extra period.   

Both teams rolled up significant yardage, with the Panthers coming out ahead (420 to 405) and also holding the edge in first downs (24 to 21) and time of possession (40:54 to 33:07). Michigan gained 246 yards on the ground to 181 for the normally air-oriented Gamblers. The Panthers accumulated five sacks, to three for Houston and the Gamblers turned the ball over three times, to two by the home team.

Bobby Hebert completed 20 of 36 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown while giving up an interception. John Williams had a big day with 165 yards on 22 carries that included two TDs. WR Derek Holloway and Walter Broughton each caught five passes, for 61 and 46 yards, respectively, and Broughton scored a touchdown. On defense, DE Larry Bethea accounted for three of Michigan’s sacks.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly was successful on 23 of 36 throws for 249 yards and two TDs, along with two interceptions. Todd Fowler (pictured at left) rushed for 140 yards on 22 attempts with a touchdown, his best outing to date. Ricky Sanders had 9 pass receptions for 120 yards and two TDs and Richard Johnson also caught 9, for 67 yards.

The win put the Panthers alone in first place in the Central Division, but they lost their next three games and had to rally to finish second and grab a wild card playoff slot with a 10-8 record. They lost an epic First Round playoff game to the Los Angeles Express in the third overtime period. Houston, having now lost two straight games in overtime, reeled off seven consecutive wins to close out the season in first place at 13-5. However, the Gamblers then fell to Arizona in a close First Round contest.

Both John Williams and Todd Fowler remained productive on the ground. Williams rushed for 984 yards on 194 carries for a 5.0 average and scored eight touchdowns. Fowler, barely a footnote during the first half of the season, ended up gaining 1003 yards on 170 attempts (5.9 avg.), including 208 in a single game, and compiled 11 TDs.  

1992: Bills Beat Broncos for AFC Title in Defensive Struggle

The AFC Championship game on January 12, 1992 featured the defending conference champions, the Buffalo Bills, hosting the Denver Broncos, a team that had reached the Super Bowl three times in the preceding five seasons.

Buffalo, coached by Marv Levy, had narrowly lost the previous year’s Super Bowl to the Giants and again topped the AFC East with a 13-3 record in ’91. The high-powered offense that led the league in total yards featured QB Jim Kelly, RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed. The defense was strongest at linebacker, a group that included Pro Bowlers Cornelius Bennett and Darryl Talley, and had plenty of speed, but star DE Bruce Smith missed all but five games due to a knee injury and the unit as a whole was showing signs of wear. Still, the Bills easily dispatched the Chiefs in the Divisional playoff round and were 11.5-point favorites as they sought to win the conference title for a second year.

The Broncos, under the direction of Head Coach Dan Reeves for the eleventh season, bounced back from an off-year in 1990 to win the AFC West with a 12-4 tally. Denver had the AFC’s top-ranked defense, also boasting an excellent group of linebackers plus the fine safety tandem of Steve Atwater and Dennis Smith. As had been the case for the last decade, the key to the offense was QB John Elway. RB Gaston Green came from the Rams and had a career year with 1037 rushing yards. Denver narrowly defeated the Houston Oilers in its Divisional game to advance to the AFC title contest.

It was sunny and temperatures mild, although windy, at Rich Stadium with 80,272 fans in attendance. The Bills had the first possession and punted. The Broncos, starting from their 45, advanced to the Buffalo 39 before having to punt, but again had good starting field position at their 49 after the home team again had to kick from deep in its own territory. This time Denver reached the 34 before Gaston Green was stopped for losses on successive plays. Facing third-and-15, John Elway was sacked for another 12 yards by NT Jeff Wright, once again forcing a punt.

The Broncos got the ball back in short order when a pass by Jim Kelly that was tipped at the line was intercepted by NT Greg Kragen. Taking possession at the Buffalo 29, the visitors were still unable to gain ground and came up empty when David Treadwell’s 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the left.

The Bills reached Denver territory for the first time on the ensuing series, but had to punt from the 44. Green ran for 18 yards and Elway passed to WR Vance Johnson for a gain of 10 more as the opening period came to a close. With the ball once more in Buffalo territory, an apparent interception by CB Kirby Jackson at the two was overruled by replay review. This time the visitors got to the 11 thanks to short completions by Elway, but Denver was moved back from there on a fumbled snap and sack. The game remained scoreless as Treadwell’s 42-yard try for a field goal hit the right upright.

The Broncos continued to win the battle for field position, but also continued to come up empty as Treadwell missed a third field goal attempt, this time from 37 yards, that again struck the right upright. Neither team threatened to score for the remainder of the first half. Thus far, Denver was doing a superb job defensively of pressuring Kelly and shutting down the Buffalo offense.  But while the Broncos were winning the statistical battle, having outgained the Bills (123 to 58) and accumulated nine first downs to Buffalo’s three, they had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard.

The situation remained much the same as the third quarter commenced and the teams exchanged punts. Finally, the Bills put together a promising drive. Thurman Thomas ran effectively, Kelly completed two passes, and Andre Reed gained 16 yards on a reverse. However, after getting to the Denver 26, Kelly’s next throw was picked off by CB Tyrone Braxton. The reprieve proved to be short-lived for the Broncos. Two plays later, an Elway pass that was tipped by Wright was intercepted by LB Carlton Bailey, who returned it 11 yards for a touchdown (pictured at top, Wright #91, Bailey #54). Scott Norwood added the extra point and Buffalo was ahead by 7-0 with 5:28 left in the period.

The teams traded punts as the game headed into the fourth quarter, and now backup QB Gary Kubiak was in for Elway, who suffered a thigh injury early in the second half and finally had to leave the contest. Kubiak completed two passes and Green had gains of ten and seven yards as the Broncos advanced to the Buffalo 31. LB Darryl Talley sacked Kubiak for a 10-yard loss on a second-and-nine play, and while the quarterback was able to regain eight yards of that on a scramble, a fourth-and-11 pass to WR Michael Young came up a yard short.

The Bills responded with a 50-yard drive in nine plays. Kelly completed consecutive throws to TE Keith McKeller, the second for 25 yards in a third-and-five situation. Runs by Thomas and a throw to Reed for 10 yards got the ball to the Denver 26 and Norwood booted a 44-yard field goal to put Buffalo ahead by ten points with 4:18 remaining in regulation.

The Broncos came back with an 85-yard series that took eight plays. Kubiak ran for 11 yards on first down and then completed three straight passes to Vance Johnson, the longest for 24 yards. Kubiak hit on two more throws to Johnson, for 23 and eight yards, and the quarterback finished the possession off with a three-yard carry for a TD. Treadwell’s conversion made it a three-point contest with the clock down to 1:43.

Denver succeeded on an onside kick that was recovered by Steve Atwater, but on the next play RB Steve Sewell fumbled after catching a pass and Kirby Jackson (pictured at right), who forced the fumble, recovered for the Bills. Buffalo was able to run the clock down to 17 seconds before punting, and while Kubiak completed two passes, time ran out on the Broncos at their 48 yard line. The Bills won by a final score of 10-7.

Buffalo’s offensive output was far below its regular season average as Denver led in total yards (304 to 213) and first downs (20 to 12). The Bills recorded four sacks to one by the Broncos. Each club turned the ball over two times. However, Denver’s David Treadwell missed all three of his field goal attempts while Scott Norwood of the Bills was successful on his one try.

Jim Kelly, who was harassed by Denver’s blitzing, completed 13 of 25 passes for 117 yards with no touchdowns while giving up two interceptions. Thurman Thomas rushed for 72 yards on 26 carries and had three catches for 15 yards. Keith McKeller led the Bills with 39 yards on his three pass receptions.

For the Broncos, John Elway was successful on 11 of 21 throws for 121 yards and was picked off once while Gary Kubiak (pictured below), the long-time backup who had already announced his retirement and was appearing in his last game, went 11-of-12 in relief, for 135 yards, and ran three times for 22 yards and a TD. Vance Johnson caught 7 passes for 100 yards and Steve Sewell gained 78 yards on his 7 receptions, although he also gave up the critical late-game fumble. Gaston Green compiled 53 yards on 19 rushing attempts.

“We did everything we could,” said a disappointed Coach Reeves of the Broncos in summation. “Our defense held them to three points. It’s a shame a turnover changed the game.”

The return to the Super Bowl did not bring Buffalo better fortune. The Bills lost to Washington in the second of what would turn out to be four consecutive Super Bowl defeats. Denver dropped to 8-8 in 1992 and next returned to the playoffs as a Wild Card entry in ’93. The Broncos did not advance as far as the AFC Championship game again until 1997, when they won their first NFL title.

1989: Kelly Throws 5 TD Passes as Bills Defeat Oilers in Overtime Thriller

The Buffalo Bills were at 1-1 and struggling as they traveled to Houston to take on the Oilers, also 1-1, on September 24, 1989. Head Coach Marv Levy’s team was coming off of a 12-4 division-winning year in ’88 and much was expected. The offensive nucleus of QB Jim Kelly (pictured above), RB Thurman Thomas, and WR Andre Reed was back, but Buffalo had problems with turnovers the previous week in a loss at home to Denver. The defense likewise had outstanding performers in DE Bruce Smith, LB Cornelius Bennett, and FS Mark Kelso.

Houston was coached by brash Jerry Glanville and went 10-6 in 1988. QB Warren Moon was a highly productive passer coming off of consecutive Pro Bowl years and he had a good group of receivers available. The defense had talent, too, and was very aggressive, but could also give up big plays. Still, they had been nearly impregnable at the Astrodome, which had come to be nicknamed “The House of Pain”.

There were 57,278 fans in attendance at the Astrodome. The Bills took the opening kickoff and advanced 55 yards in six plays. The big one was a pass from Jim Kelly to WR Flip Johnson for 36 yards to the Houston 30. The visitors picked up another five yards before Scott Norwood kicked a 43-yard field goal.

Houston responded with an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Warren Moon completed two short passes before connecting with WR Drew Hill for a gain of 48 yards to the Buffalo one. Two plays later Moon went up the middle for the remaining yard and a touchdown. Tony Zendejas added the extra point and the Oilers were ahead by 7-3.

The Bills reached Houston territory on their next series but had to punt, although they got the ball back shortly thereafter when SS Leonard Smith intercepted a Moon pass and returned it 22 yards to the Oilers’ 23. It took four plays to reach the end zone as Thurman Thomas ran twice for 14 yards, Kelly passed to Andre Reed for three more, and then Thomas caught a pass for a six-yard TD. Norwood converted and Buffalo was ahead by 10-7, which remained the score at the end of the opening period.

Early in the second quarter, Moon had another pass picked off, this time by Mark Kelso (pictured at left), who ran it back 43 yards to the Houston 31. Thomas ran for 19 yards on the next play, but the drive stalled at the eight and Norwood kicked a field goal from 26 yards to extend the Buffalo lead to 13-7.

The Oilers came back with a long drive of 81 yards in 18 plays that ran 10:16 off the clock. Moon completed seven passes along the way, two of which converted third downs, each team was penalized twice, and Buffalo CB Derrick Burroughs had to be carried off the field on a stretcher (it would prove to be a career-ending neck injury).  Zendejas kicked a 26-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 13-10.

The Bills got the ball back with 57 seconds left and had to punt from deep in their own territory. Houston had called its three timeouts during that series and regained possession at the Buffalo 39 following a 14-yard punt return by safety Kenny Johnson with the clock now down to 27 seconds. Moon completed one of three passes to move the Oilers ten yards closer, but the field goal attempt by Zendejas was blocked by LB Darryl Talley and Kelso returned it 76 yards for a touchdown. The Bills took a 20-10 lead into halftime.

Houston had the first possession in the third quarter and punted. The Bills extended their lead when Kelly fired long for WR Don Beebe on a third-and-eight play and it covered 63 yards for a TD. Norwood again added the extra point and the visitors were now up by a formidable 27-10 tally.

The Oilers responded by going 75 yards in 11 plays. Moon completed two passes and had a 12-yard scramble, although he was also sacked for a loss of 12 yards. RB Alonzo Highsmith twice converted third downs with runs of 13 and six yards, and it was Highsmith running for a four-yard touchdown. Zendejas converted and it was a ten-point game of 27-17.

The Bills were forced to punt on their next series, and now it was Houston’s turn to make a big special teams play. Kidd’s kick was blocked by rookie SS Bubba McDowell and CB Cris Dishman recovered and ran seven yards for a TD. Zendejas added the extra point and it was suddenly a three-point game at 27-24 with 27 seconds remaining in the period.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Kelly extended Buffalo’s lead by throwing to Reed for a 78-yard touchdown. Norwood made good on the PAT and the score was 34-24. Houston came back with a 76-yard drive in eight plays. Moon completed passes to WR Haywood Jeffires for 14 yards and WR Ernest Givins for 15, and finished off the series with another pass to Givins that was good for a 26-yard TD. Zendejas added the point after and the Oilers were just three points behind at 34-31.

The momentum continued to remain with Houston as a Kelly pass was intercepted by CB Steve Brown on the next possession and returned 41 yards to the Buffalo seven. Four plays later, RB Lorenzo White ran for a one-yard touchdown and, with Zendejas adding the PAT, the home team was now ahead by 38-34.

The Bills started their next series with 4:40 left in regulation and Kelly immediately hit on passes of 15 yards apiece to Johnson and TE Pete Metzelaars. Following a penalty on the Oilers, Thomas (pictured at right) caught a pass for five yards and then ran for another nine before Kelly threw to Reed for 14 yards to the Houston 20. Following an incomplete pass, Kelly was sacked by DE William Fuller for a six-yard loss, but the Bills scored when Kelly connected with Thomas for a 26-yard TD. Norwood’s conversion put the visitors up by three at 41-38.

The Oilers got the ball back following the kickoff at their own 13 with 1:52 left on the clock. Moon was sacked on first down but, digging out of the hole with a pass to Jeffires that initially appeared to have been fumbled, converted a fourth-and-three situation with a throw to Duncan for nine yards. Four more passes got the ball to the Buffalo 29, but a false start moved Houston back five yards. Zendejas came through with a 52-yard field goal to tie the score at 41-41 and send the game into overtime.    

The Oilers had the first possession in OT and a third-and-ten pass from Moon to RB Alonzo Highsmith gained 32 yards to the Buffalo 49. A 17-yard run by Moon and a completion to Highsmith for 11 got the ball to the Buffalo 19, but a loss on a running play and a penalty backed the home team up. Still, it looked good for Houston when Zendejas came in to try for a 43-yard field goal, but his kick was blocked by LB Ray Bentley. The Oilers got a break when the Bills were called for being offside and Zendejas tried again, this time from 37 yards. The kick wasn’t blocked, but it wasn’t good either, missing wide to the left.

Now it was Buffalo’s turn. Kelly threw to Reed for 13 yards, Metzelaars for 21, and TE Keith McKeller for six yards to reach the Houston 40. Kelly ran for 13 yards and, two plays later, his pass to Reed, who spun a way from a defender, went 28 yards for the game-winning touchdown. With 6:18 left in overtime, the Bills came out on top by a final score of 47-41.

The teams combined for 888 yards, with Buffalo holding a 449 to 439 edge. The Oilers led in first downs (33 to 22) and time of possession (43:11 to 25:31). Houston also turned the ball over twice, to one by the Bills, who were penalized 13 times at a cost of 84 yards to 11 flags for 64 yards thrown on the Oilers.

Jim Kelly completed 17 of 29 passes for 363 yards and five touchdowns while giving up one interception. He also ran for 43 yards on three carries. Andre Reed had five catches for 135 yards and two TDs and Flip Johnson also had five receptions, for 86 yards. Thurman Thomas topped the Bills with 58 rushing yards on 12 attempts and also contributed three catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon (pictured below) was successful on 28 of 42 throws for 338 yards and a TD with two interceptions, and ran five times for 36 yards and a score. Alonzo Highsmith ran for 55 yards on 14 attempts that included a touchdown and added 47 yards on four catches. Curtis Duncan and Haywood Jeffires had six pass receptions apiece, for 69 and 57 yards, respectively.

“Long after my career is over, I’m sure this is one that will come to my mind when I think of a handful of special games,” said Coach Levy of the Bills. “It was thrilling. It was tremendous.”

“It was a game of big plays and they made more than we did,” said Warren Moon. “I thought we had it won in overtime, but we didn’t get the field goal.”

The Bills won six of their next nine games before losing three straight and finishing up at 9-7, which was still good enough to again finish first in the AFC East. They lost to the Browns in the Divisional playoff round. Houston also ended up with a 9-7 record to place second in the AFC Central and secure a Wild Card postseason slot. The Oilers lost to Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round.

Jim Kelly missed three games with a shoulder injury and ended up passing for 3130 yards and 25 touchdowns. Thurman Thomas rushed for 1244 yards and picked up another 669 yards on 60 catches to lead the NFL in all-purpose yards with 1913. He was selected to the Pro Bowl, as was Andre Reed with his 88 pass receptions for 1312 yards (14.9 avg.) and nine TDs.

1984: Gamblers Lose Lead, Score Twice in 4th Quarter to Beat Wranglers

The United States Football League’s most prolific offense faced the top-ranked defense in a Saturday night game on April 21, 1984. The Houston Gamblers, one of six expansion teams for the USFL’s second season, utilized the “run-and-shoot” offense to good effect, rolling up yardage and averaging 32 points per contest. Rookie QB Jim Kelly (pictured above) proved highly effective operating in the quick-striking offense and WR Richard Johnson was the most productive of a good pass receiving corps and came into the game leading the USFL in pass receptions. The team could run the ball well, too, although RB Sam Harrell, the league’s top scorer and second-ranked rusher, was out with a broken foot. The Gamblers had a 5-3 record, which put them one behind the co-leaders in the Central Division.

The Arizona Wranglers were coached by George Allen and, as was typical of his teams in the NFL, the roster was filled with veteran talent, especially on defense. The club that had been the Chicago Blitz in 1983, before an offseason exchange of franchises moved them to the Phoenix area, had a conservative offense that was directed by capable 16-year veteran QB Greg Landry. The defense averaged just 14.25 points given up per game, but the team still struggled with consistency and had difficulty winning games. The Wranglers were 4-4 and three games behind the Denver Gold in the Pacific Division. As a side note, Head Coach Jack Pardee of the Gamblers had played under Allen with the NFL Rams, thus adding a pupil-vs.-teacher element to the matchup with Arizona.

There were 23,117 fans in attendance for the Easter weekend game at the Astrodome. The Gamblers had the first possession and drove into Arizona territory with the help of big completions to Richard Johnson and WR Greg Moser, who made a spectacular leaping catch. Toni Fritsch kicked a 39-yard field goal for the early lead.

Houston CB Mike Mitchell intercepted a pass by Greg Landry on the next series, but on the next play DE John Lee grabbed a Kelly screen pass out of the air. A completion to RB Tim Spencer got the ball into scoring territory and, while the Houston defense held, Frank Corral booted a field goal from 23 yards.

The score remained 3-3 after one period of play, but the Gamblers were at the Arizona 20 as the second quarter started. Kelly passed to RB Todd Fowler, the fill-in for the injured Sam Harrell, to get the ball to the five and, two plays later, Kelly ran into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. Fritsch added the extra point and the home team held a 10-3 lead.

Houston got the ball back when the Wranglers punted from deep in their own territory and the Gamblers struck quickly with a Kelly completion to a wide-open Johnson for a 53-yard TD. Fritsch converted. Down by two touchdowns, Arizona drove into Houston territory but came up short on a fourth down play at the 18. The Gamblers capitalized with another long pass play, this time with Kelly throwing to WR Ricky Sanders for a 77-yard touchdown. With Fritsch’s PAT, the home team led by a commanding 24-3 margin. The Wranglers fought back on a possession that concluded with a 25-yard TD carry by Spencer. Corral’s extra point made it 24-10, and that remained the score at halftime.

Arizona drove methodically to start the third quarter, going 70 yards in 11 plays and ending up with a Landry pass to WR Trumaine Johnson, who caught the ball between two defenders for a 13-yard touchdown. Corral again added the point after and it was a seven-point game.

The offensive show slowed with the teams exchanging punts after short possessions before the Gamblers advanced into Arizona territory, but after reaching the 16 they fumbled the ball away on a third down play. The Wranglers took full advantage on a series highlighted by completions to WR Lenny Willis and Tim Spencer that concluded with Spencer running for a two-yard TD. Corral’s kick tied the game at 24-24 with thirty seconds remaining in the period.

With the once-large lead gone and the game now in the fourth quarter, the Gamblers drove 80 yards in six plays to score a touchdown on a 17-yard Kelly throw to Johnson, who was left uncovered in the end zone. Fritsch kicked the extra point and the home team was back in the lead by seven points.

Arizona reached the Houston 20 in response, but after being backed up by a penalty and a sack, a 50-yard field goal attempt by Corral was blocked and returned 58 yards for a TD by DE Pete Catan. Fritsch hooked the try for the extra point, but it didn’t matter. With ten minutes remaining, the Gamblers were back in control.

The Wranglers had a chance to get back into the game when Kelly fumbled in his own territory, giving the visitors the ball. But after getting one first down, a fourth-and-five pass play came up short and the Gamblers regained possession. It was the last gasp for Arizona and Houston won by a final score of 37-24.

The total yards were nearly even, with the Gamblers holding a one-yard edge (401 to 400) while the Wranglers accumulated more first downs (26 to 17) and held onto the ball longer (34:37 to 25:23). Arizona had the better offensive balance, with 266 passing and 134 rushing yards, to 61 yards on the ground and 340 through the air for Houston. The Gamblers also turned the ball over three times, to one turnover by the Wranglers, and Houston was hurt by 14 penalties, to eight flags thrown on Arizona. But big, quick-striking plays put points on the board for the Gamblers, as well as the decisive blocked field goal return.

Jim Kelly completed 17 of 23 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Richard Johnson had 6 catches for 143 yards and two of the TDs and Ricky Sanders gained 86 yards on just two receptions thanks to the one long touchdown. Todd Fowler, in place of the injured Sam Harrell, was an effective receiver out of the backfield with 6 catches for 70 yards, and he rushed for 51 yards on 11 attempts.

For the Wranglers, Greg Landry was successful on 27 of 41 throws for 278 yards and a TD while being picked off once. Tim Spencer ran for 110 yards on 16 carries and also gained 52 yards on five catches. RB Doug Dennison led the club with 6 pass receptions, for 35 yards, while Lenny Willis contributed 69 yards on five catches.

Houston went on to top the Central Division with a 13-5 record. The Wranglers, seemingly in danger of falling out of contention after the loss in Houston, won six of their remaining nine games, including the last four straight, to place second in the Pacific Division at 10-8, good enough to grab a Wild Card playoff spot. Arizona got revenge on the Gamblers with a 17-16 First Round playoff upset and made it to the USFL Championship game, falling to the Philadelphia Stars.

Jim Kelly went on to accumulate 5219 passing yards while throwing for 44 touchdowns and averaging 8.9 yards per attempt. Richard Johnson remained first among USFL pass receivers with 115 catches, for 1455 yards and 15 TDs, while Ricky Sanders placed second with 101, gaining 1378 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns.

1991: Kelly Rallies AFC to Win in Pro Bowl

There were 50,345 fans in attendance at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu for the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl on February 3, 1991, where the game was being held for the 12^th consecutive year. Coaches were Art Shell of the Raiders for the AFC and San Francisco’s George Seifert for the NFC.

The AFC had the game’s first possession and went 71 yards in eight plays. QB Warren Moon of the Oilers completed a pass to Buffalo WR Andre Reed that covered 38 yards to the NFC 30. A 17-yard run by RB Thurman Thomas of the Bills got the ball to the 13 before the drive stalled and Kansas City’s Nick Lowery kicked a 26-yard field goal.

Later in the period, and following an exchange of punts, the NFC had an opportunity to tie the score on a series highlighted by a pass from Philadelphia QB Randall Cunningham to his Eagles teammate, TE Keith Jackson, who then lateraled to RB Earnest Byner of the Redskins for a total pickup of 59 yards. However, the Nationals came up empty when Morten Andersen of the Saints missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

Following a long AFC series that extended into the second quarter, Lowery also missed a field goal, from 28 yards. The NFC responded with a long drive of 80 yards in 17 plays. QB Jim Everett of the Rams, an injury replacement for San Francisco’s Joe Montana, completed all six of his passes and rookie RB Johnny Johnson of the Cardinals dove into the end zone from a yard out with 43 seconds left on the clock before halftime. Andersen added the point after and the NFC led by 7-3 at the intermission.

In the third quarter, the NFC had the ball first and put together another promising series. Cunningham, again at quarterback, completed passes to RB Barry Sanders of the Lions for five and 19 yards and 28 yards to Jackson to reach the AFC 15. However, two of the next three plays resulted in sacks and a 48-yard field goal attempt by Andersen was blocked by Buffalo DE Bruce Smith, who had also recorded one of the sacks.

The AFC responded by driving 36 yards in eight plays to a 43-yard field goal by Lowery that narrowed the NFC’s margin to 7-6. Late in the third quarter, and following another exchange of punts, San Francisco WR Jerry Rice caught a pass that was nearly intercepted by CB Rod Woodson of the Steelers and gained 49 yards to the AFC nine yard line. From there, Johnson ran for his second TD and, with the successful extra point by Andersen, the NFC was ahead by 14-6 heading into the final quarter.

Buffalo QB Jim Kelly (pictured at top) threw to WR Anthony Miller of the Chargers for 33 yards on the last play of the third quarter, and as the contest moved into the final period, he combined with other Bills teammates to advance the AFC to another score. Following three straight tosses to Thomas that totaled 20 yards, Kelly completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Reed, threading the ball between two defenders. Lowery converted and the AFC was down by only a point.

Everett came out throwing for the NFC on the next possession. He connected on three passes to WR Gary Clark of the Redskins, the longest for 19 yards, and Sanders ran for a 22-yard touchdown to cap the 80-yard, 11-play series. Andersen kicked the point after and, with 5:11 to go, the NFC was leading by 21-13.

The AFC came back with another scoring drive, with the big play a pass from Kelly to Cincinnati RB James Brooks that covered 49 yards. Lowery kicked a 34-yard field goal to narrow the margin to 21-16.

The NFC went three-and-out and had to punt. With just over two minutes remaining to play, Kelly threw to TE Ferrell Edmunds of the Dolphins for 27 yards and, two plays later, he completed a 13-yard pass to WR Ernest Givins of the Oilers for a touchdown with the clock down to 1:49. Lowery added the extra point to make it a two-point lead for the AFC.

The NFC still had a chance to win and Everett tossed a third-and-18 pass to TE Steve Jordan that gained 29 yards to get into field goal position. However, Andersen’s 46-yard try with seven seconds on the clock was blocked by Miami DE Jeff Cross to preserve the 23-21 win for the AFC.

The NFC finished with a slight edge in total yards (368 to 358), with both teams gaining 90 yards on the ground, and also had more first downs (22 to 17). There were no turnovers.

Jim Kelly, who was named the game’s MVP, completed 13 of 19 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns while Warren Moon was 6 of 11 for 72 yards. Thurman Thomas led the AFC with 38 rushing yards on 7 carries and had four catches for 36 yards. James Brooks was right behind in the ground-gaining department with 36 yards on five attempts and Andre Reed also had four pass receptions, gaining 80 yards and scoring a TD.

For the NFC, Jim Everett (pictured at left) was successful on 13 of 18 throws for 138 yards and Randall Cunningham went to the air 11 times, completing 6 for 168 yards. Barry Sanders rushed for 35 yards on 7 attempts and Johnny Johnson gained 32 yards on 10 carries that included the two TDs. Gary Clark caught 6 passes for 65 yards and Jerry Rice gained 62 yards on his three receptions. Morten Andersen had a rough day, having two field goal attempts blocked and missing another from 40 yards.

“Man, I’m glad the kick went our way today,” said Jim Kelly, referencing his team’s one-point loss in the Super Bowl the previous week against the Giants when Scott Norwood missed a potential game-winning field goal at the end.

The win for the AFC was the first in three years and cut the NFC’s advantage to 12-9 since the all-star contest had switched to the AFC vs. NFC format.

1989: Kelly Runs for TD on Final Play as Bills Edge Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins had a string of 13 straight home-opening wins on the line as they hosted the Buffalo Bills on September 10, 1989. However, the Dolphins were coming off a 6-10 record in ’88 and had not been to the playoffs in four years. Head Coach Don Shula’s team was always productive through the air with QB Dan Marino, but the running game was not up to par and the defense ranked 26^th in the league.

The Bills, coached by Marv Levy, appeared to be heading in a better direction. Following four consecutive losing years, they won the AFC East with a 12-4 tally in 1988. Tough and talented QB Jim Kelly (pictured above) led an offense that featured RB Thurman Thomas, coming off an outstanding rookie season, and WR Andre Reed, who set a club record with 71 receptions. The defense was anchored by DE Bruce Smith and included solid linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Shane Conlan plus overachieving FS Mark Kelso.

There were 54,541 fans in attendance at Joe Robbie Stadium. The Dolphins drove into Buffalo territory on their first series but were forced to punt, pinning the Bills back at their one yard line. However, the visitors proceeded to put together a long 16-play, 82-yard drive. Thurman Thomas ran seven times for 39 yards and Jim Kelly completed three passes. The possession finally stalled at the Miami 17 and Scott Norwood kicked a 34-yard field goal.

The score remained 3-0 as the game entered the second quarter. The teams exchanged punts before the Dolphins went 71 yards in 10 plays. Dan Marino tossed six completions, the longest of which were 20 yards to TE Ferrell Edmunds and 21 yards to WR Mark Duper, and RB Troy Stadford ran for the final yard and a touchdown. Pete Stoyanovich’s extra point put Miami ahead by 7-3.

The teams again traded punts until the Bills, starting off at the Miami 45 after a 14-yard return by DB Erroll Tucker, put together a promising drive. Kelly completed four passes, but on the last, Andre Reed fumbled inside the ten and CB Rodney Thomas recovered and ran 39 yards. With 32 seconds left in the half, Marino threw to WR Jim Jensen for 10 yards and a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the Buffalo 11. Stoyanovich kicked a 29-yard field goal and the home team took a 10-3 lead into halftime.

The Bills had the first series of the third quarter, punted, but soon regained possession when CB Nate Odomes forced Stradford to fumble and Cornelius Bennett recovered at the Miami two. From there, FB Larry Kinnebrew ran for a TD on the next play and Norwood’s extra point tied the score at 10-10.

The Dolphins drove to midfield on their next series but had to punt. Starting from their own 11, the Bills reached the 27 before Kelly was sacked by LB Barry Krauss on third down for a 17-yard loss, and John Kidd’s punt was blocked by Jensen, with RB Marc Logan running it in for a touchdown. Stoyanovich added the PAT and Miami was back in front at 17-10.

The Bills put together a 10-play, 52-yard series in response. Kelly completed an eight-yard pass to Reed to convert a third-and-five situation and also threw to RB Ronnie Harmon for 20 yards along the way. Norwood booted a 37-yard field goal to narrow the score to 17-13.

The Dolphins were driving as the period ended, with Marino completing three passes, the first to RB Tom Brown for 23 yards. But after reaching the Buffalo 27 early in the fourth quarter, Odomes intercepted a pass to end the threat. The teams exchanged fumbles deep in Buffalo territory and the Bills were then able to punt the ball away. However, the Dolphins put together a long drive of 73 yards in 12 plays, with seven of them pass completions by Marino. The last was to WR Andre Brown for a touchdown and, with Stoyanovich adding the extra point, the home team was in front by 24-13 with 4:17 remaining on the clock.

The Bills came out throwing following the ensuing kickoff and, after an incompletion on first down, Kelly connected on five straight passes, the last to WR Flip Johnson for a 26-yard TD. Norwood added the extra point, but the Bills were behind by four points and still needed a touchdown to win.

It looked good for the Dolphins on the next series when Marino completed a pass to Edmunds for the necessary yards on a second-and-14 play, but Odomes picked off another pass and the visitors had possession at their 49 with the time remaining now down to 1:44.

Kelly completed three straight passes, two of them to WR Chris Burkett, to gain 21 yards. Following an incompletion, he hit Thomas for 11 yards, Reed for 15 and, with an offside penalty moving the ball half the distance to the goal, Kelly ran the ball himself out of shotgun formation for a two-yard touchdown – his first ever rushing touchdown in the NFL (he had six in the USFL). In dramatic fashion, the Bills came away the winners by a score of 27-24.

Buffalo had the edge in total yards (367 to 323) and first downs (27 to 20). The Dolphins turned the ball over four times while the Bills suffered two turnovers. However, Miami sacked Kelly four times while Buffalo failed to get to Marino at all.

Jim Kelly completed 25 of 40 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in addition to running for a TD. Thurman Thomas (pictured below) gained 94 yards on 13 rushing attempts and caught 8 passes for 65 more yards. Andre Reed had 6 catches for 58 yards and Flip Johnson gained 60 yards and scored a touchdown on his three receptions. Nate Odomes had a hand in three of the four Buffalo takeaways with two interceptions and a forced fumble.

For the Dolphins, Dan Marino was successful on 25 of 38 throws for 255 yards and a TD but gave up two interceptions. Ferrell Edmunds caught 5 passes for 58 yards and Tom Brown was right behind with 5 for 57 yards. Andre Brown gained 58 yards on his four receptions that included a score.

“The play was a pass to the fullback coming out of the backfield,” explained Jim Kelly of the winning touchdown. “I saw the linebacker go with him. I just took off…I was hoping I’d make it because I knew if I didn’t, I’d never hear the end of it for the rest of my career.”

“We felt good about ourselves. We felt real confident. Then it was like this huge building fell on us,” said Miami G Roy Foster in summing up the defeat.

Buffalo continued on to an 8-4 start but tailed off amid much off-field griping to finish at 9-7. It was still enough to again top the AFC East, but the Bills lost to Cleveland in the Divisional playoff round. For the Dolphins, the loss to Buffalo was their tenth straight to AFC East teams and set the tone for a 1-3 start, although they then won six of seven before losing four of their last five games to end up at 8-8 and end up third in the division.

Jim Kelly missed three games with an injured shoulder and was in the midst of some of the locker room bickering, but passed for 3130 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also had a second rushing TD during the season. Thurman Thomas was selected to the Pro Bowl after gaining a NFL-leading 1913 yards from scrimmage, which included 1244 on the ground. Andre Reed led the AFC in pass receptions, breaking his own club record with 88 catches that were good for 1312 yards and nine touchdowns.

1984: Fowler Runs for 208 Yards as Gamblers Defeat Gold

In their first season in the United States Football League, the Houston Gamblers had developed into an exciting offensive team with their prolific passing attack led by rookie QB Jim Kelly. However, Head Coach Jack Pardee’s team could also run the ball, and on June 3, 1984 it was the ground game that achieved headlines.

Todd Fowler (pictured above) had been a tight end in college and was converted to running back by the Gamblers during the preseason, although he was viewed more as a blocking back at that time. His value as a runner rose once Sam Harrell, who had set a USFL single-game record with 200 yards earlier in the season, went on injured reserve, and he had already compiled three hundred-yard rushing performances.

Houston had won three straight games and was atop the USFL’s Central Division with a 9-5 record prior to traveling to Denver to take on the Gold. Denver, on the other hand, slumped badly after getting off to a 7-1 start and was now 8-6 after snapping a five-game losing streak the previous week. Coached by Craig Morton, the Gold suffered from instability at quarterback and was giving up too many yards on defense. Still, they remained in first place in the mediocre Pacific Division and were battling to maintain that position.

There was a typically good turnout of 50,057 at Mile High Stadium. To blunt Houston’s passing attack the Gold started no linemen, but instead five linebackers and six defensive backs. The overcompensation left them vulnerable to running plays.

Late in the first quarter, Todd Fowler ran seven yards for a touchdown for the game’s first score, with Toni Fritsch adding the extra point. Fowler set up Houston’s next score in the second quarter with a 53-yard burst up the middle, and that possession resulted in a 36-yard Toni Fritsch field goal that made the tally 10-0.

Craig Penrose came in at quarterback in the second quarter, replacing Fred Mortensen, who had failed to connect on any of his six passes. The Gold narrowed the Houston lead with a 56-yard drive that was kept alive when, forced to punt at one point, the Gamblers roughed the kicker. Penrose finished off the series by passing to RB Harry Sydney for a 28-yard TD. Brian Speelman made it a three-point game with his extra point.

That was the high water mark for Denver. The Gamblers proceeded to score 26 unanswered points to take a commanding lead. They first extended their margin when Jim Kelly threw to WR Ricky Sanders for an 18-yard touchdown to complete an 86-yard series. Houston topped off the first half scoring with a 43-yard field goal by Fritsch on the last play before halftime and the Gamblers took a 20-7 lead into the locker room.

Fritsch kicked a 49-yard field goal in an otherwise-scoreless third quarter in which the Houston defense continued to stymie the home team. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Fowler took a pitchout and broke away for a 46-yard touchdown and, while the extra point try was blocked, Houston was well in front by a score of 29-7.

The Gamblers tallied once more, on a Kelly pass to WR Scott McGhee that covered 23 yards. Denver managed to put two TDs on the board before it was over, with the Gold’s third quarterback of the day, Ken Hobart, connecting with WR Elmer Bailey from 12 yards out and then RB Bo Matthews running one yard for a touchdown. The two-point conversion after the second TD was unsuccessful, but it had no effect on the outcome as the Gamblers came away with a comfortable 36-20 win.

Houston dominated in total yards (465 to 279) and first downs (23 to 15), and the yardage total showed balance with 244 gained on the ground and 221 through the air. The Gold turned the ball over four times, to none by the Gamblers, and Houston also accounted for four sacks, to two by Denver. There were many penalties, with Houston leading in that category as well, drawing 10 flags at a cost of 70 yards to 8 penalties and 74 yards on the Gold.

Todd Fowler broke teammate Sam Harrell’s record by rushing for 208 yards on 21 carries that included two TDs. Jim Kelly (pictured below) completed 20 of 31 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with none intercepted. Ricky Sanders led the receivers with 8 catches for 91 yards. Toni Fritsch kicked three field goals, tying the league record of 12 straight, but a fourth attempt late in the contest was blocked to end the streak.

For the Gold, Craig Penrose had little more luck than Fred Mortensen with his passing, succeeding on just five of 17 throws for 61 yards and a TD while giving up two interceptions. Ken Hobart went 7-of-11 for 156 yards and a touchdown as well as an interception. Three Denver players caught two passes apiece, with Elmer Bailey gaining 79 yards on his pair that included a score. RB Vincent White paced the ground game with 28 yards on 6 attempts and Ken Hobart was right behind with his 25 yards on three carries.

“My offensive line knocked out some big holes in the defense, and all the credit should go to them,” said Todd Fowler regarding his record-setting performance.

“I don’t know what the motivational factor is when we have a championship to play for, then come out and play the way we did,” said a frustrated Coach Craig Morton from the losing side. “The playoffs right now are a dream for us unless we find some kind of spark.”

The Gamblers went on to win the Central Division with a 13-5 record, although they were beaten in their First Round playoff game by the Arizona Wranglers. Denver ultimately slid to a disappointing 9-9 tally, placing third in the Pacific Division.

Todd Fowler ended up rushing for 1003 yards on 170 carries with an impressive 5.9-yard average while scoring 11 touchdowns. Jim Kelly’s two touchdown passes put him at 36 for the season (tying the then-existing NFL record) on his way to 44 as he led the USFL in most major passing categories and received league MVP honors.

1984: Anderson TDs Lift Bandits Over Gamblers

The Tampa Bay Bandits commenced their second United States Football League season by hosting one of six expansion teams, the Houston Gamblers, on February 26, 1984.

The Bandits, coached by Steve Spurrier, had featured an exciting passing attack in the inaugural ’83 season, with 33-year-old QB John Reaves successfully reviving his career until breaking his wrist seven weeks into the schedule. WR Eric Truvillion was an All-USFL selection and all-purpose RB Gary Anderson joined the club as a high-profile rookie midway through the year, played well, and was now available for a full season. Tampa Bay just missed qualifying for the playoffs and was looking to move up in 1984.

Houston had a high-profile rookie of its own in QB Jim Kelly, formerly of the Univ. of Miami and now starting behind center for the first-year club. While Head Coach Jack Pardee was known for his skill with building defenses, the team would be operating a wide-open “run-and-shoot” offense.

There were 42,915 fans in attendance at Tampa Stadium. It looked good for the Bandits when they took the opening kickoff and drove to the Houston 14, but Zenon Andrusyshyn missed wide to the right on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

Now it was Houston’s turn, and Jim Kelly completed four consecutive passes on a nine-play, 80-yard possession, the last of which resulted in a nine-yard touchdown to WR Ricky Sanders. Jeff Brockhaus added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

The Bandits again moved the ball effectively on their next series, but on a first down play at the Houston 27, John Reaves fumbled the snap and LB Rickey Young recovered for the Gamblers. Finally, at 3:15 into the second quarter, the Bandits got on the board when Andrusyshyn booted a 25-yard field goal.

Andrusyshyn kicked another field goal for Tampa Bay with just under two minutes remaining in the first half, this time from 32 yards, making it a one-point game. They got the ball back and went ahead before halftime on a two-yard run by Gary Anderson. Reaves threw to WR Willie Gillespie for a two-point conversion and the home team took a 14-7 lead into the intermission.

Houston came back in the third quarter to tie the score when RB Sam Harrell caught a pass from Kelly for a seven-yard TD and, with Brockhaus adding the point after, the tally was 14-14.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Gamblers drove deep into Tampa Bay territory, but on a third-and-goal play at the four yard line, an option run lost four yards and they had to settle for three points. Still, Houston went ahead when Brockhaus successfully kicked a 26-yard field goal.

It seemed as though the field goal might be enough to pull off the upset. Tampa Bay appeared to be in trouble when, facing third-and-20 at the Houston 45, Anderson dropped a short throw from Reaves. But far from the play, Houston CB Donald Dykes was flagged for an illegal hit on Gillespie and the Bandits stayed alive with a first down at the 30. Reaves threw to Eric Truvillion for 17 yards and, with 2:33 remaining, Anderson took a handoff and ran 12 yards for a touchdown. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful, but the home team was ahead by three points.

There was still plenty of time for the Gamblers, and they reached the Tampa Bay 39 with 57 seconds left on the clock. But on fourth-and-six, Kelly kept the ball on an option play and was stopped short of a first down by DE James Ramey. The Bandits ran out the clock to win by a final score of 20-17.

Tampa Bay led in total yards (435 to 316) and time of possession, holding onto the ball some 15 minutes longer than the Gamblers. The Bandits also held a 28 to 18 edge in first downs, but they had difficulty making the most of scoring opportunities despite being inside the Houston 20 on five occasions. Each team turned the ball over twice.

Gary Anderson had a big day , rushing for 114 yards on 26 carries that included two touchdowns and catching 6 passes for another 100 yards. With Houston’s defensive backs playing deep coverage, John Reaves used short throws effectively and completed 25 of 42 passes for 308 yards with one interception. Willie Gillespie, like Anderson, had 6 receptions, gaining 70 yards, and Eric Truvillion contributed 73 yards on his four catches.

For the Gamblers, Jim Kelly had a strong performance in his pro debut, completing 24 of 41 throws for 229 yards and two TDs, although he also gave up two interceptions. Ricky Sanders caught 7 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. WR Richard Johnson added 6 receptions for 44 yards and Sam Harrell gained 44 yards on 5 catches that included a TD to go along with his team-leading 57 yards on 10 rushing attempts. On defense, LB Andy Hawkins, formerly of the NFL Buccaneers, was credited with 11 tackles in his Tampa homecoming.

“We moved the ball and had a lot of yards, but it seemed like all the bad plays were happening to us,” said Tampa Bay’s Coach Spurrier. “A lot of penalties, a missed field goal, a missed extra point.”

Tampa Bay went on to win their next two games on the way to a 14-4 finish that was good for second place in the Southern Division. Qualifying for the postseason as a Wild Card, the Bandits lost their First Round playoff game to the Birmingham Stallions. The Gamblers recovered from their first week loss to win three straight contests on the way to a 13-5 record and first place in the Central Division. They also lost in the initial round of the postseason, to the Arizona Wranglers.

Gary Anderson gained 1008 yards on 268 carries (3.8 avg.) and led the USFL with 19 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 66 passes for 682 more yards and another two TDs for a total of 21, tying for the league lead with New Jersey’s Herschel Walker.

John Reaves stayed healthy and ranked second in passing yards (4092), attempts (544), and completions (313) while accumulating 28 touchdown passes against 15 interceptions. Ahead of him was Jim Kelly, who ranked at the top in yards (5219), TDs (44), attempts (587), and completions (370) in putting together a remarkable rookie year. He received consensus Player of the Year and All-USFL honors.

1991: Bills Overcome Dolphins in AFC Divisional Playoff Game

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 21^st 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.