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.

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: Panthers Edge Blitz on Last-Second Field Goal

On February 27, 1984 the Michigan Panthers began the defense of their United States Football League Championship in a Monday night home game against the Chicago Blitz. Head Coach Jim Stanley’s team still had the key performers that fueled the 12-6 title-winning squad of 1983. WR Anthony Carter provided big-play ability as a receiver and kick returner and RB Ken Lacy had been the league’s third-leading rusher. QB Bobby Hebert was back behind center, although he held out and had only ten days of practice coming into the opening game. On defense, LB John Corker was coming off of a year in which he topped the USFL with 28 sacks, nearly twice as many as the runner-up.

The Blitz was a very different club from the one that had also gone 12-6 under Head Coach George Allen in the inaugural season.  The franchise was effectively traded, with Allen and the bulk of his veteran-laden roster heading to Arizona while the 1983 Wranglers were transplanted to the Windy City. Many of the former Arizona players were jettisoned, however. The new coach was Marv Levy and there were several NFL veterans that were acquired, most notably QB Vince Evans of the Bears. The state of the defense was a major concern coming into the opener against the Panthers. 

The Pontiac Silverdome was covered, but a blizzard outside held attendance down to 22,428 and caused many in the crowd to be late in arriving. The Blitz had the first possession and converted a third-and-five situation as Vince Evans threw to TE Mark Keel to advance to the Michigan 44. RB Larry Canada ran effectively and Kevin Seibel kicked a 41-yard field goal to give Chicago the early lead.

The Panthers struck quickly in response. Following two strong carries by Ken Lacy, Bobby Hebert went deep to a streaking WR Derek Holloway, who got beyond the coverage and hauled the pass in for a 49-yard touchdown. Novo Bojovic added the extra point.

Chicago responded with a drive of 80 yards in 10 plays that included key passes to WR Keith MaGee and another good run by Canada. It concluded with Evans leaping into the end zone from a yard out. Seibel kicked the point after and the Blitz was back in front by 10-7.

The Panthers were driving as the opening period ended and, on the first play of the second quarter, Hebert threw to Anthony Carter for a 16-yard touchdown. Bojovic’s extra point put the home team ahead by four.

The teams traded punts, with the Blitz getting the better of the field position and driving 59 yards in eight plays that culminated in a two-yard carry for a TD by Canada. However, an errant snap on the try for extra point kept the score at 16-14 in favor of Chicago.  So it remained until the final seconds of the first half as the Panthers drove into scoring territory and Bojovic kicked a 39-yard field goal. Michigan led the back-and-forth game by 17-16 at halftime.

The Panthers took the second half kickoff and again advanced into Chicago territory, but came up empty when Bojovic was wide to the left on a 33-yard field goal attempt. They got the ball back a short time later thanks to a fumble by the Blitz at their 31 yard line, but a holding penalty wiped out a good gain on a swing pass and Hebert was sacked on third down to take Michigan out of field goal range.

The score remained unchanged as the contest moved into the fourth quarter. A punt by the Panthers that was downed inside the Chicago five yard line was negated by an illegal procedure penalty and the re-kick was blocked by RB Jim Stone. MaGee was unable to grab the bouncing ball as it skittered through the Michigan end zone, but the play still resulted in a safety that put the Blitz back in the lead by an 18-17 score.

Chicago got good field position near midfield on the resulting free kick, but an Evans pass was intercepted by CB Oliver Davis, who returned it 23 yards. The Panthers moved backward rather than forward due to a holding penalty and a sack, forcing another punt.

Two dropped passes caused the Blitz to have to punt with less than three minutes remaining to play and Carter returned Jeff Gossett’s 57-yard kick 13 yards. Hebert threw to Lacy for a 28-yard gain that nearly went the distance and Michigan then pounded straight away on the ground until a throw to RB Cleo Miller put the ball on the Chicago three with the clock down to 18 seconds. After one run into the line, Bojovic came in to kick a 20-yard field goal with no time remaining and the Panthers won by a final score of 20-18.

Michigan led in total yards (397 to 275) and first downs (22 to 17), although time of possession was almost even. Both clubs ran the ball well, with the Blitz gaining 144 yards to 124 for the Panthers, but Michigan was much more successful through the air (273 to 131). Chicago turned the ball over twice, to none suffered by the Panthers, but Michigan was hurt by 12 penalties, at a cost of 79 yards, to seven flags thrown on the visitors.

Bobby Hebert completed 20 of 34 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Ken Lacy rushed for 98 yards on 16 carries and caught four passes for another 58 yards. Anthony Carter had 7 pass receptions for 108 yards.

For the Blitz, Vince Evans was successful on 16 of 32 throws for 134 yards and was picked off once. Larry Canada gained 84 yards on 12 rushing attempts and RB Glenn Ford contributed 41 yards on 8 carries. Mark Keel and WR Marcus Anderson each had five catches, for 61 and 40 yards, respectively.

“Sometimes I didn’t feel right out there, and sometimes I felt 100 percent as good as I did last year,” said Bobby Hebert. “My lack of practice time hurt. My timing wasn’t always right and I threw some bad passes.”

“I thought we were fortunate to win,” summed up Jim Stanley of his team’s rusty performance. “I feel like we dodged a bullet tonight.”

Following the successful, if unsteady, start, the Panthers won their next five games before disaster struck when Anthony Carter was lost for the year with a broken arm, the first of several key injuries. Michigan promptly dropped four straight contests and barely made it into the postseason as a second place Wild Card with a 10-8 record, losing in the first round to the Los Angeles Express in triple overtime. Chicago never got on track, struggling to a 5-13 tally and placing last in the Central Division.

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.

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.

1991: Bills Mount 4th Quarter Rally, Defeat Raiders in OT

The Buffalo Bills, reigning AFC Champions, were 11-2 and had clinched the AFC East title but needed a win to assure home field advantage in the playoffs as they faced the Los Angeles Raiders on December 8, 1991. Head Coach Marv Levy’s team excelled with a quick-striking, no-huddle offense developed by offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda and directed by QB Jim Kelly (pictured above). Other key players on offense were highly-dependable WR Andre Reed and RB Thurman Thomas, an outstanding all-purpose back. Star DE Bruce Smith missed most of the season with a bad knee but the linebackers and backfield were strengths.

The Raiders, coached by Art Shell, had won four straight games and were contending in the AFC West with a 9-4 record. As usual, the roster was loaded with veterans. QB Jay Schroeder was inconsistent but third-year WR Tim Brown was a rising talent. The defense benefited from the addition of 32-year-old SS Ronnie Lott.

There was a big crowd of 85,081 at the cavernous LA Memorial Coliseum. The teams traded punts before the Raiders, starting at the Buffalo 32, drove to a score in seven plays. RB Marcus Allen ran the ball six times and Jeff Jaeger kicked a 19-yard field goal.

The Bills reached midfield before having to punt and the Raiders started with possession at their seven yard line. However, they took just four plays to advance 93 yards. RB Roger Craig ran twice for 17 yards and, after a short pass to FB Steve Smith lost two yards, Jay Schroeder threw to Tim Brown, who charged down the right sideline for a 78-yard touchdown. Jaeger added the extra point and Los Angeles was ahead by 10-0. The ten-point margin didn’t last long, however, as WR Al Edwards took the ensuing kickoff all the way back for a 91-yard TD. Scott Norwood’s extra point made it a three-point game in short order.

The Raiders had the ball as the contest moved into the second quarter and put together an 80-yard series in 13 plays. Schroeder completed a third-and-four pass to Allen for 21 yards and, after running plays moved the ball to the Buffalo 40, to TE Ethan Horton for a 17-yard gain on third-and-eight. A run by Allen on third-and-10 got the ball to the 14 and Schroeder kept the ball himself for a two-yard gain to convert fourth down. That set up a 12-yard touchdown carry by RB Nick Bell and, with Jaeger’s successful point after, the Raiders were up by 17-7.

The teams again exchanged punts before the Bills, starting at their nine, drove into LA territory. After a roughing-the-passer penalty on first down, Jim Kelly completed four straight passes to start things off, gaining 32 yards to the LA 48. However, facing fourth-and-one shortly thereafter, FB Carwell Gardner was stopped short.

As the half came down to the last two minutes, the Raiders punted and CB Clifford Hicks returned it 59 yards to the LA 33. Three plays later, Kelly threw to TE Keith McKeller for a nine-yard TD and Norwood added the PAT that made it a three-point game once again. But the first half scoring wasn’t yet over as the Raiders drove to the Buffalo 11 in the last minute. The big plays were Schroeder passes to WR Mervyn Fernandez for 16 yards and to Tim Brown for 28 yards. Jaeger kicked a 28-yard field goal and the Raiders were ahead by 20-14 at halftime.

The Bills had first possession in the third quarter and were forced to punt. Los Angeles added to its lead with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The big play was a Schroeder pass to Fernandez that gained 59 yards to the Buffalo 13. An apparent Schroeder touchdown on a fourth down play was reversed upon review of the replay, but five plays later, and with the help of two penalties on the Bills, Allen ran for a TD from a yard out and Jaeger’s extra point made the score 27-14.

Kelly went to the air often in the next series, but after reaching the LA 17 he was sacked by DE Greg Townsend for a nine-yard loss and a false start moved the Bills five yards farther back. Norwood’s 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the right.

The Raiders punted following their next possession and, in a drive that extended into the fourth quarter, the Bills again penetrated deep into Los Angeles territory. Kelly had completions to WR James Lofton for 19 and 16 yards and to Andre Reed (pictured at left) for 12 and 11 yards. But Buffalo once again came up empty when Norwood missed another field goal, this time hitting the right upright from 32 yards away.

The teams traded turnovers when Schroeder fumbled and LB Darryl Talley recovered for the Bills at the LA 28, but two plays later Ronnie Lott intercepted a Kelly pass. The resulting short series for the Raiders that ended with a punt and this time Buffalo did not falter. With Kelly firing exclusively out of the shotgun, the Bills reached the LA three and, on his third attempt, RB Kenneth Davis reached the end zone from a yard out. The snake-bitten Norwood shanked the extra point try, however, and the score remained 27-20 in favor of the Raiders with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.

Playing conservatively, the Raiders ran the ball three times and punted. The Bills took over at their 36 and went 64 yards in eight plays. Kelly started off with back-to-back 13-yard completions to Thurman Thomas but tossed three incomplete passes, with a 10-yard holding penalty interspersed, to face a third-and-20 situation from the LA 48. A pass to Thomas gained 19 yards and, on fourth-and-one, Kelly threw to Reed for a 20-yard gain. Two plays later, Kelly connected with Lofton for a nine-yard TD and, with Norwood coming through with the all-important extra point, the score was tied at 27-27. There was no further scoring in the last minute and the contest headed into overtime.

The Raiders had the first possession in the extra period, but a long Schroeder pass was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso. Starting from their own 36, the Bills struck quickly as Kelly connected with Reed for a 31-yard gain to the LA 33. Thomas ran the ball three times and then Norwood came through with a 42-yard field goal to win the game for Buffalo at 2:34 into overtime by a score of 30-27.

The Bills had the edge in total yards (409 to 386) and first downs (25 to 18). However, they were also penalized 10 times, to five flags thrown on the Raiders. While Scott Norwood’s three missed field goals and one extra point also were a handicap, the Bills benefited from 195 yards in combined kick returns, including a touchdown on a kickoff and a long punt return to set up another score. Los Angeles turned the ball over three times, to one suffered by Buffalo, and the offense faltered badly in the crucial fourth quarter.

Jim Kelly completed 33 of 52 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Thurman Thomas was held to 57 yards on 15 carries but also had 7 catches for 76 yards. Keith McKeller caught 10 passes for 57 yards and a TD and Andre Reed gained 107 yards on his 8 pass receptions.

For the Raiders, Jay Schroeder was successful on 11 of 21 throws for 252 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Tim Brown (pictured below) gained 106 yards on just two catches thanks to his one long scoring reception. Marcus Allen ran for 57 yards on 16 attempts that included a touchdown and also had three catches for 38 yards. Mervyn Fernandez contributed two receptions for 75 yards.

The win assured that Buffalo would be top seed in the AFC for the postseason. Finishing with a 13-3 record, the Bills advanced to the Super Bowl for the second straight year, but lost to the Washington Redskins. The Raiders fell out of a tie for first in the AFC West with Denver and lost their remaining games to end up third in the AFC West at 9-7, but still secured a playoff spot. With rookie QB Todd Marinovich replacing Jay Schroeder, they lost in the Wild Card round to the Chiefs.

Jim Kelly led the league in TD passes with 33 and the AFC in overall passing with a 97.6 rating. He received consensus first-team All-NFL honors and was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time. Thurman Thomas topped the NFL with 2038 all-purpose yards and was the AFC rushing leader with 1407 yards. He was the consensus league MVP. Andre Reed was chosen to the Pro Bowl for the fourth straight year after catching 81 passes for 1113 yards and a career-high 10 touchdowns.

Scott Norwood’s placekicking inconsistency was indicative of a season in which he was successful on 18 of 29 field goal attempts, but only 10 of 20 from 30 yards or more. He had missed a potential game-winning field goal try from 47 yards at the conclusion of the previous year’s Super Bowl against the Giants, and it all set the stage for his departure from the Bills after seven years.

1984: Stars Score 31 Points in First Quarter to Thrash Blitz

The Philadelphia Stars were cruising along with a 6-1 record as they hosted the Chicago Blitz in a United States Football League game on April 15, 1984. While they were missing star RB Kelvin Bryant due to an injury, and had to rally to edge the Arizona Wranglers in their previous game, Head Coach Jim Mora’s team was still sound on both sides of the ball. QB Chuck Fusina was behind center to guide the ball-control offense and the tough and opportunistic defense was masterful at generating turnovers and keeping opposing teams out of the end zone. Undersized ILB Sam Mills was particularly adept at making big plays – as the Blitz would find out.

Chicago was struggling at 2-5. Coached by Marv Levy, the team had ex-Bear Vince Evans at quarterback but was a shadow of the club that played by the same name in 1983 and, through an ownership switch, had mostly been transferred to Arizona. The Blitz had little fan support and scant success on the field.

There were 17,417 fans in attendance at Veterans Stadium. It didn’t the Stars long to make the home crowd happy as they scored four touchdowns in the first nine minutes of the game.

It all started when Sam Mills recovered a fumble by RB Larry Canada to set up the first Philadelphia TD. Chuck Fusina threw to WR Willie Collier for a 19-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the contest.

Following a punt by the Blitz, the Stars again scored quickly. WR Herbert Harris gained 33 yards on a reverse to set up a 25-yard TD pass from Fusina to TE Steve Folsom. On the next series, RB Vegas Ferguson fumbled at his 35 and safety Scott Woerner grabbed the loose ball and returned it for another touchdown. Just like that, the Blitz were in a 21-0 hole.

It continued to go badly for Chicago when the next pass Evans threw was picked off by Mills, who returned it ten yards. The possession concluded with FB David Riley plowing over from a yard out to add a fourth TD for the Stars. In short order, Mills intercepted another Evans throw to give the Stars the ball at their 40. Six plays later, David Trout kicked a 30-yard field goal and, with 25 seconds remaining in the opening period, Philadelphia was up by 31-0. The point total was a USFL record for one quarter.

The Stars cruised from there. Midway through the second quarter, Trout added a 49-yard field goal. Once again a turnover had been turned into points by Philadelphia as CB Garcia Lane picked off a pass and returned it 19 yards to the Stars’ 35 to set up the score.

Three minutes into the third quarter, safety Mike Lush intercepted an Evans pass near midfield. RB Allen Harvin, the replacement for the injured Kelvin Bryant, topped off the resulting possession with an eight-yard touchdown carry. Chicago finally got on the scoreboard, long after it mattered, with a two-yard TD pass from Evans to OT Doug Hoppock, getting his only reception of the year on a tackle-eligible play. There was no further scoring as the Stars came away with a crushing 41-7 win.

The Stars gained 320 yards to Chicago’s 299 and had the edge in first downs by 16 to 15 – deceivingly close numbers since Philadelphia put the game away early and the Blitz vainly tried to play catch-up the rest of the way. More meaningfully, the Blitz turned the ball over seven times, to two given up by the Stars.

Chuck Fusina completed 11 of 17 passes for 180 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Allen Harvin (pictured at left) rushed for 82 yards on 19 carries with one TD. Steve Folsom, Willie Collier, and David Riley each caught three passes, for 56, 52, and 43 yards, respectively. The biggest star was Sam Mills on defense with two interceptions, a fumble recovery, and 11 tackles to fuel the onslaught.

For the Blitz, Vince Evans was successful on 18 of 36 throws for 170 yards and the one TD, but also gave up five interceptions before backup Ron Reeves finished up. RB Jim Stone ran for 61 yards on 5 attempts and also led the team with four catches for 37 yards.

The Stars continued to win with regularity through the remainder of the season, compiling a 16-2 record and three more victories in the postseason that culminated in a USFL Championship. The Blitz also continued to lose, ending up at the bottom of the Central Division with a 5-13 tally.

Sam Mills went on to lead Philadelphia in tackles (92) and assists (118) while intercepting three passes and recording five sacks. He was named to the USFL All-League team for the second year.

1989: Defense Keys Buffalo Win Over Oilers

The AFC Divisional Playoff game on January 1, 1989 featured the conference’s best defensive team, the Buffalo Bills, against a club with the second-ranked offense in the NFL, the Houston Oilers. While the Bills had a bye the previous week, Houston had narrowly defeated the Cleveland Browns by a 24-23 score to advance.

The resurgent Bills, coached by Marv Levy, were in the postseason for the first time since 1981 in topping the AFC East with a 12-4 record. The aggressive defense, in particular the front seven that included ends Bruce Smith (pictured above) and Art Still, NT Fred Smerlas, and linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Shane Conlan was a big part of that success (although Conlan was out with a foot injury against the Oilers). The offense was conservative and led by capable QB Jim Kelly, who was joined as a Pro Bowl selection by WR Andre Reed. Rookie RB Thurman Thomas brought immediate improvement to the ground game.

Houston reached the postseason for the second straight season under Head Coach Jerry Glanville. The exciting run-and-shoot offense featured Warren Moon at quarterback, who missed five games due to a shoulder injury but still was chosen for the Pro Bowl, and a fine group of wide receivers led by Drew Hill, Haywood Jeffires, and Ernest Givins. The Oilers could run the ball effectively with running backs Mike Rozier and Allen Pinkett plus FB Alonzo Highsmith. The defense was aggressive – and prone to late hits and penalties – but also tended to give up points.   

There were 79,532 fans at Rich Stadium on an unusually mild winter’s day in upstate New York. Following a short possession and punt by the Oilers, Buffalo drove to the Houston 18. A bad snap on a third-and-10 play set the Bills back to the 32 and Scott Norwood was short on a 50-yard field goal attempt.

Houston was again unable to move on offense and the Bills, taking over at their 26, drove all the way to the Houston three yard line, with the big play a 40-yard run by Thurman Thomas (pictured at left). But the attempt to convert a fourth-and-one situation failed when Kelly’s pass was incomplete.

The Oilers responded with a series that carried into the second quarter and reached the Buffalo 34. However, Moon was sacked for a 13-yard loss by Bruce Smith on a third down play and the ensuing punt was blocked by safety Leonard Smith, thus giving the Bills the ball at the Houston 46. Buffalo finally capitalized as Kelly threw to WR Trumaine Johnson for 18 yards and again for another nine yards before Thomas carried to the three. Two plays later RB Robb Riddick dove into the end zone from a yard out and, with the successful PAT, the Bills were ahead by 7-0.

The Oilers came back with an 11-play, 71-yard drive. Moon threw to Drew Hill for 21 yards and Alonzo Highsmith ran for 31 yards on a draw play. The possession stalled at the Buffalo 18 and Tony Zendejas kicked a 35-yard field goal.

Following a short series by the Bills, Houston again drove into Buffalo territory. Moon connected with Haywood Jeffires for 27 yards and then threw to Ernest Givins to reach the Buffalo 25. But the Oilers came up empty when Bruce Smith blocked a 38-yard field goal attempt by Zendejas. The score remained 7-3 at the half.

Early in the third quarter DB Tracey Eaton intercepted a Kelly pass to give the Oilers possession at the Buffalo 47. With Highsmith and Mike Rozier running the ball and an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Bills helping the series along, Houston again missed an opportunity when an errant pitchout inside the five yard line lost 12 yards and then Zendejas was wide to the left on a 31-yard field goal try.

The teams traded punts as neither offense was able to sustain a drive until late in the third quarter when the Bills went 59 yards in six plays. Kelly threw to WR Chris Burkett for 26 yards and, three plays later, he scrambled for ten yards on a third down play that had a facemask penalty tacked on to advance the ball to the Houston 11. From there, Thomas ran for a touchdown and a 14-3 lead.

Before the third quarter was over, Kelly passed to Andre Reed for a 55-yard gain to the Houston two. However, the Bills couldn’t punch the ball in from there and on the first play of the final period Riddick was stopped for no gain on fourth down.

The Oilers gained no benefit from the goal line stand as a Moon pass was intercepted by FS Mark Kelso two plays later. Norwood booted a 27-yard field goal to extend Buffalo’s lead to two touchdowns.

The Oilers turned the ball over again on their next series as Jeffires fumbled after catching a pass and CB Derrick Burroughs recovered at the Houston 23. The Bills failed to expand their margin when Norwood’s 36-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright and was no good.

Desperately needing to get points on the board, the Oilers went 80 yards in nine plays. Moon completed four passes, including one to WR Leonard Harris that gained 29 yards, and a pass interference penalty on Burroughs put the ball on the Buffalo one from where Rozier carried for a touchdown. The successful extra point pulled the Oilers to seven points behind with just over five minutes to play.

The Oilers never got another chance on offense, however. The Bills managed to run over three minutes off the clock in their ensuing possession and, when they punted from the Houston 45, special teams star WR Steve Tasker caused Curtis Duncan to fumble and LB Ray Bentley recovered. The Bills were able to run out the clock to win by a score of 17-10.

In a game in which both teams squandered numerous scoring opportunities, Buffalo led in total yards (372 to 351) while the Oilers accumulated the most first downs (20 to 18). Houston turned the ball over three times as the Bills, who turned it over once, made the bigger plays on defense.

Jim Kelly went to the air more than usual, completing 19 of 33 passes for 244 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Thurman Thomas only carried 7 times but gained 75 yards and scored a TD. Andre Reed topped the receivers with 6 catches for 91 yards.

For the Oilers, Warren Moon was successful on 17 of 33 throws for 240 yards, also with no TDs and one picked off. Haywood Jeffires had 5 pass receptions for 78 yards and Drew Hill contributed four catches for 62 yards. Alonzo Highsmith gained 57 yards on just 5 carries while Mike Rozier had 44 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts.

Regarding the game-clinching forced fumble on the punt return at the end, Steve Tasker (pictured at right) explained “He (Curtis Duncan) had a little trouble keeping his feet. I snuck up behind him and was able to strip the ball.”

“They’re a fine defensive football team,” summed up Jerry Glanville. “Rather than us doing something wrong, give them credit for doing something well.”

Buffalo’s run ended the following week against Cincinnati in the AFC Championship game. They again won the AFC East in 1989, albeit with a lesser (9-7) record and with more difficulties along the way. Houston also went 9-7 in ’89 to once more qualify for the postseason as a Wild Card team and again fell short in the playoffs by losing in the first round.