The NFL playoffs will start this
coming weekend, but rather than give any previews or offer predictions—there’ll
be enough of that going around—I decided it would be fun to share some memories
of exciting playoff games that have happened over the years. This will not be a
top ten list, or a top five list or any type of countdown or ranking. Just a
re-living of some thrilling games. Enjoy.
1992 AFC Wild Card:
January 3, 1993
Houston Oilers at
Buffalo Bills
Rich Stadium, Orchard
Park, NY
Weather: 45 °F (7
°C), cloudy
The Buffalo Bills had won the
previous two AFC Championships, but had failed to capture the Super Bowl in
both of those years. The end of the 1992 regular season seemed to signal the
end of the Bills’ dynasty. In their final game of the regular season, Buffalo
not only lost the game to Houston, 27-3, but they failed to capture the AFC
East title for the first time since 1987 and had also lost starting All-Star
quarterback, and future Hall-of-Famer, Jim Kelly, to a knee injury that
threatened to end his season.
The Oilers, on the other hand,
were on a roll having won four of their last five games to sneak into the
playoffs as the second wild-card team. They seemed to have all the momentum
heading into the game against the Bills and didn’t take long to take advantage
of it.
Houston dominated the game early
by scoring 21 points in the second quarter to add to the seven they had in the
first to take a 28-3 lead into the locker room at half time. Oiler quarterback,
Warren Moon, was on fire complete all but three of his 22 passes for 220 yard
and four touchdowns. Buffalo back-up quarterback, Frank Reich, struggled in the
first half, leading the Bills on one scoring drive, a 36-yard field goal by Steve
Christie.
Early in the third quarter,
after Buffalo received the second half kick-off, Reich dropped back to pass. He
hit tight end, Keith McKeller, with his throw, but McKeller couldn’t hang on to
the football and it bounced in the air and into the arms of Houston defensive
back, Bubba McDowell, who promptly raced 58 yards the other way for what looked
like the game-clinching touchdown. After the extra point, Houston was now
leading 35-3.
Many of the Buffalo fans started
leaving the stadium, figuring their team was done, as no team had ever come
back from 28 points down in the history of the NFL. Those who left would live
to regret it as the Bills started to wake up on their next drive.
As Houston kicker, Al Del Greco,
made his motion to kick-off after the touchdown, the wind blew the ball so that
he didn’t get a good kick. The Bills recovered the ball at the fifty-yard line.
In ten plays, Reich guided the Bills down field and the Bills scored their first
touchdown of the game when running back, Kenneth Davis, ran the ball in from a
yard out. Houston was ahead 35-10.
The Bills then successfully
pulled off some trickery as Christie tapped the ball on the kick-off for an
onside kick. The Buffalo kicker recovered and four plays later, Reich hit
receiver Don Beebe for a 38-yard touchdown and the lead was trimmed to 35-17.
After Houston punted on their next possession, the Bills marched down the
field again, this time scoring when Reich hit receiver, Andre Reed, for a 26-yard
touchdown to bring the Bills closer at 35-24.
At this point, the Bills’ fans
who had left the stadium were trying to get back in. While security tried to
keep them out, some of the fans started climbing the high fences surrounding
the stadium. They were desperate to get back in, knowing something big was in
the works.
On Houston’s first play from
scrimmage after the kick off, Moon’s pass was tipped into the hands of Buffalo
safety, Henry Jones, and the Bills were threatening again. On a fourth-and-five
on Houston’s 18-yard line, Buffalo spurned the field goal and gambled. It paid
off as Reich hit Reed again, and the receiver scored his second touchdown of
the game to close the gap to four points, 35-31.
After both teams traded punts,
the Oilers had a chance to extend their lead on a Del Greco field goal attempt.
But the snap was fumbled and Buffalo linebacker, Darryl Talley, recovered.
After a 35-yard run by Davis, again on fourth down, Reich threw his fourth
touchdown pass of the day, again to Reed, who scored his third and the Bills
had amazingly taken the lead, 38-35.
With only three minutes left in
the game, Houston had one last chance to salvage the game, despite blowing a
32-point lead. Moon led the team downfield, where Del Greco kicked a field goal
to tie the game at 38, sending the wild card game into overtime.
Houston won the coin toss and
elected to receive, but what little momentum they had scratched together late
in the fourth quarter quickly evaporated. On the second play from scrimmage,
Moon’s pass was intercepted by Bills’ cornerback, Nate Odomes. A few plays
later, Christie lined up to kick the game-winning field goal. He was not to be
denied and split the uprights, completing the greatest comeback—not just in NFL
playoff history, but in football history.
Final score—Buffalo-41, Houston-38 (ot)
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