Visitor:  Houston Oilers

Home:  Buffalo Bills

Date:  January 3, 1993

 

Scoring:

Team                1          2          3          4          OT       Final

HOU                7          21        7          3          0            38

BUF                 3          0          28        7          3            41

 

Visitor playmakers:

WR Haywood Jeffires, WR Webster Slaughter, WR Curtis Duncan, DB Bubba McDowell,

 

Home playmakers:

RB Kenneth Davis, WR Don Beebe, WR Andre Reed, K Steve Christie, S Henry Jones, DB Nate Odomes

 

Network:  NBC (NFL Network rebroadcast)

Announcers:  Charlie Jones, Todd Christensen

 

Pregame:  No

Halftime:  No

Postgame:  No

Commercials:  No

 

Grade:  Excellent

 

Notes:  Buffalo scored four TDs in under seven minutes in the third quarter, and rallied from a 35-3 deficit to down the Oilers 41-38, marking the greatest comeback in NFL history.

 

Houston jumped out to a 28-3 halftime lead on four QB Warren Moon TD passes. Moon, who played a virtual flawless half, completed 19 of 22 passes for 218 yards and 0 INTs. Buffalo's lone points of the half came on a first quarter K Steve Christie 36-yard FG.

 

Houston made it 35-3 on the Bills' opening drive of the second half when SS Bubba McDowell intercepted a QB Frank Reich pass and raced 58 yards for the score. The Bills' amazing comeback began when RB Kenneth Davis scored from one yard out, and Christie recovered the ensuing onside kick at the Buffalo 48. Four plays later, Reich found WR Don Beebe on a 38-yard TD pass.

 

The Bills' scoring flurry continued on their next possession when Reich hit WR Andre Reed with a 26-yard TD pass to pull Buffalo within 11, 35-24. On the first play of Houston's next possession, S Henry Jones picked off a Moon pass and returned it 15 yards to the Houston 23. On a 4th and 5 play from the 18 yard line, Reich found Reed once again in the endzone to make the score 35-31, Houston.

 

The Bills took their first lead when Reich connected with Reed for the third time, this time from 17 yards out, to put Buffalo on top 38-35 with 3:08 left in regulation play. After a 12-play, 63-yard drive, Del Greco hit a 26-yard FG to send the contest into OT.

 

After winning the toss, Houston gave the ball back to the Bills when DB Nate Odomes picked off a Moon pass. Three plays later, Christie kicked the 32-yard game winner to give Buffalo the dramatic 41-38 victory, sending the team to the second round of the AFC Playoffs.

 

Running time:  2:14 (2 discs)