| October 04, 2003 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 10:22 PM |
10 years of frustration and 20 straight defeats were on the lone when an aging veteran Miami Dolphin team came to Orchard Park. 79, 598 fans, the third largest home crowd ever, were on hand as the Bills fielded their best overall team talent -wise in a decade.
The game was a defensive battle with both sides guilty of sloppy ball control. Joe Ferguson suffered through one of his worst days ever tossing 5 interceptions. Added to the Bills woes were 2 more fumbles. Meanwhile, Miami fared no better. Bob Griese began showing his age, completing 11 of 18 with 2 interceptions himself. The Miami ground game was stuffed by Knox's stifling defense, limiting the Dolphins to a mere 90 yards on the ground and forcing 2 fumbles. The Dolphins were held to 200 net yards for the entire game.
With both teams playing like they were on quicksand, Bills safety Jeff Nixon picked off a Griese pass late in the second quarter setting up a Nick Mike-Meyer FG to give Buffalo a 3-0 halftime lead. Buffalo opened the second quarter but went 3 plays and out. On the ensuing punt, Kim Bokamper partially blocked the Greg Cater kick setting up the Dolphins on the Bills 21 to the groans of "Here we go again" from the hometown crowd. Miami took little time in the second half reclaiming the lead. After a 17 yard Steve Howell run put the ball on the Buffalo 4 yard line. Griese hit WR Tony Nathan on the next play for the TD.
Deep into the 4th quarter down 7-3, the Bills finally put together a decent drive. Ferguson shook off his 5 interception day and drove the Bills 68 yards in seven plays. During the drive, Ferguson hit standout WR Jerry Butler on a 29 yard strike that put the Ball on the Miami 11 yard line. Dolphin DB Glenn Blackwood had smothered Butler all day, grabbing two interceptions and limiting Butler to a single 7 yard reception in 55 minutes of football. But Butler finally escaped the clutches of Blackwood and set the Bills up for their first touchdown. Ferguson threaded the needle with a 4 yard TD pass to newcomer FB Roosevelt Leaks with 3:42 remaining. Rich Stadium erupted with noise.
On the very next series for the Dolphins, backup QB Don Strock replaced Griese, who was feeling the effects of a pounding by the punishing Bills defense. On Strock's first play, he was intercepted by LB Isiah Robertson who returned it to the Miami 11 yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 6, Ferguson's pass to WR Frank Lewis was stopped inches from the goal line. Coach Knox, showing supreme confidence in his defense, chose to punch it in on 4th down. Rookie Joe Cribbs, who unseated Terry Miller as the starting RB, lunged in to the euphoric roar of all in attendance. With 3:02 remaining, the Bills scored their second TD in 100 seconds for a 17-7 lead. Cribbs finished with 18 carries and a game-high 9 receptions for a total of 131 yards.
Strock came back into the game for one more effort. Eight plays later, Jeff Nixon intercepted his 3rd pass of the game to seal the victory. As time expired, the sell out crowd stormed the field tearing down the goalposts. One of the goalposts was passed through the stands and delivered by the frenzied crowd to Ralph Wilson's private box. Wilson called the victory the greatest in team history, surpassing the 1964/65 AFL title games. The victory propelled the Bills to an 11-5 season and their first divisional crown since 1966.