| September 15, 2004 | « Previous Story | HOME | Next Story » | Posted at 08:25 AM |
The Bills and Raiders have met 31 times in a series that dates back to 1960. Oakland holds a 16-15 series lead after a 20-14 win at Orchard Park in 1999, the last meeting between the clubs. The two teams have also met twice in the playoffs and both games were in Orchard Park: a 29-23 Buffalo win in the 1993 AFC Divisional Playoff and a 51-3 Bills win in the 1990 AFC Championship Game.
Gannon connected with Jerry Porter for a 29-yard score in the first quarter. Trailing 7-0 after one quarter, Buffalo opened the second with an 11-play, 80-yard drive culminating in a two-yard touchdown reception by Price to even the score. Oakland regained the lead on the next series as Gannon capped a 70-yard drive with a one-yard run into the left corner of the end zone. But the Bills answered right back with a two-yard TD pass from Bledsoe to tight end Dave Moore, helped by a 41-yard pass interference penalty against Buchanon. The Raiders scored 2:04 later on Charlie Garner's 36-yard. After the teams traded punts, Bledsoe found Price for a 54-yard gain to the Oakland 30 before running back Larry Centers scampered five yards around the right guard to send the game to halftime tied at 21-21.
Mike Hollis booted a 30-yard field goal early in the third to give the Bills their first lead of the game, but Crockett found the end zone from one yard out after James' interception to give Oakland a 28-24 advantage. The four-point lead lasted just under four minutes as Travis Henry ran for a two-yard score to put the Bills in front, 31-28. Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Gannon found RB Charlie Garner over the middle at the Buffalo 47 and the 30-year-old eight-year veteran raced into the end zone for the winning score. With the Bills driving on the next series, Buchanon stepped in front of Price to make his second interception of the season and sprinted down the sideline to give the Raiders a 42-31 cushion. Gannon capped the scoring with a 20-yard TD pass to WR Jerry Rice with 4:20 to go.
The Bills trailed, 17-6, late in the first half and, 23-22, late in the third quarter before QB Jim Kelly capped perhaps the most brilliant performance of his career with a 22-yard TD pass to WR Bill Brooks, his second of the game for the winning points 2:55 into the fourth quarter. The Bills overcame the losses of their leading receiver and best run-blocker, TE Pete Metzelaars, who left the game late in the third quarter with a dislocated finger, and RB Thurman Thomas, who left early in the fourth with a mild concussion.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Raiders struck first with a K Jeff Jaeger 30-yard FG. Each team traded a pair of rushing TDs as Bills RB Kenneth Davis plunged in from 1 yard out and Thomas scored on an 8-yard run. Raiders RB Napoleon McCallum added two 1-yard TD runs in between Buffalo's two scores to give them a 17-13 lead at the intermission. Buffalo's defense was as effective as its offense in the final two quarters, as the Bills took control of the game in the second half by outscoring the Raiders, 16-6, and picking up 18 first downs to L.A.'s one, which came on a touchdown.
After their first round bye, the Bills played host to the The Bills won their first AFC Championship with one of the most dominating performances ever displayed in a title game. Buffalo set the tone for the day by driving 75 yards after the opening KO and scored the initial TD when QB Jim Kelly picked up a bad shotgun snap and scrambled to find WR James Lofton for a 13-yard pass. Kelly was 6-6 for completions in the 9-play 75- yard drive. After Raiders K Jeff Jaeger cut the lead to 7-3, the Buffalo onslaught began. Kelly took the Bills the length of the field again, this time set up with a 41 yard pass to Lofton to the raider 23. Two plays later, Thurman Thomas ran for a 12-yard TD. Later in the first, the Bills LB Darryl Talley returned an INT 27 yards to extend the early lead to 21-3.
After their first round bye, the Bills played host to the The Bills' no-huddle offense showcased its power by scoring 20 more points in the 2nd quarter on 2 TD runs by RB Kenneth Davis and an 8-yard TD pass from Kelly to Lofton. Buffalo posted an impressive 41-3 halftime advantage, establishing an NFL postseason record for most points in a first half. Davis added his 3rd TD in the 4th quarter, tying an NFL playoff record for the most TDs in a game, while K Scott Norwood hit a 39-yard FG to provide the final margin. Thomas rushed for a Bills playoff record 138 yards as Buffalo gained a total of 502 yards compared to L.A.'s 320. When the smoke cleared, the two teams combined for 18 Championship game records, including 30 Buffalo first downs in the game, as well as Kelly's incredible 73.9% completion rate. The party was just beginning, as the Buffalo Bills earned a trip to their first Super Bowl.
-1990 AFC championship- Bills Backers United recap
Showing the balance that Saban was striving for, OJ Simpson (12 carries-76 yds) and FB Jim Braxton (19 –68) shared the load in the backfield. QB Joe Ferguson opened the scoring with a 4 yard pass to JD Hill in the 2nd quarter. Oakland then scored 13 unanswered points, on the strength of 2 George Blanda FG’s and a 15 yard run by Raider HB Clarence Davis.
Heading deep into the 4th quarter, the game was a tight to the vest defensive battle, with both clubs moving the ball well on the ground. With 1:56 remaining in the game, Ferguson capped of a late drive as he found WR Ahmad Rashad in the End Zone for an 8 yard TD pass. With a 14-13 lead, the Bills looked like they sealed the victory by forcing a Raider turnover deep in Oakland territory.
Disaster struck the Bills, when Jim Braxton coughed up the ball trying to kill the clock. Raider Safety Skip Thomas scooped up the loose ball and streaked 29 yards into the end zone with 1:15 remaining, giving Oakland a 20-14 advantage. The game rested in the hands of second year QB Joe Ferguson, who only had 4 TD passes in his entire rookie year, but had two on the night so far. Ferguson moved the club down the field quickly, as he hit Ahmad Rashad for the second time in 90 seconds- with a 33 yard TD strike. With a 21-20 lead, the Raiders still had life. An architect of many comebacks, Raider QB Ken Stabler moved the Raiders to the Buffalo 33. George Blanda’s 50 yard kick to win missed, and the Bills took their opener in wild style, Buffalo 21 Oakland 20
