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DETAIL INFORMATION - MattDempSports
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| Year/Season: |
1988-1989 |
| Date: |
1/1/1989 |
| League/Sport: |
NFL |
| Event: |
AFC Divisional Playoff |
| Visitors: |
Houston Oilers |
| Home: |
Buffalo Bills |
| Location: |
Orchard Park, NY - Rich Stadium |
| Network: |
NBC |
| Length: |
|
| Commercials: |
All |
| Pregame: |
Unknown |
| Halftime: |
Unknown |
| Postgame: |
Unknown |
| Type: |
Converted from VHS |
| Comments: |
Although both teams blew scoring chances throughout the game, the Bills dominated Houston for most of the time, blocking a punt, converting a turnover into the game-clinching field goal, and forcing a turnover on Houston`s final drive to defeat a comeback attempt.
On their first drive of the game, Buffalo drove to the Oilers 18-yard line. But a bad snap on third down pushed them back to the 32 and Scott Norwood came up short on a 50-yard field goal attempt. Houston then moved the ball to the Bills 32, but Bruce Smith`s 13-yard sack of quarterback Warren Moon on third down pushed them out of field goal range. On the ensuing punt, Greg Montgomery`s kick was blocked by Buffalo safety Leonard Smith, allowing the Bills to take over on the Oilers 46. Buffalo quarterback Jim Kelly subsequently completed two passes to Trumaine Johnson for 28 yards on a 46-yard drive that ended with Robb Riddick`s 1-yard touchdown run. Houston responded by driving 71 yards, with Moon completing a 21-yard pass to Drew Hill and Alonzo Highsmith rushing for a 31-yard gain, to score with a 35-yard field goal from Tony Zendejas. Following a punt, Houston threatened to score again with a drive to the Bills 25-yard line, but Smith blocked Zendejas` second field goal attempt and the score remained 7–3 at halftime.
In the third quarter, Houston got another scoring opportunity when defensive back Tracey Eaton intercepted a pass from Kelly on the Bills 47-yard line. Moon led his team inside the 5-yard line, but after an errant pitchout lost 12 yards, Zendejas missed a 31-yard field goal attempt. Following an exchange of punts, Buffalo drove 59 yards in six plays, with Kelly completing a pass to Chris Burkett for 26 yards and rushing for 10 yards, to score on rookie running back Thurman Thomas` 11-yard touchdown run. Near the end of the quarter, Kelly`s 55-yard completion to Andre Reed gave the Bills a first down on the Houston 2-yard line. But the Oilers defense made a big goal line stand, keeping them out of the end zone for four consecutive plays to force a turnover on downs.
Two plays after the turnover, Buffalo defensive back Mark Kelso intercepted a pass from Moon and returned it 28 yards to the Oilers 18-yard line, setting up Norwood`s 27-yard field goal to increase their lead to 17–3. Buffalo`s defense forced another turnover on Houston`s ensuing drive when Derrick Burroughs recovered a fumble from receiver Haywood Jeffires on the Oilers 26-yard line. The Bills now had a chance to put the game away, but Norwood hit the uprights on a 36-yard field goal attempt.
Moon then completed four passes, including a 29-yarder to receiver Leonard Harris, on a 9-play, 80-yard drive. A pass interference penalty on Burroughs in the end zone moved the ball to the Bills 1, and running back Mike Rozier ran it in from there, cutting the score to 17–10 with just over five minutes left in the game. The Oilers subsequently forced a punt at the two-minute warning, but Steve Tasker forced a fumble while tackling wide receiver Curtis Duncan during the punt return, and linebacker Ray Bentley recovered the ball, allowing Buffalo to run out the clock.
This was the first postseason meeting between the Oilers and Bills. |
| Format: |
DVD+R |
| # of discs/tapes: |
4 |
| Format Comments: |
Marv Albert/Paul Maguire
Disc 1 merge, 1stQ and first minutes of 2ndQ (WTOV) The Rest of the Broadcast is WDIV. Includes commercials, half-time and post-game. |
| Grade: |
9.0 |
| Own/Want: |
Own |
| Email: |
Email MattDempSports |
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