1981 AFC PLAYOFF GAME

Joe Ferguson was a foot soldier on this third day of 1981. Despite having a badly sprained left ankle, Ferguson made a valiant effort to be the courageous leader the Bills needed in their attempt to advance in the playoffs.

With 11:16 gone in the first period, San Diego kicker Benirschke kicked a 22 yarder to put the Chargers up 3-0. The Bills came back in the second period and scored when Roosevelt Leaks plunged up the middle from the San Diego 1 to put the Bills up 7-3. With time running down in the first half, Ferguson hit Frank Lewis with a 9-yard scoring pass and the Bills left the field at half time leading 14-3 and feeling pretty good about their chances of going to the AFC championship game.

But Dan Fouts and the Chargers had much different ideas. The Chargers took the opening kickoff and marched down the field. Fouts connected with Charlie Joiner for 9 yards and a touchdown to cut the Bills lead to only 4. Then at the start of the final quarter, the Charges got another 22 yard field goal from Benirschke and the Bills led by the narrowest of margins. Then, with only 2 minutes and 8 seconds remaining in the game, Fouts launched a 50-yard bomb to Ron Smith putting the Chargers up 20-14.

Ferguson came on the field after the Bills got the kickoff and tried his best to direct the Bills to a last minute victory. His ankle was hurting him badly, and he could not plant his left foot the way he wanted to. The Bills moved the ball to midfield, but Ferguson had a pass intercepted to end the drive and the game.

The Chargers were pressuring Ferguson all day. He was sacked 3 times and hurried a lot more. With his ankle hurting him and not being able to plant properly, Fergy was picked off 3 times. He had passed 29 times, completing 15 of them for 180 yards and one touchdown to Frank Lewis. But the three interceptions hurt Ferguson worse than his ankle.

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