BILLS ESCAPE WITH THEIR LIVES
IN 13-10 O.T. VICTORY

In a wild finish, the Buffalo Bills improved their playoffs hopes with a dramatic13-10 overtime victory over the New England Patriots. Steve Christie's 23 yard field goal with only 1:58 left in the sudden death won it for the Bills. The Bills fate could have been a lot worse as the Patriots had two chances to win the game, once right at the end of regulation time and once in overtime with two makeable field goal tries. Both times the Bills escaped with their playoff lives. They now own a 10-5 and need Miami to lose to clinch a wild card beth.

"In the playoff hunt, it's so meaningful," Doug Flutie said about winning. "If we'd had lost this game, we'd have our backs against the wall, we'd need help next week. With the win, we could potentially lock up a bid this week."

Adam Vinatieri shows disgust as overtime field goal attempt falls short

Adam Vinatieri missed three field goals, two of which would have won the game for the Patriots.

"I'd rather be good and lucky," Wade Phillips said. "I think we probably were both in this ball game. Certainly we lost a game a couple weeks ago when we missed a couple of field goals. We know how it feels."

With game time temperatures hovering around 40 degrees and a stiff southwest wind of 23 miles per hour, the conditions were ripe for a defensive struggle. The wind chill of 13 degrees didn't help matters too much either, especially for Flutie who was wearing rubber gloves to protect his hands from the cold. Flutie had a miserable time throwing into the wind for most of the game. However, he completed 12 straight passes when it counted most and the Bills snatched the victory away from the Patriots. He threw 35 times and completing 22 of them for 212 yards.

"I think we are very fortunate to have a win," Flutie said. "They've got to feel sick to their stomachs about the way they lost the game. Very proud of the way we hung in there and kept fighting.

"It kind of makes up for last year, in our minds a little bit because we thought we had the game locked up last year and they pulled one out of the hat."

Jay Riemersma was Flutie's main target again as the big tight end caught 6 for 39 yards. Peerless Price was 5 for 62 yards, and Eric Moulds caught 4 for 53 yards.

Thurman Thomas was back in full stride Sunday as he carried 15 times 84 yards. He was instrumental in getting the Bills into field goal range on the winning drive when he carried for 9 and 3 yards, putting the ball on the Patriots 6. That set up Christie for his winning chip shot.

"Thurman was amazing," Flutie described the Bills' rejuvenated running back. "He finds the smallest of holes, and slices through the two runs he had in overtime. He's smart, he just makes good decisions. That's why he's stuck around as long as he has and done all the things he has."

The Patriots were shocked to say the least about the game's outcome.

"I don't think anybody on the this team could possibly imagine that this could happen to us," said Patriots' quarterback Drew Bledsoe, "but it happened."

Bledsoe had a horrid game battling against the wind. He only completed 10 passes out of 21 attempts for a measly 101 yards. Any defense that limits Bledsoe to under 200 yards is doing a outstanding job. To surrender only 101 yards through the air is a miraculous accomplishment.

Terry allen breaks through for big gain as Kurt Schulz in left in his wake

The Patriots opened the game driving down the field mainly on the ground. Terry Allen gained 7 yards on the first play from scrimmage. Bledsoe passed to Vincent Brisby for 12 yards and a first down at the Bills 39. On 2nd and 9, Allen ran over right guard for 8 yards before being tackled by Marlo Perry and Sam Cowart. The Pats got down to the Bills 26, but Bledsoe could not complete a 3rd down pass to Lamont Warren. Adam Vinatieri's 44 yard field goal attempt was on course, but the strong winds held it up short and was no good.

The Bills took over at their own 35. Thomas opened the Bills drive with a 4 yard run off right end. Staying on the ground, Jonathan Linton broke off a 6 yard gain on the other side. After a 10 yard penalty for illegal use of hands, Thomas ripped off a 31 yard run and could have had more, but slipped on the grass at the New England 24. The Bills could only gain 3 more yards on the drive and had to settle for a 39 yard field goal by Steve Christie.

The Bills got a golden opportunity to add to their lead when Terry Allen fumbled the handoff by Bledsoe and Kurt Schulz recovered it at the New England 19. However, Linton fumbled it right back to the Pats as Chris Carter fell on it.

The wind and solid defense on both sides prevented any more scoring until late in the first half. Taking over at their own 35 with 4:44 left in the second quarter, the Pats drove down the field 45 yards on ten plays. They consumed the all the remaining time on the clock and Vinatieri was good this time from 38 yards out and the teams left the field tied at 3.

The Bills defense was impressive in getting to Bledsoe. The defense had 4 sacks after just 3 quarters (two by Bruce Smith) and finished the game with 6 total.

Had the Patriots won this game, the Bills had a right to scream foul as the referees once again had a controversial call during a Bills-Pats game in Foxboro. The Bills had the ball in the fourth quarter on their own 41. Linton ran over right guard on first down and Chad Eaton knocked the ball out of Linton's grasp while he was being tackled. Eaton recovered the ball and went down on his knees, got up and started to walk towards the Bills end zone. That quickly turned into a gallop and Flutie had to chase him down to make the tackle at the Buffalo 14. After Phillips challenged the call, Referee Mike Carey ruled that the play stood. It was obvious to observers watching all the replays that the Eaton had both knees on the ground and the play should have been ruled dead at the spot of the fumble. Just like last year when the Bills visited New England, the game officials made a decision that could have cost Buffalo the game. However, two blotched field goals by the Patriots' kicker saved Referee Carey from the Bills' post game wrath.

"I couldn't tell if it was a fumble or not," Phillips said. "I thought we touched him while he was on the ground, and they wouldn't get the ball on the 14 yard line. He (Carey) said that he would check them both (fumble and dead play) and I guess he did. They didn't tell me anything, but once they ruled it they must have said nobody touched him."

"I saw the runner down with his elbow," said Carey. "The ball was not visible until he rolled over and then the ball was visible on his chest." Carey said that the replay didn't show anyone touching Eaton until Flutie made the tackle on him.

"Once I picked it up, I knew somebody had to touch me," Eaton said. When Eaton was told that it was 5'-9" Flutie finally made the tackle on him, he said, "Don't remind me of that."

On the very first play after the controversial ruling, Allen bolted through a big opening 14 yards into the endzone to put the Pats up 10-3.

After the two teams exchanged punts, the Bills mounted a drive that resulted in the tying touchdown. Flutie threw two straight to Sam Gash for a total of 13 yards to get to the New England 44. The former Boston College quarterback, who was having a terrible day fighting the gusty winds, finally completed a fairly long pass of 24 yards to Peerless Price down to the Pats 20. On the next play, Flutie hit Eric Moulds down to the Patriot 1, making it first and goal. Two runs by Linton were stuffed by the Patriots, but on his third attempt, Linton finally made it in the endzone to tie it up.

Christie's kickoff was returned 42 yards by Troy Brown all the way to the 50 yard line before being tackled by Antoine Winfield. Allen took the handoff from Bledsoe and blew over right side for 14 yards. However, the Bills defense stopped Allen for only one yard on the next carry and Bledsoe's pass for Shawn Jefferson was incomplete forcing the Patriots to punt. Lee Johnson punted down to the Bills 12. Buffalo could not get a first down, so they had to give the ball back to the Patriots with only 1:19 left on the clock.

Bledsoe took off with the ball at the Bills 42 and rambled for 25 yards before being tackled by Schulz. That put the Patriots in what would be great field goal range on most days. But this wasn't an ordinary day as the wind gusts were causing havoc with the passing and kicking games. After three straight running plays got minimal yardage, the Pats called a time out with only 6 seconds left on the clock. Vinatieri came out for a 33 yard field goal with a chance to make amends for the field goal he missed in the first half. With a chance to win the game for the Patriots, his kick sailed wide right. The Bills had a second life and their playoffs chances were spared.

"I was hoping he was going to miss it," Phillips laughed.

The Patriots won the coin toss and received the kickoff in the overtime. Bledsoe completed passes of 4 yards to Brisby and 20 yards to Ben Coates to the Bills 43. Allen ran for twelve yards on the next play to get to the Bills 31. The Bills defense stuffed Allen on his next two carries and Bledsoe's third down pass to Brisby was incomplete. Facing fourth and nine from the Bills 30, Patriots' coach Pete Carroll decided not to go for the field goal against the stiff wind. Once again Bledsoe targeted Brisby for his pass and once again the pass was not completed. But the Bills' Sam Price had entered the neutral zone and was flagged for offsides, giving the Patriots a chance to go for the field goal.

Pat Williams and Marcellus Wiley thank Adam Vinatieri for the Christmas present after the Pats kicker misses 44 yard field goal attempt in overtime

Vinatieri lined up for a 44 yard field goal attempt and visions of missed field goals must have danced in his head as he approached the ball. Just like his kick in the first quarter, the ball was straight, but the wind caused it to fall inches short of the crossbar.

"Put me in a dome and I'm 3 for 4 today but we're not in a dome, we're in Foxborough," a dejected Vinatieri said. "But the short one, I didn't hit it at all. It was like I left the club open. I toed it a little and it went right. I was hoping it was short enough that it wouldn't matter but it did.

"The other two I felt I hit pretty good but Mother Nature beat me there. Both of them looked good. They felt good. But they fell short. We knew we had an 8- to 10-yard wind going there. If we'd been going in the other direction it might have gone 10 yards farther."

The Pats had a chance to put the Bills away twice with field goals, but the Bills were given new life both times.

Taking over at their own 34, Flutie hit Bobby Collins for 11 yards. Thomas tore through a hole on the left side and danced along the sideline for an 18 yard pickup before finally being forced out of bounds. On second down, Flutie threw a 17 yard strike to Moulds but Tony George knocked the ball out and Tedy Bruschi recovered the fumble for the Patriots.

Allen burst up the middle for twenty yards up to the Patriots 41. But then the Bills defense stuffed Bledsoe when Pat Williams sacked him for a 6 yard loss and then forced him to scramble for only 1 yard. The Pats had to punt the ball back to the Bills.

Jay Riemersma caught a 7 yard pass at his own 42 and Flutie came right back and hit Price for 7 more yards. On third and four from the New England 38, Flutie connected with Moulds for 11 yards and then hit Kevin Williams for 9 more getting the Bills in field goal range at the Pats 18. Thomas then ran two straight plays for 12 yards down to the New England 6. After another Thomas run resulted in no gain, the Bills decided to go for the win.

Steve Christie came on the field, contemplating the misfortunes of his counterpart. With the wind at his back, Christie's 23 yard kick was good and the Bills escaped with a 13-10 victory.

After the game, the Bills were not doing a lot of celebrating over the victory.

"Emotionally and physically drained, a little bit relieved, but just thankful," Flutie described the Bills locker room after the triumph. "That was a heck of a game, as far as the physical nature of the game. For us offensively, I don't know how many times we rushed the ball, but it was a physical, physical game. Guys were a little banged up, tired and to go into overtime and the game goes longer and longer. I know for me personally, I was doing a lot of running around especially early on - I was physically tired at the end."

"I just wanted to win the game," said Ruben Brown. "It's just all about winning now. You can win pretty. You can win ugly. As long as you win."

Sam Rogers sacks Drew Bledsoe

The Bills defense was strong against Bledsoe and his air show. However, the Patriots were able to churn up some yardage on the ground. Terry Allen was the first runner to crack the century mark against the Bills defense since the opening game against the Colts. Allen ran 126 yards on 27 carries.

The Bills will be rooting for the Jets to upset the Dolphins tonight so they can clinch a wild card position in the playoffs. If the Dolphins win, the Bills must defeat the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday to assure themselves of a postseason berth.

"We almost gave it away, we almost fumbled it away," Phillips said. "But our guys fought hard and I'm really proud of them. This is a big win for us to win 10 games. We don't know if we're in the playoffs yet because of the other games, but it was a giant step towards that. If we win one more at home, we'll be in there for sure."

Copyright © 1999 Bills Thunder & Rick Anderson, all rights reserved.