Two Bills Drive

‘However you describe it, just remember to call the Buffalo Bills’ 41-38 AFC wild-card playoff victory over the Houston Oilers Sunday the greatest comeback in the history of the National Football League.’

‘The Bills won despite falling behind, 35-3, early in the third quarter . . . despite being without starting quarterback Jim Kelly the whole game . . . despite being without linebacker Cornelius Bennett the whole game . . . despite being without running back Thurman Thomas for most of the second half . . . despite an almost flawless performance by the Oilers through the first 32 minutes. Un-BILL-ievable, indeed.’

‘”This is an attitude game,” Corey said. “Sometimes you start playing a game and you’re afraid to make things happen or afraid to make a mistake. We didn’t do anything the first half. We were playing our dime defense. I thought the scheme of the dime defense was good, but we didn’t make anything happen.”‘

‘”It feels good to be back where I usually am,” Reed said. “It seemed like today they were calling my number and trying to throw me the ball. Yes, there was a lot of frustration the second half of the year, but this has definitely put it out of my mind.”‘

‘For anyone who saw Sunday’s game, it will remain one of the unforgettable moments in sport.’

‘Reich, who helped engineer the greatest comeback in National Football League history on Sunday at Rich Stadium, was also the man at the controls of what was then the greatest comeback in NCAA Division I-A history.’

‘”I’ve never, never seen momentum change like that in a game in my life,” said quarterback Warren Moon. “After they scored the first time I said, ‘OK. We’re still up 25. We’re in good shape.’ They scored again. I said, ‘We’re up 18. We’re still in good shape. They’ve got to score three more times. It seems like it kept coming and kept coming, and we couldn’t get it stopped. And before you knew it, it was the game.”‘

‘”Thurman came over and told me he wasn’t going to play anymore,” Davis said. “He said, ‘Kenny, you’re gonna have to take it from here.’ He said, ‘Just reach down and get it.’ I said, ‘I’m going to do my best.”‘

‘Game Balls: All the Bills got one for the greatest comeback ever in an NFL game, but a special one went to quarterback Frank Reich.’

‘For many, that meant going across the border to Fort Erie bars, where the satellite reception was clear, the TV screens were huge, the wings were hot, and the women began nude table-prancing as soon as that final game-winning field goal popped over the posts.’

‘Sure the Bears team that faces the unbeaten Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field Sunday is 3-1 and leads the NFL in total defense and rushing offense, but that’s not enough.’

‘”Bruce is going to be fired up,” Kelly said with a smile. “I’m just glad I’ll be on his side.”‘

‘According to Bills coach Marv Levy, the injury occurred on one of the Steelers’ two on-side kickoffs in the final two minutes of Buffalo’s 36-28 victory.’