The game nobody saw coming: Looking at one of the greatest games in NFL playoffs history
Not many, if any at all, would have expected a Steve Christie field goal to round up one of the greatest games in NFL playoff history; even today, 31 years later. It was a sight to behold when the Houston Oilers traveled to Orchard Park, New York, to face the Buffalo Bills in the 1992-93 wild card round.
The Bills came into the game having conquered the regular season 11-5, while the Oilers made the wild card round at 10-6. The game was a thrilling encounter between Buffalo coach Marv Levy's no-huddle offense and Houston coach Jack Pardee's run-and-shoot schemes.
The Bills ran rampant on opposing defenses that season, standing tall as the top rushing outfit in the NFL. They starred Hall of Famers quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, and receivers James Lofton and Andre Reed on offense.
The Oilers, on the other hand, threw parties on their opponents in '92, sporting the most dangerous pass attack in the league. Pro Bowlers including quarterback Warren Moon, and receivers Curtis Duncan, Haywood Jeffires and Ernest Givins led their vaunted reputation.
Bad blood leading into the encounter
The two teams also squared off the week prior in the regular season finale, with the Oilers running the Bills out of Houston, 27-3. So, it's fair that the water was boiling in icy cold Buffalo with the NFL playoffs kicking off. However, no one knew how hot the water would actually end up boiling on that fateful day of Jan. 3.
The visitors drew first blood when Warren Moon found Haywood Jeffires in the endzone on a three-yard pass. With the extra point converted, and the Bills only managing a subsequent field goal, the Oilers went into the second quarter up 7-3. However, despite being down just four points at first, Buffalo completely came apart in Q2.
Jack Pardee's passing schemes proved too much for the Bills' defense, as Moon went long for three more touchdowns, finding Webster Slaughter, Curtis Duncan and Jeffires for a second time. Buffalo had no direction heading into the halftime locker room, staring down the double-barrel of a 28-3 deficit.
The second half seemed hopeless... at first
While coach Marv Levy's pep talk at the half was supposed to help the Bills, Houston safety Bubba McDowell's 58-yard pick-6 certainly didn't. At 35-3, the Oilers had a heavy foothold on the hosts, and they were ready to start celebrating their road to the NFL divisional round.
Buffalo quarterback Frank Reich, however, wasn't planning to go down without a fight. Reich, who ended up honing his own schemes as a coach in the NFL, played backup to Jim Kelly in '92.
However, Kelly went down with an injury the week before against the Oilers in the regular season finale. This prompted Frank Reich's entrance as the main man of Marv Levy's offense in the wild-card round.
While Reich couldn't keep up with future Hall of Famer Warren Moon in the first half, he threw flames in the second to give Moon a real run for his money. After running back Kenneth Davis found the endzone with a one-yard run to pull Buffalo back 35-10, Frank Reich went to work.
The 31-year-old backup swooped in on an opportunity when Houston's coverage broke down, finding Don Beebe for a 38-yard score. The veteran backup struck again when he hit Andre Reed on the back shoulder for a 26-yard touchdown, with the hosts clawing their way back into the duel, 35-24.
With an ensuing 18-yard touchdown pass to Reed, Reich marched them into the fourth, 35-31.
The Oilers scramble to fend off the biggest comeback in NFL playoffs history
The fourth quarter, in contrast to the third, turned out to be a game of defensive chess. However, Frank Reich found Andre Reed on the seam, 17 yards for the biggest comeback in NFL playoffs history.
It was an unreal moment, but the Oilers threw one last desperate punch with their playoff run still somewhat alive, being down just 38-35.
Warren Moon drove them into close range for kicker Al Del Greco to split the up-rights, sending the steaming contest into overtime in freezing Buffalo. However, Moon's drive in fact proved to be but a last desperate punch, as Houston was throwing vanilla punches in the extra period.
The future Hall of Famer got picked off on his own 36, leaving little left to do for the underdog, Frank Reich. Shortly after, Bills kicker Steve Christie jogged out to nail a heroic 32-yard field goal, melting the Oilers' hopeful playoff run.
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