European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 5, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 26 the stars Ald stripes sports tuesday january 5,1993 is one by Barry Wilner Orchard Park . A maybe its time to Lay off the Bills Bash ing. Sure they be lost two straight super bowls. And they have some Quirky personalities. Sometimes they Bicker i maturely airing their problems publicly a so what. After what they showed on sunday in staging the greatest comeback in nil history the Buffalo Bills deserve to be re evaluated. And praised. Quot it shows the character of our team a nose tackle Jeff Wright said after buffaloes remarkable 41-38 overtime Victory against Houston in the first round of the acc playoffs. The Bills overcame a 35-3 deficit getting a playoff record 28 Points in the third Quarter before winning on Steve Christie a 32-Yard Field Goah 3 06 into overtime. A we weren to going to give up. We weren to going to Roll Over and let somebody score 60 Points on the Wax Warren Moon was directing Houston s run and shoot in the first half 60 Points seemed a conservative estimate. Moon hit 19 of 22 passes for 215 Yards and four touchdowns a 3 and 27 Haywood Jeffires 7 to Webster Slaughter and 26 to Curtis Duncan. When Bubba Mcdowell intercepted a tipped pass and went 58 Yards to give Houston a 32-Pbint Lead the fans were booing the local us heroes. A we had control of this ballgame like no other team has had control of the Ball game a Moon said. So much so that the Bills could have been preparing Concession speeches focusing on All their injuries. Jim Kelly was out with a knee problem forcing Frank Reich to make Only the seventh Start of his eight year career. Thurman Thomas left Early in the third period with a hip injury. Star linebacker Cornelius Bennett and starting Cor tier Back Kirby Jackson were out with hamstring i think each individual player took it upon himself to say �?~1 got to play better. I have to make the plays a said Andre Reed who caught eight passes for 136 Yards including three to throws. �?o1 just said this is a humiliating Day a coach Marv Levy said after the remarkable rally. Quot did 1 think we still had a Chance Well there was a Tot of time left and there was a Glimmer of Hope. But its. About the same Chance you have of winning the new York Jackpot Buffalo scrapped its dime defense and went with a Basic 3-4 scheme on every Down. Fly Jerky Bemba athe Baltimore Sun Orchard Park , for Buffalo Bills Reich the events of just More than eight years ago in what stands As one of College footballs most memorable games of All time did not Cross his mind sunday until a halftime Laik with backup quarterback Gale Gilbert. Quot Gilbert came up to me and really encouraged me saying hey you did it before in College. There a no reason we can to do it again now a Reich said. "1 think that there is no doubt that gives you a Little bit of Hope to know that something like that can be feeding off his role in 1984 As the Maryland quarterback who led the terrapins from a 31-0 deficit to a 42-40 win Over Miami in the greatest comeback in Mcaa division i history of College foot. Ball retch duplicated his Effort m sundays 41-38 win Over the Houston oilers a the greatest comeback in National Buffalo kicker Steve Christie right celebrates his game winning Field goal with quarterback Frank Reich capping a Fly a greatest comeback Victory. Reich1 started remembering Back to her had made a 36-Yard Field goal recon when he guided Maryland to the biggest ered an on Side kick and Reich found Don rally in College history. The fans got Rau Beebe Down the left sideline for a score. Cons Reed nearly duplicated that touch Ken Davis who replaced Thomas Down with a 26-Yardcr following a 25 scored on a 2-Yard run. Christie who ear Yard kick by Greg Montgomery the a Fly a leading punter. Suddenly its 3524. A. A a that a when 1 thought it was within reach a said retch who guided Maryland Back from a 31-0 Hole to win 42\40 Over Miami in 1984. Quot if the defense kept playing the Way it was playing and we kept executing on offence there was plenty of time to come Back and win the football a. The oilers making their sixth straight playoff appearance the a Fly a longest current Streak recognized that too. Quot they made adjustments enough to win the game we did no to get the counterpart a cornerback Cris Dishman said Quot we knew Reich was a Veteran qui Terback even though he was a backup knew Reich was a Veteran que amp a ugh he was a Bac _ we knew he could do it. We should have never Given him the by then however the Bills had seized the Opportunity in spectacular fashion. The never seen momentum change like that in my life a said Moon who was 36 for 50 for 371 Yards. All pro safety Henry Jones intercepted a tipped pass at the Houston 23. In fourth Down Buffalo gambled and Reich hit a sprawling Reed Over the Middle for an 18-Yard score. The Bills were Back to four Points Down and the fourth Quarter Hadnot begun. The Lead touchdown came on Reich a 17-yarder to Reed after Holder Montgomery handle a snap on Houston a 31-Yard Field goal attempt. Incredibly the Bills were ahead. But Moon whose dream of a super bowl before he retires continues to ebb away took the oilers on a 63-Yard, 12-play drive. He got them in Range to win it but Buffalo held and Al Del Greco kicked a 26-Yard Field goal with 12 seconds left to Force overtime. Moon made the final fatal mistake when his Short pass never came near an Oiler and was intercepted by Nate Odomes. A 15-Yard face mask penalty on Jeffires brought the Ball to the 20, and Christie won it. The comeback surpassed san Francisco a 1980 rally from a 35-7 deficit to beat new Orleans 38-35. The previous playoff record was Detroit a comeback from a 27-7 Hole for a 31-27 win in 1.957,. A you can coach a Long time and you done to get involved in a game like this particularly if you Are fortunate enough to be part of the winning team a said Levy who will take the Bills to Pittsburgh on saturday. Added Reich the double Miracle Man Quot there a not too Many things that i can Ever Tell you that you Ever experience that Are anything like football league history. In that Maryland comeback Reich led the team to scores on six consecutive possessions in the second half sunday he was equally As impressive connecting on 16 of j23 passes for 230 Yards and four touchdowns after halftime a including scores on four consecutive third Quarter possessions a to help the Bills overcome a 32-Point, third Quarter deficit Quot when it happened in College what went through my mind was this is a once in a lifetime experience a said Rich who completed 21 of 34 passes for 289 Yards sunday. Quot to experience it All Over again i just can to describe it a describing it As unbelievable would be a Start. With the four touchdown passes Reich tied Jim Kelly a Bills playoff game record. The 289 passing Yards were a personal Best for Reich whose previous High was 234 15 of 21 against the Miami dolphins in 199q. San Diego chargers coach Bobby pro comeback records Ross Maryland a head coach in 1984, said Quot to Tell you the truth it does no to sur prise me about Frank. Quot he is an astute Guy when it comes to studying the game. In a very Happy for him. He is. Really a class individual. He got his Chance and he was ready for Joe Krivak quarterbacks coach at Maryland before succeeding Ross As head coach said Quot no doubt about it what he did was very impressive. A i called him tuesday and he was getting some film time in which did no to Surprise me. The Way he prepares there was no doubt in my mind he would succeed he knows his role and he does no to get caught up in All the in the second half sunday after Bubba Mcdowell picked off his pass and raced 58 Yards for a touchdown that gave Houston a 35-3 Lead Reich took the Opportunity to Shine. After going five of u passing for 59 Yards in the first half Reich completed his next three passes to help set up a one Yard run by Kenneth Davis for Buffalo a first touchdown of the Day. From there Reich demonstrated a tremendous amount of poise hitting Don Beebe on a 38-Yard scoring pass and then connecting with Andre Reed on scoring passes of 26, 18 and 17 Yards the final one giving Buffalo a 38-35 Lead with 3 08 left in the game. Quot in the locker room i said a Frank you have to get the Ball to me a its time a Reed said. Quot i told him the chips Are Down and you need everybody after a Field goal by Al Del Greco tied the game for Houston in the closing seconds Steve Christie won it for the Bills with a 32-Yard Field goal just More than three minutes into overtime. And Reich the Holder on Christie s kick was the last in a have a hand on the Ball. Quot i did no to see the game he had with Maryland but he definitely has no. 1 and 2/ Reed said of1 football s greatest comebacks. Quot Frank Reich did one of the Best jobs by a backup quarterback in the history of this game.�?T1
