>> EXPECTATIONS. IN THE NFL, THEY CAN BE A HEAVY BURDEN. THE BUFFALO BILLS KNOW THIS ALL TOO WELL. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE BILLS HAVE CARRIED THE AFC HOPES INTO THE SUPER BOWL, ONLY TO FALL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS EACH TIME. THIS SEASON, BUFFALO RAISED THEIR HOPES EVEN HIGHER WITH ANOTHER SOLID REGULAR SEASON, HIGHLIGHTED BY COMEBACK WINS IN SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW ORLEANS. BUT LAST SUNDAY, THE EXPECTATIONS OF ANOTHER AFC EAST TITLE AND HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS COLLAPSED ALONG WITH JIM KELLY'S FRAGILE KNEE. AND THE BILLS NOW MUST PLAY THE UNFAMILIAR ROLE OF WILD CARD, WITHOUT THEIR ALL-PRO QUARTERBACK. EXPECTATIONS. THE HOUSTON OILERS ALSO KNOW THEIR VEXING NATURE. ANOINTED FOUR MONTHS AGO AS THE AFC's BEST NEW HOPE FOR A SUPER BOWL WIN, THE OILERS HAVE STRUGGLED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF BEING THE FAVORITE. A MEDIOCRE RECORD AT MIDSEASON LED TO SECOND-GUESSING FROM WITHIN FOLLOWED BY THE LOSS OF TEAM LEADER WARREN MOON. AS THE TEAM SEEMED ON THE BRINK OF DISINTEGRATION, THE TURMOIL GAVE WAY TO THE UNEXPECTED. SUDDENLY, THE OILERS APPEAR TO HAVE NEWFOUND CHARACTER. BY CRUSHING THE BILLS LAST SUNDAY, HOUSTON SET THE STAGE FOR TODAY'S REMATCH OF TWO TEAMS WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. NEITHER HAS HAD AN EASY TIME GETTING TO THIS POINT, AND THE TRUE MEASURE OF WHETHER EITHER TEAM WILL LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. THE HOUSTON OILERS AND THE BUFFALO BILLS IN THE AFC WILD-CARD PLAYOFF. THE WEATHER? WELL, IT'S NOT TYPICAL BUFFALO IN JANUARY. 38 DEGREES. THE WIND WILL BE A FACTOR ON THE RUN-AND-SHOOT -- 17 MILES PER HOUR. IT IS GARY BROWN AND SPENCER TILLMAN WHO ARE THE RETURN MEN AS PAT COLEMAN IS INACTIVE WITH AN INJURY. AND HERE IS SPENCER TILLMAN ON THE RETURN, OUT TO THE 20-YARD LINE. STEVE TASKER MAKES THE TACKLE FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. SO THE HOUSTON OILERS WILL GO TO WORK BEHIND THEIR NUMBER-ONE QUARTERBACK AND NUMBER 1, WARREN MOON. AND THE OFFENSE FOR HOUSTON. WITH WARREN MOON -- WHITE, JEFFIRES, SLAUGHTER, GIVINS, AND DUNCAN. AND AN OFFENSIVE LINE OF MAGGS, MUNCHAK, MATTHEWS, DAWSON, AND WILLIAMS. [ CROWD CHEERING ] AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ALMOST 80,000 FANS INTO THE GAME IMMEDIATELY. AND QUICK OUTSIDE TO CURTIS DUNCAN, AND HE IS COVERED BY JAMES WILLIAMS. DEFENSIVELY FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS -- DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WAS INTRODUCED. YOU WILL SEE A FRONT FIVE OF HANSEN, WRIGHT, SMITH, BAILEY, AND TALLEY. THAT'S WILLIAMS, ODOMES, HICKS, SCHULZ, JONES, AND KELSO. SO YOU WILL SEE SIX IN THE SECONDARY. AND THAT, OF COURSE, YOU WILL SEE ALL DAY LONG TO COMBAT THE RUN-AND-SHOOT. SECOND DOWN AND 6. THREE RECEIVERS ON THE FAR SIDE. GOING BACK UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, WHO WAS, TODD CHRISTENSEN, A QUESTION MARK. >> HE WAS A QUESTION MARK. AND YOU CAN SEE WHY. TAKE A LOOK AT HIS RIGHT HAND. TAPED FINGERS, THE GLOVE ON HIS HAND -- HE NEEDED THAT FOR CONFIDENCE RIGHT AWAY, AND WARREN IS SHARP, GETTING THE BALL IMMEDIATELY. COMING UPFIELD, CUTTING BEHIND THE TWO RECEIVERS ON THE OUTSIDE THAT ARE CLEARING OUT FOR HIM. HE GETS THE FIRST DOWN WITH A SIMPLE OUT ROUTE. BUT TRUST ME, HE NEEDED THE CONFIDENCE TO MAKE THAT CATCH TO START THE GAME, AND HE'S GONNA FEEL A LOT BETTER ABOUT HIMSELF AS A RESULT. >> THE BALL AT THE 31-YARD LINE. OPENING DRIVE OF THE BALLGAME. NO SCORE. THREE RECEIVERS ON THE NEAR SIDE. SLAUGHTER GOES IN MOTION. MOON NOW BEING CHASED. AND HE IS GOING TO END UP LOSING A COUPLE YARDS. HE'LL GO OUT AROUND THE 29- OR THE 30-YARD LINE, AND IT WAS PHIL HANSEN WHO WAS CHASING HIM. >> THAT WAS THE PROVERBIAL COVER SACK. HE HAD FOUR RECEIVERS IN THE PATTERN. JUST COULDN'T FIND ANYBODY OPEN. PROTECTION ACTUALLY IS PRETTY GOOD, BUT THEY FORCE WARREN TO COME TO THE OUTSIDE. AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO WONDER -- WARREN'S FOOTBALL SAVVY AFTER HAVING MISSED SIX GAMES, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HE CERTAINLY HAS THE RESPECT OF HIS PEERS. HE MISSED SIX GAMES, AND HE STILL GETS VOTED TO THE PRO BOWL. THAT'S AMAZING. >> HE IS AN AMAZING MAN. >> WELL, HE WAS THE TOP-RATED QUARTERBACK, AS YOU SAW IN THAT GRAPHIC EARLIER. BUT AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO WONDER. HE ONLY THREW 13 BALLS LAST WEEK. I WONDER IF HE'S RUSTY. >> SECOND DOWN AND 13. LORENZO WHITE IS THE REMAINING BACK. STAYS IN TO BLOCK. WARREN IS GOING TO RUN. AND THEN HE SLIDES AROUND THE 33-YARD LINE. PHIL HANSEN WAS THERE. SO A GAIN OF 5 ON THE PLAY. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 8. >> JACK PARDEE TOLD US YESTERDAY THAT BRUCE SMITH REALLY DISRUPTED THINGS. TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING. NOT ONLY IS DON MAGGS OVER THERE, BUT HERE COMES MUNCHAK <i> AND</i> LORENZO WHITE -- TRIPLE-TEAMING BRUCE SMITH, TRYING TO KEEP HIM OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. [ CROWD CHEERING ] 14 THIS SEASON. NOT ONLY 14 SACKS, BUT HE ALSO HAD CLOSE TO 90 TACKLES. BRUCE SMITH IS NOT ONE-DIMENSIONAL. HE'S NOT A GUY THAT JUST CUTS UPFIELD. HE IS THE HEART OF THAT BUFFALO DEFENSE. >> THIRD DOWN. GOING DEEP! AND HAYWOOD JEFFIRES HOLDS ON TO IT WITH DOUBLE COVERAGE. HE'S HIT BY KELSO AND ODOMES. 31 YARDS. THE OILERS IN BILLS TERRITORY. >> EVER SINCE DREW HILL LEFT THE HOUSTON OILER ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE LOOKED FOR THE GO-TO GUY, AND WARREN HAS SAID THAT MAN HAS TO BE HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. THIS IS WHAT HE DOES SO WELL AT 6'3" AND 190 POUNDS. NATE ODOMES IS AN OUTSTANDING CORNERBACK, BUT LOOK AT THAT -- IT'S A JUMP BALL. 6'3" IS GONNA WIN 5'10" EVERY TIME. ODOMES IS STRIDE FOR STRIDE. THE SAFETY COMES OVER. HE THROWS IT UP. LOOK AT THE VERTICAL LEAP OF JEFFIRES, A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMMATE OF DANNY MANNING. HE KNOWS HE CAN GO UP AND GET IT. >> FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO 35-YARD LINE. NO SCORE. OPENING DRIVE OF THE BALLGAME. SLAUGHTER IN MOTION. AND HERE IS LORENZO WHITE. AND HE'S GOING TO PICK UP 3 YARDS ON THE PLAY. AND IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 7. >> THIS YEAR, CHARLIE, IN THE RUN-AND-SHOOT OFFENSE -- THEY TALK ABOUT THE WIDE RECEIVERS -- LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT THAT MAN PUT UP. NOT ONLY THAT. 1,800 YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE. THIS IS HOUSTON'S THURMAN THOMAS. 57 CATCHES AS WELL. HE WAS THE KEY TO THE OFFENSE. I THINK WITH WARREN OUT, THEY REALLY RODE HIS BACK TO GET TO THE PLAYOFFS. >> SECOND DOWN AND 7. >> KEVIN GILBRIDE BACK ON THE SIDELINES. GOOD THING TO SEE AFTER AN OPERATION TO REMOVE CANCER. KEVIN GILBRIDE, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, A BIG BELIEVER IN THIS RUN-AND-SHOOT OFFENSE. >> MOON'S PASS IS COMPLETE. COMING TO THE NEAR SIDE. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER AGAIN ON THE RECEIVING END. MARK KELSO WAS THERE. >> KEVIN GILBRIDE -- IN FACT, THE DOCTORS TOLD HIM LAST WEEK, "WE'LL GIVE YOU A HALF ON THE SIDELINES, BUT THAT'S IT. THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK UP TOP." YEAH, RIGHT. THAT'S LIKE TELLING A PLAYER, "WE'RE ONLY GONNA GIVE YOU A QUARTER TO PLAY." HE WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT INTELLECTUALLY AND PHYSICALLY. NOW HE'S BACK INTO THE GAME. HE'S AN EXCITED MAN. >> HAD A CANCEROUS KIDNEY REMOVED. HE'S HAD KIDNEY PROBLEMS IN THE FAMILY. THEY THINK THEY GOT IT ALL. HE'S SUPPOSED TO SIT DOWN WHEN THE OILERS ARE ON DEFENSE. WHEN HE GOT HOME AFTER LAST SUNDAY NIGHT'S WIN, HIS WIFE SAT HIM DOWN, SAYS, "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!" >> AND YOU KNOW WHAT KEVIN SAID. "FAT CHANCE." >> THIRD DOWN AND 2. AND THE DRAW. WHITE. GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAY! DARRYL TALLEY. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THIS MAN IS UNDERRATED. ONCE AGAIN, OVER 100 TACKLES -- 106 TACKLES -- TO LEAD THE BUFFALO BILLS. BUT ALL THEY CAN TALK ABOUT IS BRUCE SMITH, CORNELIUS BENNETT, ET AL. TAKE A LOOK AT THE PURSUIT HERE. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THERE'S NOBODY THERE. FROM THE INSIDE, NUMBER 56 IS GONNA GET HIM, DRAG HIM DOWN BY THE ANKLE. FOURTH AND 1 NOW. AND I WOULD GUESS THAT THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GO FOR IT. DIFFICULT WIND FOR AL DEL GRECO. I THINK THE OILERS ARE GOING FOR IT. >> FOURTH AND 1. [ CROWD CHEERING ] LORENZO HAS THE FIRST DOWN. HE IS HIT AND BOUNCED BACK AND TRIES AGAIN! HE WAS RIGHT AT THE MARKER AND THEN HIT, AND HE KEPT GOING. AND HE MAY HAVE PICKED IT UP. >> IT LOOKED LIKE HE HAD IT SIMPLY. AND THEN WATCH THE HIT THAT KURT SCHULZ IS GONNA PUT ON HIM RIGHT THERE AT THE 25-YARD LINE. ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS GET BEYOND THE 25-YARD LINE. IT LOOKS FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES THAT IT'S A GIMME. HE'S GONNA FALL OVER TO THE 25. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. IT OPENS UP ON THE LEFT SIDE FOR NUMBER 44. HERE HE'S GONNA COME TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN. TAKE A LOOK AT NUMBER 44. NOT GONNA GET A CHANCE TO SEE. WE'LL COME BACK AND SEE IT AFTER THIS NEXT PLAY. >> IT IS A FIRST DOWN, JUST ACROSS THE 25-YARD LINE. MOON COMES BACK. THROWS IT UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE AT THE 20-YARD LINE. IT IS WEBSTER SLAUGHTER AGAIN. IT WILL BE INCOMPLETE. SLAUGHTER IS GOING TO ARGUE. HE WILL LOSE THE ARGUMENT. IT WILL BE SECOND AND 10. >> THAT'S THE FIRST INCOMPLETE THAT WARREN MOON HAS THROWN. LET'S TAKE YOU BACK TO THE RUN BY LORENZO WHITE. LOOK AT THAT. THERE'S NOBODY THERE. NOW WATCH THIS HIT. NUMBER 24 SELLS HIS BODY OUT. POW! SCHULZ STRAIGHTENS HIM RIGHT UP. IF ODOMES COULD'VE GOT ON TOP OF HIM, THEY COULD'VE PREVENTED HIM FROM GETTING THE FIRST DOWN. LORENZO WHITE -- GREAT SECOND EFFORT TO GIVE THE HOUSTON OILERS A FIRST DOWN. >> WARREN MOON, 4 OF 5, 48 YARDS. HERE'S WHITE ON THE DRAW AGAIN. 20. 15. HE'S GOT THE FIRST DOWN. TAKING BUFFALO BILL DEFENSIVE SECONDARY KURT SCHULZ AND NATE ODOMES WITH HIM. >> ONE OF THE BEST THINGS FOR THE RUNNING GAME OF THE HOUSTON OILERS IS WHEN, IN THE SECONDARY, THE BUFFALO BILLS HAVE TO GO MAN FOR MAN. ONCE HE ESCAPES THE FIRST LINE -- TAKE A LOOK AT THE DRAW PLAY BY LORENZO WHITE. ONCE HE ESCAPES THE FIRST ONE, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR BACK TURNED. NATE ODOMES HAS HIS BACK TURNED, CHASING HAYWOOD JEFFIRES DOWNFIELD. SCHULZ COMES OVER LATER TO MAKE THE TACKLE, BUT IT'S TOO LATE. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE -- NUMBER 37 LATE IN COMING IN ON THE PLAY BECAUSE HE HAS HIS BACK TURNED TO THE QUARTERBACK. >> GAIN OF 13 YARDS ON THE PLAY. FIRST DOWN, 11-YARD LINE. OPENING DRIVE OF THE BALLGAME. NO SCORE. SLAUGHTER COMES ACROSS IN MOTION. MOON TO THROW. BACK TO THE FAR SIDE. THIS IS JEFFIRES. AND HE IS GOING TO BE MARKED DOWN NEAR THE 5-YARD LINE AS ODOMES AND HENRY JONES WERE THERE FOR BUFFALO. >> THE ONE BIG BODY THAT THEY HAVE AMONGST THE GROUP IS JEFFIRES, THE 6'3", 190-POUNDER FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE. THAT'S WHAT'S CALLED A SWIRL ROUTE -- COMING IN AND CUTTING BACK OUTSIDE. TAKES TWO GUYS TO GET HIM DOWN. SETTING UP SHOP NOW AT THE 5-YARD LINE. BUT WHAT, OF COURSE, THIS DOES TO THE HOUSTON OILERS IS IT THAT THEY RUN OUT OF ROOM. DIFFICULTY INSIDE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A THREE-TIGHT-END OFFENSE OR A SHORT-YARDAGE OFFENSE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ROOM AS OTHER TEAMS. >> BUT THEY<i> HAVE</i> ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF THE RUN-AND-SHOOT IN THIS KIND OF WEATHER ON THIS DAY -- IT IS WORKING. SLAUGHTER ACROSS IN MOTION. LORENZO WHITE, STRAIGHT SHOT. COUPLE OF YARDS. IT'S GOING TO BE THIRD DOWN AND STILL A COUPLE OF YARDS TO GO FOR THE FIRST DOWN AS BRUCE SMITH, BAD RIBS AND ALL, MAKES THE TACKLE. >> KEVIN GILBRIDE HAS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE HERE ON THE 3-YARD LINE. THEY'RE GONNA COME WITH THEIR PACKAGE AND HAVE SOME PEOPLE SPREAD OUT. I KNOW HE'S A 36-YEAR-OLD GUY, AND MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO ENDANGER HIM, BUT A QUARTERBACK DRAW RIGHT HERE MIGHT BE THE TICKET. >> 14th PLAY OF THIS OPENING DRIVE OF THE WILD-CARD GAME BETWEEN THE HOUSTON OILERS AND THE BUFFALO BILLS. THE BALL AT THE 3-YARD LINE OF BUFFALO. OILERS STARTED AT THEIR OWN 20. >> LET ME ALSO SAY SO MUCH FOR WARREN MOON BEING RUSTY. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> MOON TO THROW. LITTLE PUMP FAKE. COMES BACK. BUYS SOME TIME. THROWS INTO THE END ZONE. TOUCHDOWN FOR HOUSTON. HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. >> WARREN MOON MADE THAT PLAY TOTALLY. THE IDEA WAS TO RUN A FLAT ROUTE TO LORENZO WHITE. THEY HAD THE WIDE RECEIVERS CUTTING INSIDE, TRYING TO SHIELD THE PEOPLE FROM COMING TO HIM, BUT THAT WASN'T OPEN. WATCH WARREN MOON'S MOBILITY. AT 36 YEARS OF AGE, HE CAN STILL MOVE AROUND. THE IDEA IS TO GET WHITE THE BALL RIGHT THERE. BUT HE'S NOT OPEN. NOW HE PIVOTS BACK. THE PEOPLE HAVE TO COME UP IN CASE WARREN RUNS. AND AS A RESULT, JEFFIRES ABLE TO FIND A DEAD SPOT IN THE ZONE. 6 POINTS FOR THE OILERS. >> AND TAKING MORE THAN 9 MINUTES OFF OF THE CLOCK IN THE OPENING DRIVE. HERE IS THE EXTRA POINT. IT IS GOOD. 80 YARDS ON THE DRIVE IN 14 PLAYS. >> LIKE I SAID, SO MUCH FOR WARREN MOON BEING RUSTY. LOOK AT THE ARM. RIGHT IN THERE TO JEFFIRES. 6 POINTS FOR THE OILERS. >> AND WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE KICKOFF IN JUST A MOMENT. >> WATCH TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN. YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE WIDE RECEIVERS CUT UPFIELD AND WHITE IS GONNA COME INTO THE FLAT. BUT WHAT'S GONNA HAVE TO HAPPEN HERE IS THAT HICKS IS NOT FOOLED, AND HE HAS WHITE IN COVERAGE. MOON PUMP-FAKES AND COMES BACK, AND THERE'S JEFFIRES WIDE OPEN IN THE SEAM BETWEEN THE TWO CORNERBACKS. THAT ENABLES THE OILERS TO GET THE TOUCHDOWN. >> AND SO HOUSTON WILL BE KICKING OFF. AL DEL GRECO WITH BRAD LAMB AND KENNETH DAVIS THE RETURN MEN. AND THIS IS DAVIS FROM THE 11-YARD LINE. HE'S TO THE 20. HE'S TO THE 30. PAST THE 40 AND THEN OUT OF BOUNDS. A GREAT KICKOFF RETURN FOR KENNETH DAVIS. 33 YARDS ON THE RETURN. WE'LL STEP ASIDE FOR JUST A MOMENT. THURMAN THOMAS FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. HE WILL BE THEIR MAIN MAN TODAY. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. >> YOU CAN SEE BY THAT GRAPHIC -- FOUR CONSECUTIVE SEASONS LEADING IN YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE. I MEAN, THAT IS IMPRESSIVE. THIS YEAR HIS BEST EVER -- 2,113 YARDS, 1,487 OF THAT RUNNING. FRANK REICH IS THE QUARTERBACK, AND HE GIVES IMMEDIATELY TO THURMAN THOMAS. AND HE IS TO THE 50-YARD LINE. HE PICKS UP A QUICK 6 YARDS. IT WILL BE SECOND DOWN AND 4. OFFENSIVELY, OF COURSE, FOR JIM KELLY, IT WILL BE FRANK REICH AT QUARTERBACK. AND THEN THURMAN THOMAS. MOST OF THE TIME, WE'LL SEE THREE WIDE RECEIVERS -- LOFTON, REED, AND BEEBE -- WITH McKELLER THE TIGHT END. AND THAT OFFENSIVE LINE. AS VERY QUICKLY, OF COURSE, THURMAN THOMAS AGAIN. THE BUFFALO BILLS LIKE A TURNOVER ON OFFENSE OF ABOUT 15 SECONDS. DEFENSIVELY, FULLER, CHILDRESS, SMITH, JONES, AL SMITH, AND EDDIE ROBINSON WILL BE THE FRONT SIX FOR THE OILERS, WITH DISHMAN, GRAY, JACKSON, McDOWELL, AND ROBERTSON IN THE SECONDARY FOR HOUSTON. THE BALL NOW AT THE 49-YARD LINE. AND IT IS THIRD DOWN AND 5. REICH FROM THE SHOTGUN WITH THURMAN THOMAS BACK WITH HIM. CHANGES THE STRENGTH OF THE FORMATION. [ CROWD CHEERING ] FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO. PETE METZELAARS. JERRY GRAY WITH THE TACKLE. >> IF YOU RECALL THE GAME ON SUNDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE HOUSTON OILERS, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT FRANK REICH DID WAS GO TO THE TIGHT END. WE'RE TOLD BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE BUFFALO ORGANIZATION THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HE LIKES TO UTILIZE. THERE, SIMPLY, HE HAS MAN-FOR-MAN COVERAGE WITH EDDIE ROBINSON, THE ROOKIE INSIDE BACKER. GOOD THROW BY REICH TO GET IT IN BETWEEN ROBINSON AND JERRY GRAY FOR A FIRST DOWN. >> AND AGAIN THURMAN THOMAS. NO GAIN ON THE PLAY. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 10. >> RAY CHILDRESS IN ON THE TACKLE. THERE WE SEE BRUCE SMITH TRYING TO FIRE SOME PEOPLE UP. QUITE FRANKLY, THE HOUSTON OILERS JUST RAN ROUGHSHOD OVER THEM IN THAT FIRST DRIVE, CROWD NOTWITHSTANDING. THEY HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. >> SECOND DOWN. HERE'S THE DRAW TO THOMAS. JUMPS TO THE OUTSIDE. CUTS BACK AT THE 35-YARD LINE. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 4. WE HAVE 3 1/2 MINUTES LEFT TO GO IN A VERY FAST-MOVING FIRST QUARTER. HOUSTON ON TOP 7-0. BUFFALO -- FIRST OPPORTUNITY ON OFFENSE. >> DRAW TO THURMAN THOMAS. CUTTING BACK TO THE RIGHT AND CUTTING BACK INSIDE. GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY. COMING UP, THIRD AND 4. THAT'S WHAT THE BUFFALO BILLS, FRANK REICH TOLD US, DID NOT WANT TO DO IS COME UP LONG. THIRD AND 4. VERY MAKABLE. >> REICH WITH GOOD PROTECTION. THROWS. PASS IS COMPLETE. ANDRE REED. MARCUS ROBERTSON WITH THE TACKLE. A GAIN OF 17. FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO. IN THIS DRIVE, THEY HAVE CONVERTED TWICE ON THIRD DOWN. >> SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, ANDRE REED WAS UPSET OVER THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T GET THE BALL MUCH. HE DID END UP WITH 65 CATCHES, AND HE'S GOING TO THE PRO BOWL. BUT 38 OF THOSE CATCHES WERE IN THE FIRST SIX GAMES OF THE SEASON. THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED TO GET HIM THE BALL AND INVOLVED IN THE OFFENSE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT FRANK REICH HAS DONE HERE EARLY. >> HERE'S THURMAN THOMAS AGAIN ON THE DRAW. 16-YARD LINE. HAS A COUPLE ON THE PLAY. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 8. MARCUS ROBERTSON MAKES THE TACKLE FOR HOUSTON. I ALMOST HAD THE FEELING WITH THURMAN THAT HE HAS A CHANCE IN THAT PARTICULAR FORMATION TO SCAN THE DEFENSE AND PICK OUT WHERE HE WANTS TO RUN. >> WELL, THAT'S WHAT ANY RUNNING BACK WANTS. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THEIR VISION AND THEIR BLOCKERS IN FRONT OF THEM. >> EIGHTH PLAY OF THE DRIVE FOR BUFFALO. STARTED AT THEIR OWN 44-YARD LINE AFTER THE RETURN OF KENNETH DAVIS. REICH STEPS FORWARD. AND HE'S GOING TO BE PULLED DOWN AT THE 18-YARD LINE. SO HE'S GOING TO LOSE A COUPLE. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 10. SEAN JONES GOT HIM. >> JIM KELLY A SPECTATOR TODAY. NOT TERRIBLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. INTERESTING POINT THAT WAS TOLD TO US YESTERDAY. HE SAID WHEN BOTH QUARTERBACKS LOOK TO THE SIDELINES, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY LOOK TO THEIR OFFENSIVE COORDINATORS. THEY LOOK TO EACH OTHER. AND A LOT OF THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A THEORIST AND A PRACTITIONER. A LOT OF TIMES YOU WANT ADVICE FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN THERE, AND I'M SURE FRANK REICH, DURING THE TIME-OUTS, WILL UTILIZE THE ADVICE OF JIM KELLY. >> THIRD DOWN AND 10 AT THE 18-YARD LINE. REICH THROWS. AND IT IS INCOMPLETE. LOFTON RAN INTO A CORNER, HE AND DISHMAN. DISHMAN SIMPLY JUST HOLDING HIS GROUND. LOFTON THOUGHT HE WAS PICKED, BUT HE JUST RAN INTO DISHMAN. >> YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? DISHMAN DOES THE OLD NORM VAN LIER. HE DRAWS THE CHARGE. HE ANTICIPATES WHERE LOFTON'S GOING. STEPS IN FRONT OF HIM RIGHT THERE. OF COURSE, LOFTON LOOKS BACK AND SAYS, "WHAT'S THE DEAL?" AND THE OFFICIAL IS SAYING, IN EFFECT, THAT DISHMAN HAS HIS RIGHT TO HIS TERRITORY. SO A GOOD NONCALL BY THE OFFICIAL AND A HEADY PLAY BY CRIS DISHMAN. >> AND NOW A 36-YARD FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT BY STEVE CHRISTIE. HE HAS HIT 24 OF 30 ON THE SEASON. HIS LONG IS 54. AND THIS ONE IS HOOKING, BUT IT IS GOOD. SO CHRISTIE HITS FROM 36 YARDS AWAY. HOUSTON NOW LEADS 7-3. NEXT SATURDAY ON NBC, THE WINNER HERE, OF COURSE, WILL GO TO PITTSBURGH TO TAKE ON THE STEELERS. AND THEN, NEXT SUNDAY, WE NOW KNOW IT'LL BE THOSE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS IN MIAMI AGAINST THE DOLPHINS. WHAT ABOUT HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE IN THE PLAYOFFS? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT? >> I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT BIG A DEAL, QUITE FRANKLY. I THINK THAT IN THE PAST, YOU HAD ONE TEAM THAT WAS DOMINATING. EVEN IN THE NFC SIDE OF IT, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY GUARANTEE JUST 'CAUSE THE GAMES ARE IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WIN. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR A LOT OF ROAD TEAMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >> GARY BROWN AND DAMON MAYS ARE THE RETURN MEN FOR THE OILERS, AS SPENCER TILLMAN IS OUT WITH AN ABDOMINAL STRAIN AND MAY NOT RETURN. HOUSTON HAS THE BALL. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. >> CRIS DISHMAN WITH THE SAVVY VETERAN PLAY EARLIER AGAINST LOFTON, BUT WAS IT LEGAL? TAKE A LOOK AT HIS HEAD, AND TAKE A LOOK AT HIS INTENTION. IS HE REALLY TRYING TO SET UP SHOP? HE LOOKS RIGHT INTO LOFTON'S EYES. HE'S PUSHING HIM RIGHT THERE. EVEN IF THAT'S NOT PASS INTERFERENCE, CERTAINLY JAMES LOFTON IS BEYOND 5 YARDS. SO THEY COULD CALL ILLEGAL CONTACT. >> NOT PROTECTING HIMSELF? >> NO. COME ON. [ BOTH LAUGH ] >> HOUSTON. FIRST DOWN. THEIR OWN 20-YARD LINE. OILERS ON TOP BY A SCORE OF 7-3. 1:19 LEFT TO GO, FIRST QUARTER. PASS IS COMPLETE TO DUNCAN. AND HE WILL GO OUT AROUND THE 23-YARD LINE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 7. JAMES WILLIAMS WITH THE TACKLE. >> CURTIS DUNCAN IS PROBABLY THE MOST UNDERRATED OF THE GROUP. AND PRIOR TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER COMING, THEY SAID THAT THIS WAS THE MAN WITH THE BEST HANDS. FINISHED THE SEASON WITH 82 CATCHES AND 954 YARDS. BUT HE WENT 106 CATCHES BEFORE HE GOT HIS FIRST TOUCHDOWN. WARREN MOON IS ASKING HIMSELF, "WHY DID YOU COME BACK TO THE BALL AND THEN RUN OUT OF BOUNDS, CURTIS? I NEED YOU TO GET MORE YARDS THAN THAT." >> SECOND DOWN AND 7. GIVINS BACK TO TRIPS ON THE FAR SIDE. THE GIVE IS TO WHITE. WHITE CUTS UPFIELD. 29-YARD LINE. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 1. PHIL HANSEN WITH THE TACKLE. >> DOUG DAWSON PUT A TREMENDOUS BLOCK ON DARRYL TALLEY. WATCH THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SCREEN. TALLEY, NUMBER 56, IS GONNA COME IN AND HAVE WHITE IN HIS SIGHTS FOR ABOUT A 1-YARD GAIN. WATCH NUMBER 66 PUSH TALLEY OUT OF THE WAY RIGHT THERE, ENABLING WHITE TO GET THE EXTRA 6 YARDS AND BE THAT CLOSE TO THE FIRST DOWN. DOUG DAWSON, FORMER SECOND-ROUND PICK OF THE CARDINALS IN '84, HAD AN ACHILLES-TENDON INJURY THAT TOOK HIM OUT OF FOOTBALL FOR TWO YEARS. BUT HE DECIDED WHEN HE WAS SITTING AT HOME, "HEY, SELLING INSURANCE IS OKAY, BUT I THINK I CAN STILL PLAY." AND JACK PARDEE AND BOB YOUNG AGREED WITH HIM. >> WE TAKE THE COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER. THE OILERS HAD THE BALL 10:33 IN THE FIRST PERIOD. THE OFFICIAL STATISTICS OF THE FIRST QUARTER. NO PENALTIES. NO TURNOVERS. >> WELL, THE NUMBER THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED REALLY WAS SIGNIFICANT -- 10:33 FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. OF COURSE, EVERYBODY KNOWS THE BUFFALO BILLS ARE NOT A TEAM OF TIME OF POSSESSION. BUT THE ONE THING THAT HOUSTON IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF IS KEEPING THE BUFFALO OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD. >> AS WE START THE SECOND QUARTER, HOUSTON LEADING BUFFALO 7-3. THIRD DOWN AND 1. OILERS AT THEIR OWN 29-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] LORENZO WHITE. AND HE HAS A FIRST DOWN, AS HE WILL GO TO THE 34-YARD LINE. BRUCE SMITH MAKING THE TACKLE. FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. >> HOUSTON OILERS' INTERIOR DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THERE'S MARV LEVY. WE TALKED WITH HIM YESTERDAY ABOUT WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE PARITY IN THE AFC. AND HE MADE A VERY COGENT POINT, WHICH WAS THIS YEAR IN THE AFC, OF THE DIVISIONS, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE DIVISION REPEAT WINNER. AND HE SAID LAST YEAR, THE BUFFALO BILLS WERE THE ONLY ONE. SO HE TALKED ABOUT THE DRAFT AND TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE VARIABLES IN THAT PARTICULAR SCENARIO. BUT HE SAYS, QUITE FRANKLY, A LOT OF TEAMS ARE JUST FLAT OUT GETTING BETTER. >> FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. MOON PUTS IT UP. JEFFIRES COMES DOWN. THAT WILL BE INCOMPLETE. NATE ODOMES HAD THE COVERAGE. >> ONCE AGAIN THE JUMP BALL TO HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. ODOMES IN EXCELLENT COVERAGE AND EXCELLENT POSITION AND DOING A GOOD JOB OF USING THE SIDELINE AS A BARRIER. JEFFIRES IS GONNA COME UP WITH THE BALL, AND ONE FOOT IS GOING TO COME DOWN. AND BECAUSE ODOMES DIDN'T PUSH HIM -- THERE'S THE RIGHT FOOT. THE LEFT FOOT CLEARLY OUT OF BOUNDS. GOOD JOB BY ODOMES IN COVERAGE. >> LOOK AT ODOMES. WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE HOUSTON QUARTERBACKS, WARREN MOON AND CODY CARLSON. HE SAID, "ABOUT, OH, $4 MILLION." >> [ LAUGHS ] HE SHOWED A LOT OF RESPECT FOR CARLSON WHEN HE SAID THAT. YOU'RE RIGHT. HE WASN'T DENIGRATING HIS ABILITIES AT ALL. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. WARREN IS THE MAN. >> SECOND DOWN AND 10. MOON WITH GOOD PROTECTION AGAIN. FAR SIDE. PASS IS COMPLETE. AND IT IS ERNEST GIVINS WHO PULLS IT DOWN OVER HENRY JONES. A GAIN OF 24 AND A FIRST DOWN. >> THIS IS WHAT THE HOUSTON OILERS DO TO YOU. THEY PUT PEOPLE IN POSITIONS THEY'RE NOT USED TO. HENRY JONES LED THE NFL IN INTERCEPTIONS. BUT THAT WAS AS A STRONG SAFETY, SO PRIMARILY HE'S COVERING TIGHT ENDS AND RUNNING BACKS. SOMEONE LIKE ERNEST GIVINS -- HE'S NOT USED TO IT. WITH THE SHORT CORNER, HE GETS OPEN. AND THERE'S WARREN MOON WITH THAT BODY ENGLISH, SHOWING HIS 10-INCH VERTICAL LEAP. HIS WIFE WON'T BE HAPPY I SAID THAT. [ BOTH LAUGH ] BUT THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS THROW. >> THE BALL AT THE BUFFALO 43-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. >> ACTUALLY, I PLAYED BASKETBALL AGAINST HIM A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. I'LL TELL YOU THAT STORY AFTER THIS PLAY. >> GIVINS COMES BACK OUT. HERE'S WHITE. CUT OFF INSIDE. GOOD DEFENSIVE PLAY AGAIN BY BRUCE SMITH. >> WHEN I WAS A MEMBER OF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS, AFTER THE 1980 SEASON, WHEN WE WON THE SUPER BOWL, WARREN MOON -- FIRST WE'RE GONNA GET A CHANCE TO SEE BRUCE SMITH IN ON THE PLAY. DON MAGGS CUTS DOWN. HE TAKES ON DOUG DAWSON. SHUCKS HIM ASIDE AND ABLE TO TACKLE LORENZO WHITE FOR A GAIN OF NO YARDS. >> SECOND DOWN AND 10. THE BALL AT THE 43-YARD LINE. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER COMES ACROSS IN MOTION. WIDE RECEIVERS BALANCED -- TWO ON EACH SIDE. THROWING UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE TO GIVINS. CANNOT SLIP THE TACKLE AND WILL BE STOPPED AT THE 37-YARD LINE. DARRYL TALLEY AND KURT SCHULZ THERE FOR BUFFALO. >> BACK IN THE 1980 SEASON, WHEN I WAS A MEMBER OF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS, WE WON THE SUPER BOWL. THAT WAS ALSO THE SAME YEAR THAT THE EDMONTON ESKIMOS WON THE GREY CUP. AND SO WE WENT UP TO PLAY THEIR TEAM IN BASKETBALL -- WARREN MOON'S TEAM. AND HE COULD HOOP. I'VE GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT. BUT I DID THROW IN 26 POINTS, SO, YOU KNOW -- >> I KNEW THERE WAS A REASON YOU WERE BRINGING -- YOU<i> INSISTED</i> WE SQUEEZE THAT STORY IN. ALL RIGHT. THIRD DOWN AND 4. LOOK AT THE TIME OF POSSESSION. 13 1/2 MINUTES TO 4 1/2. HOUSTON LEADING, 7-3. GIVINS HAS THE FIRST DOWN. HE WILL GO OUT AT THE 31-YARD LINE. >> THE ONE THING THAT HAS IMPRESSED ME ABOUT ERNEST GIVINS, BESIDES THE NUMBERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IS THE FACT THAT AT 5'9", 174 POUNDS, HIS WILLINGNESS TO GO OVER THE MIDDLE. THIS IS A CROSSING ROUTE. HE'S GONNA LOOK TO GIVINS RIGHT THERE, CUTTING ACROSS THE MIDDLE, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE GET HURT. BUT NUMBER 81 -- IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE'VE SEEN HIM GET HIT TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND CONTINUE TO COME BACK. >> REMEMBER WHAT GIVINS TOLD US? "I LIKE TO GET INSIDE OF THE MIND OF THE DEFENSIVE BACK." >> IN THAT CASE, OF COURSE, HE'S GOT TALLEY CUTTING BEHIND HIM. HE KNOWS DARRYL TALLEY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH HIM, AND HE RUNS ACROSS THE FIELD AND GETS THE FIRST DOWN. >> HE WANTS TO GET INSIDE THEIR POCKETBOOK, TOO. NINTH PLAY OF THE DRIVE. IT STARTED AT THE HOUSTON 20-YARD LINE. MOON, A LITTLE SWING RIGHT SIDE TO GIVINS. OH, HE IS NAILED. >> YEAH, HE'S NAILED, BUT HE'S RESILIENT. THAT'S MY POINT. HE DOESN'T SHIRK. HE COULD'VE SLID THERE. TAKE A LOOK WHEN HE CATCHES THE BALL. WHY DIDN'T HE SLIDE? WHY DOESN'T HE AVOID THE CONTACT? HE DOESN'T. HE STICKS IT IN THERE. INSIDE RECEIVER. THE TWO WIDE RECEIVERS OUTSIDE CLEAR OUT FOR HIM. CUTS UPFIELD. HE TAKES A SHOT FROM HICKS. SPINS OFF AND TRIES TO GET MORE YARDAGE INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN. HOW MANY RECEIVERS DO YOU SEE CATCH THE BALL AND SLIDE AND AVOID CONTACT? NOT THAT MAN. >> WARREN MOON, 11 OF 13. HE HAS THROWN FOR 101 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN AND HAS JUST OVER 10 1/2 MINUTES LEFT TO GO, FIRST HALF, AND HAS THE LEAD. AND HERE IS WHITE. AND WHITE ALL THE WAY TO THE 10-YARD LINE. A GAIN OF 15 YARDS ON THE PLAY AND FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. DARRYL TALLEY AND MARK KELSO MAKE THE TACKLE. >> LET'S GIVE KEVIN GILBRIDE AND THIS OFFENSIVE LINE A LOT OF CREDIT. THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF MIXING UP THEIR PLAYS. SIMPLE DRAW PLAY. THERE'S MUNCHAK PUSHING OUT RIGHT. HICKS COMES UP, TOTALLY MISSES THE TACKLE. LORENZO WHITE CUTTING INSIDE. INTERESTING STATISTIC ABOUT LORENZO WHITE, CHARLIE -- DID NOT LOSE A SINGLE FUMBLE THIS YEAR. THE 1992 SEASON, DID NOT LOSE A FUMBLE. >> AND HANDLED THE BALL 322 TIMES. >> VERY IMPRESSIVE. >> HAS 46 YARDS RUSHING IN THIS BALLGAME. AND A FIRST DOWN AT THE 10-YARD LINE. HERE IS WHITE. AND HE IS DOWN AT THE 6, WHERE IT WILL BE SECOND DOWN. >> THIS HAS GOT TO BE EXCITING FOR THE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN OF THE HOUSTON OILERS IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY'RE ALWAYS IN A CATCH MODE. THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO CATCH PEOPLE IN PASS BLOCKING. NOW YOU SEE THEM COMING OFF THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE AND ATTACKING PEOPLE. JUST BEFORE THE SNAP, LORENZO WHITE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED AS TO WHERE WE'RE GOING. MOON AUDIBLING A LOT HERE IN THESE SITUATIONS. SIMPLE OFF-TACKLE. LOOK AT THE WHITE SHIRTS MOVING BLUE SHIRTS BACK. THAT'S WHAT'S ENABLING WHITE TO GET THE YARDAGE. >> THEY MARK THE BALL AT THE 7-YARD LINE. SECOND DOWN. LITTLE PLAY-ACTION FAKE. IN THE END ZONE. TOUCHDOWN. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. SO NOW HAYWOOD JEFFIRES AND WEBSTER SLAUGHTER HAVE THE TWO TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. >> GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE MAN HAS A BROKEN HAND, THIS IS A TREMENDOUS CATCH. WATCH THE WEAVE MOVE HE PUTS ON HERE TO THE INSIDE, CLIFFORD HICKS. NOW GOES TO THE LEFT SIDE. LOOK AT THE SHAKE. HE'S LOOKING AT HIS HIPS. FALLS DOWN. WHAT A CATCH BY SLAUGHTER. COMING UNDERNEATH WITH THAT BAD HAND. HERE'S THE BODY ENGLISH ONCE AGAIN. [ LAUGHS ] WITH THE JUMPING. HE'S GOT TO BE EXCITED NOT JUST FOR THE TOUCHDOWN BUT THE WAY HE'S PLAYING. AFTER GOING 6 FOR 13 LAST WEEK, HE IS ON HIS MARK. >> AL DEL GRECO TO ATTEMPT THE EXTRA POINT. IT IS GOOD. HOUSTON, TWO POSSESSIONS, TWO 80-YARD TOUCHDOWN DRIVES. THE OILERS LEAD IT, 14-3. >> TAKE A LOOK AT THE SWEET FEET OF WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. ONCE HE GOES TO THE OUTSIDE, CLIFFORD HICKS -- STOP RIGHT THERE IF YOU CAN -- HE'S THINKING, "WHAT'S HE DOING? HE'S GOT TO GO TO THE CORNER, RIGHT?" WATCH HIM COME HERE AND WATCH THE SWEET FUNK HE PUTS ON HIM. COMES BACK TO THE INSIDE, AND AS A RESULT, HICKS IS GONNA FALL DOWN AND SLAUGHTER IS GONNA MAKE THE GREAT CATCH. THINKING CORNER ALL THE WAY. COMING UNDERNEATH, BROKEN HAND AND ALL. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER WAS THE MAN THAT JACK PARDEE SAID HAS THE BEST HANDS ON THEIR TEAM. AND, BOY, WITH THE NUMBER OF RECEIVERS THEY HAVE, THAT'S SAYING A LOT. >> THAT REALLY IS. OF COURSE, HE DID CATCH A FEW BALLS WITH CLEVELAND, DIDN'T HE? >> THE OPENING TWO POSSESSIONS FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS -- TWO 80-YARD TOUCHDOWN DRIVES. THE OPENING POSSESSION FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS LEADING TO THEIR 36-YARD FIELD GOAL. SO BUFFALO NOW, WITH JUST UNDER 9 MINUTES LEFT TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF, WILL HAVE ONLY THEIR SECOND OPPORTUNITY ON OFFENSE IN THE BALLGAME. THIS ONE WILL GO OUT OF BOUNDS, AND SO THE BUFFALO BILLS WILL TAKE THE BALL AT THEIR OWN 35-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. >> YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO OVERREACT TOO MUCH HERE, BUT THE ONE THING IS YOU'VE GOT MOMENTUM GOING FOR YOU. THE ONE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO NOW IS SET UP BUFFALO IN GOOD FIELD POSITION. AND BY KICKING IT OUT OF BOUNDS, IT'S BACK TO THE 35-YARD LINE. THAT'S JUST NOT A GOOD THING THERE FOR DEL GRECO. >> AND WE WILL STEP ASIDE FOR JUST A MOMENT. HOUSTON 14, BUFFALO 3. AND A MEMO TO MRS. GILBRIDE -- YES... >> YES, HE'S OBEYING ORDERS. LOOK AT HIM SITTING DOWN NOW. >> KEVIN IS SITTING DOWN. >> WELL, SITTING OR STANDING, THE GUY'S BEEN A GENIUS TODAY. AS WE SAW IN THE GRAPHIC -- MOON 12 OF 14, LORENZO WHITE ALREADY OVER 50 YARDS RUSHING. WHATEVER HE'S CALLING HAS BEEN GOLDEN SO FAR, SITTING OR STANDING. >> BUFFALO, THEIR SECOND OPPORTUNITY ON OFFENSE. FROM THEIR OWN 35-YARD LINE. THURMAN THOMAS. AND THE HOUSTON DEFENSE SIMPLY STRINGS HIM OUT. AND IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN. >> DID YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT LITTLE BOY IN THE FACE MASK? >> YES. >> THAT WAS KIND OF CUTE. SPEAKING OF NEW ADDITIONS, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE ONE. >> WE HAVE A BRAND-NEW GRANDSON. 8 POUNDS, 5 OUNCES. 21 INCHES TALL. JAMES PARKER. OUR DAUGHTER JULIE DELIVERED JAMES AT 4:07 THIS MORNING. MOTHER AND SON ARE DOING FINE. JULIE IS WATCHING NOW FROM THE HOSPITAL IN SPOKANE, WASHINGTON. AND, JULIE, WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH. >> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. WELL DONE. WHAT AM I SAYING WELL DONE TO YOU FOR? YOU'RE THE GRANDFATHER. [ BOTH LAUGH ] >> WAIT TILL NEXT CHRISTMAS AND YOU CAN SAY WELL DONE. >> YEAH. THERE HE IS -- THE AIR-TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, JIM EDDY. >> WHAT A GREAT NAME. >> YEAH. MR. ANIMATED. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. >> WE WERE KIND OF DOWN LAST NIGHT AT THE PRODUCTION MEETING. WE WERE TIRED AND BEAT ON. HE COMES IN. HE PUMPS EVERYBODY UP, SAID, "WE GOT TO GET SOME MORE EXCITEMENT IN THIS ROOM! WE GOT TO GET GOING!" >> WE WERE. ALL THE PRODUCTION PEOPLE WERE ALL EXCITED JUST TO SEE HIM. >> INCOMPLETE ON THIRD DOWN. REICH'S PASS INTENDED FOR DON BEEBE. CRIS DISHMAN HAS THE COVERAGE. AND NOW WE'LL SEE THE FIRST PUNT OF THE BALLGAME. >> THIS WAS NOT A GOOD TIME -- NOT THAT IT'S EVER A GOOD TIME, BUT PARTICULARLY NOW NOT A GOOD TIME FOR BUFFALO TO GO THREE AND OUT, ESPECIALLY THE WAY WARREN MOON'S THROWING THE BALL. >> CHRIS MOHR WILL BE KICKING, AND IT WILL BE WEBSTER SLAUGHTER, BAD HAND AND ALL, WHO WILL BE RETURNING. TOLD O.J. HE WAS GONNA TRY IT IN WARM-UPS AND IF IT WAS OKAY, HE WOULD RETURN. AND IT SEEMS TO BE OKAY. NICE LITTLE HEAD FAKE. AND HE IS TAKEN OUT OF BOUNDS AT AROUND THE 32-YARD LINE. HOUSTON LEADING, 14-3. BACK IN A MOMENT. ELWAY SCRAMBLES. THROWS. HAS A MAN! HE'S GOT IT! IT'S JOHNSON DOWN THE SIDELINE! ELWAY DOES IT AGAIN! [ CROWD CHEERING ] IT'S GOOD! >> JANUARY 1992 -- ANOTHER MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM NBC SPORTS. >> THAT REALLY WAS A MEMORABLE MOMENT, WASN'T IT? >> AND THAT VOICE SOUNDS FAMILIAR. >> [ LAUGHS ] YOU'LL HEAR IT ALL AFTERNOON. >> THAT WAS EXCITING. >> OH, THAT WAS A GREAT GAME. >> YOU KNOW THAT PHRASE THEY ALWAYS USE IN L.A. ABOUT "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC?" THAT DAY, I BELIEVED THAT MAGIC WAS NAMED JOHN ELWAY. HE WAS UNBELIEVABLE. >> LEONARD HARRIS IS NOW IN AS A WIDE RECEIVER FOR THE OILERS. CURTIS DUNCAN HAS COME OUT. IT IS A FIRST DOWN. HOUSTON AT THEIR OWN 33-YARD LINE. HERE IS WHITE, RIGHT SIDE. HE HAS 3 YARDS, TO THE 36. SECOND DOWN AND 7. PHIL HANSEN WITH THE TACKLE. AND RIGHT NOW, BUFFALO NEEDS TO GET FIRED UP. >> JIM KELLY IS TRYING TO FIRE SOME PEOPLE UP. THE ONE THING THAT THEY TOLD US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JIM KELLY AND FRANK REICH IS THE FACT THAT JIM KELLY IS MUCH MORE EMOTIONAL. HE HAS MORE OF A VISCERAL REACTION TO THE GAME, WHEREAS FRANK REICH IS MORE ANALYTICAL. RIGHT NOW THEY NEED TO CHARGE SOMETHING UP, BECAUSE HOUSTON'S RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS. >> SECOND DOWN AND 7. DUNCAN BACK IN THE BALLGAME FOR THE OILERS. GIVINS GETS EVERYBODY EXCITED. THREE RECEIVERS NEAR SIDE. LORENZO WHITE. IT'LL BE CLOSE TO THE FIRST DOWN. THEY'RE GOING TO MARK IT AT ABOUT THE 43-YARD LINE. DARRYL TALLEY WITH THE TACKLE. >> THE IMPRESSIVE THING ABOUT LORENZO WHITE IS HIS ABILITY TO PICK THE HOLES. WATCH AS HE STARTS TO STUTTER IN THE HOLE. MOST COACHES TEACH YOU NOT TO DO THAT, TO RUN NORTH AND SOUTH. BUT HE SEES HIS LINEMEN, UTILIZES HIS BLOCKS, CUTS LEFT, CUTS RIGHT, NOW CUTS BACK TO THE MIDDLE, TAKES THE COLLISIONS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD. HE'S GOT AN ALMOST IDEAL PHYSIQUE FOR THIS. DON MAGGS PUSHING BRUCE SMITH TO THE OUTSIDE. A NONFACTOR IN THE PLAY. >> AND A FIRST DOWN AT THE 43-YARD LINE. HOUSTON IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY. OILERS -- LOOK AT THAT -- 11 TO 2 FIRST DOWNS. A 14-3 LEAD. WE'RE MOVING ON THE 6-MINUTE MARK, TIME REMAINING, SECOND QUARTER. MOON DEEP OVER THE MIDDLE. PASS IS COMPLETE. AND IT IS GIVINS. CLIFFORD HICKS WITH THE TACKLE. AND WHAT GIVINS TOLD US YESTERDAY -- "THEY DO NOT WANT TO GIVE US THE BIG PLAY." AND GIVINS HAS MADE THE BIG PLAY HERE. >> THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG PLAY. IT'S A DEEP IN ROUTE. HE GETS BEHIND THE ZONE COVERAGE. HICKS IS WITH HIM. HE THROWS THE ARM UP, KNOWING HE'S COMING TO THE INSIDE. MOON HAS PLENTY OF TIME TO GET HIM THE BALL. WHEN HE PULLS THAT ARM UP, THAT IS A SIGNAL TO MOON THE DIRECTION THAT HE IS GOING. IN THIS CASE, HE'S GOING IN INSTEAD OF OUT. MOON SAW IT, HAD THE REQUISITE TIME, AND DELIVERS THE BALL ON THE MONEY. >> AND A GAIN OF 24 YARDS. HOUSTON AT THE BUFFALO 33-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. 5 1/2 MINUTES LEFT TO GO, FIRST HALF. HERE'S WHITE. AND HE IS TRIPPED UP AT THE 30-YARD LINE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 7. PHIL HANSEN MAKES THE TACKLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU NOTICE -- NOT ONLY THE HAND SIGNALS OF GIVINS BACK TO WARREN MOON, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF, LORENZO WHITE, BECAUSE OF THE CROWD NOISE, STEPS UP TO WARREN MOON. TWO THINGS ARE HAPPENING. ONE IS THAT HE IS SURVEYING TO SEE IF HE SEES AN AUDIBLE. AND THE SECOND IS SO HE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF A CHANGE, AN AUDIBLE FROM WARREN, THAT<i> HE</i> CAN HEAR IT. >> AN INTERESTING POINT, TOO, THOUGH, CHARLIE -- THE MORE SUCCESSFUL THEY ARE, THE LESS THE CROWD NOISE IS A FACTOR. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM DOING QUITE AS MUCH IN THE SECOND QUARTER AS WE DID IN THE FIRST. >> MOON WITH THE HAND SIGNALS FOR THE AUDIBLE. CHANGING THE PLAY TO THE OUTSIDE. HAS PRESSURE. HE'LL BE SACKED. AND A FLAG IS DOWN AT THE 25-YARD LINE. ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN THE BALLGAME THAT WE'VE SEEN A FLAG. JEFF WRIGHT GOT WARREN MOON. >> COMING FROM THE SECONDARY. THAT FLAG CAME IN FROM A LONG WAYS AWAY. >> HOLDING. NUMBER 27 OF THE DEFENSE. 5 YARDS. AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. >> HOLDING ON CLIFFORD HICKS. >> WHEN YOU SEE THAT FLAG FLY IN FROM SUCH A DISTANCE, ALMOST INEVITABLY, THAT'S DEFENSIVE HOLDING. TAKE A LOOK AT HICKS HERE IN COVERAGE ON LEONARD HARRIS. HARRIS CUTS TO THE OUTSIDE. NOW CUTS BACK IN. LOOK AT THE FACE MASK. JUST GOT A LITTLE PIECE OF THE FACE MASK. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TOUCHY, BUT THAT CERTAINLY HURTS BUFFALO AFTER GETTING A SACK. NOW IT'S AN AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. >> AT THE 26-YARD LINE. HOUSTON WITH A FIRST DOWN AND THE LEAD, 14-3. MOVING ON THE 4-MINUTE MARK, TIME REMAINING, SECOND QUARTER. GIVINS ACROSS IN MOTION. 2 SECONDS ON THE PLAY CLOCK. MOON GOES DEEP. AND IT IS CAUGHT! >> WHAT A CATCH! >> BY CURTIS DUNCAN. SO THREE OF THE FOUR WIDE RECEIVERS NOW HAVE SCORED TOUCHDOWNS FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, THIS ONE OF 26 YARDS. >> NOT EXACTLY ELATED. AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO GET TOO EXCITED. BUT THE THROW BY WARREN MOON RIGHT IN THE SEAM. TAKE A LOOK AT DUNCAN. HE'S IN THE SEAM. THE BALL IS GONNA BE THROWN OVER HICKS' SHOULDER. AND KELSO IS GONNA TATTOO HIM, BUT DUNCAN HOLDS ON. BANG! BUT NUMBER 80 IS ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THE BALL. HIS SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE SEASON. IT COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A BIGGER TIME. >> SO FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, THREE POSSESSIONS, THREE TOUCHDOWNS, ALL THREE OFF OF THE ARM OF WARREN MOON. MOON HAS ALREADY THROWN FOR 158 YARDS. THE EXTRA POINT IS GOOD. THE SCORE IS HOUSTON 21, BUFFALO 3. WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE KICKOFF. >> GREAT ANGLE BY OUR PRODUCTION PEOPLE. KELSO COMES OVER TO PUT THE HIT -- TAKE A LOOK AT HIS LEFT ARM AS WE STOP IT. UNCONSCIOUSLY, HE HITS HIM IN THE HEAD. STOP RIGHT HERE. LOOK AT THE LEFT ARM RIGHT HERE. THE LEFT ARM IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SECURE THE BALL. IT ACTUALLY STICKS THE BALL INTO THE CHEST OF CURTIS DUNCAN. PROBABLY THE TOUGHEST CATCH FOR A RECEIVER TO MAKE, KNOWING THAT HE'S GOING TO GET HIT AND COME UP WITH THE BALL. AND, OF COURSE, DUNCAN, AT 5'11", 180 POUNDS -- THIS IS NORMALLY THE KIND OF CATCH THAT A TIGHT END MAKES. THIS IS A REVERSE ANGLE THAT KELSO PUTS ON DUNCAN. BALL ALMOST COMES OUT. A LITTLE BIT OF A SNOW CONE. THAT'S A TOUCHDOWN FOR THE OILERS. THREE STRAIGHT NOW ON THREE CONSECUTIVE DRIVES, AS YOU POINTED OUT, CHARLIE. >> AND THE WIND THAT IS SWIRLING HERE AT RICH STADIUM BLOWING THE BALL OFF THE TEE. THIS WILL BE BUFFALO'S THIRD POSSESSION OF THE BALLGAME. THE FIRST POSSESSION LED TO THE FIELD GOAL. THE SECOND POSSESSION WAS THREE AND OUT. BUFFALO HAS HAD THE BALL ONLY 5:40. THE OILERS HAVE HAD IT MORE THAN 20 MINUTES OF THE FIRST HALF. AND HERE IS BRAD LAMB. AND HE WILL RETURN TO THE 30-YARD LINE. 4:01 -- TIME REMAINING IN THE FIRST HALF. DOWN 21-3, AND NOW BUFFALO HAS TO GET SOMETHING GOING. >> AND ONE OF THE THINGS THIS ALSO DOES FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS IS NOW THAT FRONT FOUR THAT HAD SEVEN SACKS IN THE GAME LAST WEEK AGAINST THE BILLS AT THE ASTRODOME CAN AFFORD TO PIN THEIR EARS BACK A LITTLE BIT, KNOWING THAT THEY PROBABLY HAVE TO THROW A LOT MORE THIS SERIES THAN THEY'D LIKE TO. >> REICH. A LITTLE PLAY-ACTION. HOLDS EVERYBODY. DUMPS IT OFF UNDERNEATH. PASS IS COMPLETE TO METZELAARS. HE'S GOING TO PICK UP ABOUT 8 ON THE PLAY. DOUG SMITH WITH THE TACKLE. SECOND DOWN AND 2. >> DOUG SMITH -- APPROXIMATELY 335, 340 POUNDS -- HE'S MISSED THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS. >> SAYS HE'S QUICKER AT 300. >> [ LAUGHS ] YEAH. WELL, WHATEVER HE IS, HE JUST MADE THE SECOND TACKLE IN A ROW. HE MAY NOT BE BODY BEAUTIFUL, BUT HE'S A LOAD TO MOVE OUT OF THERE IN THE INTERIOR. OF COURSE, COMING INTO THIS GAME, THE HOUSTON OILERS ANTICIPATED THAT THEY'RE GONNA RUN THE BALL TO THURMAN THOMAS A LOT. BUT NOW UP 21-3... >> HE STOPS THURMAN AT THE 39-YARD LINE. THIRD DOWN AND 1. YOU'RE RIGHT. NOW BUFFALO FACING A THIRD AND 1 AS WE MOVE ON THE 3-MINUTE MARK, TIME REMAINING, FIRST HALF. AND AGAIN, THE BILLS REALLY NEED TO GET SOMETHING GOING ON THIS DRIVE. ONLY THEIR THIRD OFFENSIVE POSSESSION. FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO. THURMAN THOMAS HAS 3, TO THE 42. AL SMITH MAKES THE TACKLE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] AND NOW THE CROWD STARTING TO GET BACK IN IT. THEY'VE BEEN RATHER QUIET FOR MOST OF THE FIRST HALF EXCEPT FOR THE OPENING DRIVE OF HOUSTON AS THE OILERS HAVE REALLY CARVED UP THE BUFFALO BILLS. MARV LEVY, THE HEAD COACH OF BUFFALO. WHAT A GREAT JOB HE HAS DONE OVER THE YEARS SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE. REICH HAS PRESSURE. HE IS SACKED AT THE 34-YARD LINE. SECOND TIME HE HAS BEEN SACKED, AND WILLIAM FULLER GETS THIS ONE. >> WILLIAM FULLER LAST YEAR LED THE AFC IN SACKS, WITH 15. HAD A BIT OF A HOLDOUT AND REALLY DIDN'T GET IN GEAR. YOU CAN SEE THERE HE ISN'T EXACTLY BLAZING OFF THE LINE. BUT HE MAKES THE ARM-UNDER MOVE TO BALLARD, JUMPS UP, AND KNOCKS REICH DOWN. THREE OF THE FOUR GUYS ON THE FRONT FOUR, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, CHARLIE -- SEAN JONES, WILLIAM FULLER, AND LEE WILLIAMS -- AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER HAVE LED THE AFC IN SACKS. >> THURMAN THOMAS. STEVE JACKSON FOR THE OILERS. THEY'LL LOSE 4, BACK TO THE 30. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 22. AND THE 2-MINUTE WARNING TO BOTH BENCHES. WE'LL STEP ASIDE FOR A MOMENT. HOUSTON OILERS LEADS, 21-3. BE SURE TO STAY WITH US AT HALFTIME FOR THE DOMINO'S PIZZA HALFTIME REPORT. THEY'LL BE TALKING WITH DON SHULA, BILL COWHER, TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL COACHES WITH THE WEEKEND OFF, AND THEY'LL BE HOSTING THE DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAMES IN MIAMI AND IN PITTSBURGH NEXT WEEKEND HERE ON NBC. THIRD DOWN AND 22. REICH ROLLS OUT TO THE RIGHT. THROWS. PASS IS COMPLETE! FIRST DOWN! HE GOES TO ANDRE REED! A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AND 27 YARDS FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. >> FRANK REICH'S STRONG SUIT IS NOT HIS MOBILITY. AND HE FEELS THE RUSH COMING. SCRAMBLES UP. PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SACKED THERE BY CHILDRESS, BUT CHILDRESS GETS TURNED AROUND. AND REICH, ON THE RUN, THROWS OFF THE RIGHT FOOT. BIG PLAY BY REED, COMING COMPLETELY ACROSS THE FIELD. HE HAS THE DEEP IN ROUTE. BUT HE JUST CONTINUES. THIS IS A GOOD IDEA HERE. GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE WITH YOUR QUARTERBACK, AND REICH PUTS IT RIGHT ON THE MONEY. EXCELLENT THROW. >> CONVERTING ON THIRD DOWN AND 22. IT IS A FIRST DOWN AT THE HOUSTON 43-YARD LINE. TOTAL OFFENSE FOR BUFFALO NOW IN THE FIRST HALF -- 69 YARDS. REICH THROWS. HE'S THROWING THIS ONE AWAY. THURMAN THOMAS WAS THE CLOSEST WOULD-BE RECEIVER. BUT IN REALITY, HE WAS THROWING IT AWAY. A COMPARISON OF THE 69 YARDS FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS -- THE HOUSTON OILERS HAVE 222 TOTAL YARDS IN OFFENSE IN THE FIRST HALF. WEATHER IS BEGINNING TO TURN IN BUFFALO. THAT'S NEVER A SURPRISE. THE WIND, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHIPPING AROUND. WE'RE GETTING A BIT OF A DRIZZLE. AND WHO IS THAT MASKED MAN? >> CAPTAIN AMERI-BILL. >> 1:44, TIME REMAINING IN THE FIRST HALF. THE TEMPERATURE AT KICKOFF WAS 38 DEGREES. STARTING TO DROP JUST A LITTLE. REICH GOES DEEP. SINGLE COVERAGE. AND IT IS INCOMPLETE. UNDERTHROWING JAMES LOFTON. COULDN'T GET BACK TO IT. >> THERE'S A FLAG AT THE 25, WHICH I WOULD GUESS IS GOING TO BE DEFENSIVE HOLDING. >> AT THE 25-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> HOLDING. NUMBER 50 OF THE DEFENSE. 5 YARDS. AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. >> ON EDDIE ROBINSON, THE ROOKIE FROM ALABAMA STATE. >> HE HAS HAD THE TIGHT END MAN FOR MAN IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. THERE YOU SEE NUMBER 50 RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SCREEN. ANDRE REED COMES UP, AND THERE, THAT LEFT HAND -- ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S -- BOY, THAT'S TICKY-TACK. THAT'S A BIT MUCH. >> AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN. 38-YARD LINE OF HOUSTON. INCOMPLETE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 10. BEEBE THE INTENDED RECEIVER. DISHMAN PICKED HIM UP. 1:35, TIME REMAINING, FIRST HALF. >> A LITTLE BIT UNDERTHROWN HERE. CATCHABLE BALL? NOT QUITE. IT WAS THROWN A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR TO THE OUTSIDE. AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S ALSO A CONCERN. YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, JIM KELLY IS THE ONE WHO'S GETTING ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES IN PRACTICE TO GET THOSE TIMING PATTERNS DOWN. CERTAINLY THAT'S A DETERRENT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PASSING GAME OF THE BUFFALO BILLS. ONLY TWO WEEKS' WORK, REALLY, WITH THE FIRST GROUP. >> SECOND DOWN. HERE'S THE DRAW. THURMAN THOMAS. STILL GOING. 32-YARD LINE. HE'LL PICK UP 6. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN. STEVE JACKSON MAKES THE TACKLE. WE'VE GOT A TIME-OUT. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. >> ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WANTED TO DO WAS GET THE BALL IN THIS MAN'S HANDS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. YOU CAN SEE BY THE NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT -- 10 CARRIES, 26 YARDS. BUT IT HASN'T SO MUCH BEEN HIS FAULT AS IT HAS BEEN THE HOUSTON OILERS OFFENSE, WHICH HAS JUST TAKEN THE BALL AND HIDDEN WITH IT. >> THIRD DOWN AND 4. THE BALL AT THE 32-YARD LINE OF HOUSTON. AND REMEMBER LAST WEEK? THE OILERS HAD A 20-3 LEAD AT HALFTIME. THEY NOW LEAD 21-3 WITH 1:26 LEFT TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF. REICH TO THROW. GOOD PROTECTION. NOW HE SCRAMBLES. SLIPS A TACKLE. THROWS. INCOMPLETE. REICH WITH ALL KINDS OF PRESSURE. NOW IT'LL BE FOURTH DOWN AND 4. AND YOU'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO FOR IT. >> I SEE NO RUSH ON THE SIDELINE WITH STEVE CHRISTIE. AND EVEN IF HE DID COME IN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 51-YARD FIELD GOAL, WHICH IS CERTAINLY WITHIN HIS RANGE, BUT GIVEN THE CONDITIONS, MAYBE NOT SO MAKABLE. >> AND ALSO DOWN 21-3, I'M NOT SURE ANOTHER 3 POINTS WOULD GIVE YOU ANY KIND OF A BOOST AT HALFTIME. >> WELL, REMEMBER, CHARLIE, THE GAME LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD DENVER AND HOUSTON. DENVER WAS DOWN 21-6 TO THESE SAME OILERS, SO WHO KNOWS? THE SECOND HALF IS ALWAYS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY. >> AND HOUSTON HAS BEEN MUCH STRONGER SCORINGWISE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THEIR GAMES THAN THE SECOND HALF. INCOMPLETE. SO HOUSTON HOLDS. THEY WILL TAKE OVER ON DOWNS. METZELAARS THE INTENDED RECEIVER. DARRYLL LEWIS WAS PICKING HIM UP. IT'LL BE FIRST DOWN, OILERS. >> AND GIVE CREDIT TO JIM EDDY THERE. THAT'S A GREAT CALL FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. EARLIER IN THE DRIVE, YOU REMEMBER THAT THE TIGHT END WAS BEING COVERED BY EDDIE ROBINSON. CRUCIAL FOURTH-DOWN PLAY. HE REPLACES EDDIE ROBINSON WITH DARRYLL LEWIS TO TAKE THE TIGHT END MAN FOR MAN, AND HE MAKES THE PLAY. NUMBER 29 IS DARRYLL LEWIS. USUALLY IN THE DIME PACKAGE. TAKE A LOOK AT 88. HE'S GONNA COME OFF THE MIDDLE. THERE'S 29 AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN. YOU SEE ANDRE REED GET OPEN HERE. BUT IT'S A FOURTH-AND-4 PLAY. YOU WANT TO GO INSIDE. JIM KELLY CAN'T BE TERRIBLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. SLUMPED SHOULDERS AND FACE. THAT SAYS IT ALL. >> 1:15, TIME REMAINING, FIRST HALF. HOUSTON WITH A FIRST DOWN AT THEIR OWN 33-YARD LINE. MOON TO THROW. FAR SIDE. PASS IS COMPLETE. AND IT IS CURTIS DUNCAN, WHO STEPS OUT OF BOUNDS, STOPPING THE CLOCK AT THE 1:11 MARK. JAMES WILLIAMS HAD THE COVERAGE FOR BUFFALO. YESTERDAY, WHEN WE TALKED WITH WARREN MOON, WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THEIR CHANCES OF GOING ALL THE WAY. HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN WIN AT BUFFALO" -- "IF WE CAN WIN<i> AT</i> BUFFALO" -- HE EMPHASIZED THAT -- "I REALLY LIKE OUR CHANCES." >> PROBABLY THE THREE TOUGHEST PLACES TO WIN ON THE ROAD -- BUFFALO HAS TO BE EITHER THE TOUGHEST OR CLOSE TO IT. MILE HIGH STADIUM IS CERTAINLY DIFFICULT, AS IS RFK IN WASHINGTON. BUT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, THIS HAS GOT TO BE MAYBE, ARGUABLY, THE TOUGHEST PLACE TO PLAY. >> FIRST DOWN AT THE 43-YARD LINE. WARREN HAS PRESSURE. BACKPEDALS OUT OF IT. LITTLE PUMP FAKE. THROWS TO THE NEAR SIDE. HAYWOOD JEFFIRES PICKS UP A STEP OR TWO, THEN OUT OF BOUNDS TO STOP THE CLOCK WITH 1:04 LEFT TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF. NATE ODOMES WITH THE COVERAGE FOR BUFFALO. AND IF YOU DON'T LOOK OUT, HOUSTON'S GOING TO SCORE AGAIN. >> I WAS ABOUT TO SAY -- IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THEY ARE GONNA SIT ON THE BALL HERE. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING GOING. MOON WITH GOOD TIME. BRUCE SMITH WITH THE JUMP. DOUBLE PUMP FAKE. MOON BRINGS IT BACK. JEFFIRES WISELY GETS OUT OF BOUNDS. POINTED OUT THERE BY SLAUGHTER. INTERESTING. "GET OUT OF BOUNDS." [ LAUGHS ] >> FOR WARREN MOON, THAT IS NINE COMPLETIONS IN A ROW. HE HAS HIT 16 OF 18 FOR 175 YARDS SO FAR IN THE FIRST HALF. HERE'S LORENZO WHITE. AND HE WILL BE CLOSE TO THE FIRST DOWN AT THE 47-YARD LINE OF BUFFALO. CARLTON BAILEY MAKING THE TACKLE. AND HOUSTON WILL TAKE A TIME-OUT TO STOP THE CLOCK WITH 54 SECONDS LEFT TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF. AND SUDDENLY IT IS VERY QUIET IN RICH STADIUM. >> VERY QUIET. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IN FACT, AFTER THAT CATCH BY JEFFIRES, I NOTICED THERE WAS A LITTLE SMATTERING OF BOOS. THE INABILITY TO GET TO WARREN MOON HAS REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM HERE EARLY FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. HE'S HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO LOOK DOWNFIELD, AND HIS NUMBERS ATTEST TO THAT. >> THIS IS THE FOURTH POSSESSION IN THE FIRST HALF FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, AND EACH OF THE PREVIOUS POSSESSIONS LED TO A TOUCHDOWN -- MOON TO JEFFIRES FOR 3 YARDS, MOON TO SLAUGHTER FOR 7, MOON TO DUNCAN FOR 26 YARDS. FOR BUFFALO, ONLY THE FIELD GOAL OF STEVE CHRISTIE OF 36 YARDS. 21-3 THE SCORING IN THE FIRST HALF. YOU SAW THE MEASUREMENT. JUST SHORT. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 1. >> YOU CAN SEE WHAT KEVIN GILBRIDE'S DOING THERE. HE'S TELLING HIM TO JUST GET THE FIRST DOWN AND CALL TIME-OUT, AND THEN WE'LL WORK OUT WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO. HE DOESN'T WANT TO THROW THE BALL HERE, HAVE IT BE INCOMPLETE, AND THEN HAVE TO COME UP FOURTH AND 1. HE SAYS, "GET THE FIRST DOWN, COME BACK OVER, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN CHAT ABOUT IT." >> HOUSTON WITH TWO TIME-OUTS REMAINING, AS DOES BUFFALO. >> AND PLENTY OF TIME, TOO. >> AND SO, OF COURSE, YOU LOOK FOR THE HAND-OFF TO LORENZO WHITE. >> LOOK AT THAT. GEEZ. LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS. GOODNESS' SAKES. WELL, I GUESS THE RUST HAS QUICKLY COME OFF. >> HE SAYS THAT HE HAS AN EXTRA ADDITION TO THE SHOULDER PAD ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE TO GIVE HIM SOME PROTECTION. HE SAID IT'S A BIT CUMBERSOME. >> YEAH. IT'S REALLY BOTHERED HIM. [ BOTH LAUGH ] >> BUFFALO STILL HAS THREE TIME-OUTS. >> WHAT THEY'RE SAYING THERE IS THEY TOOK THE OFFICIALS' TIME-OUT TO MEASURE IT, AND AS A RESULT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO USE IT. >> THEY SAY HOUSTON HAS THREE TIME-OUTS. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER TIME-OUT, THE OFFICIALS, TO MARK THIS ONE. I DON'T THINK HE PICKED UP THE FIRST DOWN. HANSEN AND BAILEY WITH THE TACKLE. AND THE OFFICIALS WILL STOP THE CLOCK NOW FOR ANOTHER MEASUREMENT. NOW THEY POINT. ARE THEY -- THIS IS CHARGED TO THE HOUSTON OILERS. MAKE THAT OFFICIAL. >> IT'S STILL NOT A GIVEN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A FIRST DOWN. I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, CHARLIE -- THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO MEASURE THAT AGAIN. IN FACT, THE DOWN MARKER ON THE OTHER SIDE HAS ALREADY PUT IT UP THAT IT'S FOURTH. AND SO NOW KEVIN GILBRIDE -- THIS IS GONNA BE AN INTERESTING DECISION. DO THEY RUN IT INTO THE LINE AGAIN OR THROW OUT TO THE FLAT? I GUESS A GUY THAT'S 16 FOR 18, WHEN YOU'VE GOT FOURTH AND INCHES, MAYBE YOU CAN AFFORD TO THROW THE BALL. >> LET ME ASK YOU THIS. YOU'RE UP 21-3. YOU HAVE 39 SECONDS LEFT TO GO. FOURTH DOWN AND 1. WHAT ABOUT A LITTLE PLAY FAKE AND THROW FOR THE TOUCHDOWN? >> WELL, THAT'S A GOOD CALL EXCEPT FOR YOU'RE NEAR MIDFIELD. SO IF YOU BOTCH IT, THEN YOU GIVE BUFFALO THE OPPORTUNITY, AT THEIR OWN 47, TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO GET INTO FIELD-GOAL RANGE AND HAVE THAT FICKLE LADY KNOWN AS MOMENTUM SHIFT. SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT HERE THEY'LL EITHER THROW A SHORT PASS OR GO TO LORENZO WHITE INSIDE TO GET THE FIRST DOWN. >> FOURTH DOWN AND 1. 47-YARD LINE. BUFFALO TERRITORY. >> OR YOU COULD ALSO THINK HERE -- HERE'S A NOVEL THOUGHT. YOU'RE UP 21-3. WHY NOT PUNT? [ LAUGHS ] >> THAT'S ALSO NOT A BAD IDEA. >> YEAH, BUT WE'RE IN TELEVISION. WE WANT EXCITEMENT. >> THIS MAN, JACK PARDEE, HE WANTS THE VICTORY. HE WANTS TO PLAY AT PITTSBURGH NEXT WEEKEND. >> WELL, THE HOUSTON OILERS ARE THE ONLY TEAM IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TO HAVE MADE THE PLAYOFFS SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS. HE WANTS TO SHAKE THAT "UNDERACHIEVER" TAG. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> WARREN MOON, WITH A BIT OF A HEAD BOB, PULLED A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OFF. AND LET'S SEE HOW THEY CALL IT. AND WARREN DID IT TO HIM. >> ENCROACHMENT. NUMBER 91 ON THE DEFENSE. 5 YARDS. FIRST DOWN. >> AND WARREN PULLED HIM. HE DID. HE BOBBED THE HEAD. >> THOSE VETERAN QUARTERBACKS ARE ALWAYS GONNA GET AWAY WITH IT. ELWAY IS VERY GOOD AT THAT, TOO. TAKE A LOOK. DOES HIS HEAD MOVE? "HUT, HUT. HUT, HUT. HUT, HUT!" YEAH. JUST A LITTLE BIT. JUST LITTLE BIT. >> AND ROLLED THE SHOULDERS JUST A BIT. OH, YES. >> JACK PARDEE'S GOING, "YEAH. WELL, THAT'S IN OUR REPERTOIRE. THAT'S THE PLAY WE CALLED." >> AND IT'S A FIRST DOWN AT THE BUFFALO 42-YARD LINE. MOON TO HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] SHANE CONLAN WITH THE TACKLE. >> CHARLIE, THE BUFFALO BILLS ARE ABSOLUTELY ON THEIR HEELS DEFENSIVELY. IF IT MAKES ANY SENSE TO SAY THEY'RE PLAYING DEFENSIVE DEFENSE, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING. BACKPEDALING INTO THE ZONE. ODOMES AT LEAST 5, 6 YARDS OFF. HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEEP ROUTE. THAT'S HEADS-UP ON THE PART OF JEFFIRES. THE TIME THAT WARREN MOON HAS HAD -- HE HAD AT LEAST 4 SECONDS IN THE POCKET. EVERYTHING IS GOING HOUSTON'S WAY HERE. >> AND THE BALL AT THE 29-YARD LINE OF BUFFALO. FIRST DOWN. 31 SECONDS REMAINING IN THE FIRST HALF. THAT'S AN ETERNITY FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, THE WAY THEY'RE PLAYING IN THIS FIRST HALF. THEY CAN DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS. >> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. AND, OF COURSE, WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR 2-MINUTE OFFENSE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GAME -- THERE'S A MAN RIGHT THERE THAT HAS TO BE A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED. >> WALT COREY, THE DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR OF THE BUFFALO BILLS. YESTERDAY WHEN WE TALKED TO HIM, HE HAD A T-SHIRT ON -- A DALLAS TEXANS. HE STARTED THERE AS A PLAYER. >> THERE'S A MAN THEY MISS, CERTAINLY -- CORNELIUS BENNETT. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT CORNELIUS BENNETT COULD HAVE DONE TO CONTRIBUTE AT THIS POINT -- 17 FOR 19. WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS THEY JUST ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO GET IN THIS MAN'S FACE. >> THE OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE HOUSTON OILERS HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING IN THE FIRST HALF. MOON THROWS. IT IS INCOMPLETE. SLAUGHTER THE INTENDED RECEIVER. NATE ODOMES HAD THE COVERAGE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 10 BACK AT THE 29-YARD LINE WITH 26 SECONDS LEFT TO GO IN THE HALF. >> YOU MENTIONED THAT OFFENSIVE LINE, CHARLIE. OF THE FIVE GUYS ON THAT OFFENSIVE LINE, FOUR OF THEM ARE FIRST-ROUND PICKS, AND THE OTHER IS A SECOND-ROUND PICK. SO IN A LOT OF CASES, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PICK -- TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOTAL YARDAGE THERE. CERTAINLY THERE'S DOMINATION ON THE PART OF THE OILERS. FIRST-ROUND PICKS, FOR THE MOST PART, YOU WANT TO GET WHAT THEY CALL IMPACT PLAYERS. BUT THE HOUSTON OILERS HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GETTING QUALITY PEOPLE UP FRONT TO PROTECT THEIR IMPACT PLAYERS. >> SECOND DOWN AND 10. MOON. ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD. COMES BACK ON THE NEAR SIDE TO JEFFIRES, WHO GOES OUT OF BOUNDS TO STOP THE CLOCK. AND AGAIN IT WAS ODOMES WHO WAS THERE FOR BUFFALO. 20 SECONDS LEFT TO GO, FIRST HALF. >> IT'S A CATCH-22, CHARLIE. IF YOU BLITZ THEM, WARREN MOON'S GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MAN-FOR-MAN COVERAGE. IF YOU DON'T BLITZ THEM AND RUSH JUST FOUR, THE OFFENSIVE LINE'S GONNA GIVE HIM THE TIME. I KNOW THIS IS SLOW MOTION, BUT JUST COUNT IN YOUR HEAD ALL THE SECONDS THAT WARREN MOON HAS. LOOK AT THIS. WAVING PEOPLE DOWNFIELD. MOVING THEM HERE. MOVING THEM THERE. JUST NO PROBLEM AT ALL. WE HAVEN'T CALLED THIS MAN'S NAME TOO OFTEN. AND GIVE DON MAGGS CREDIT. AND, OF COURSE, HE'S ALSO GETTING SOME HELP. LORENZO WHITE COMES OVER AND CHIPS HIM. >> THIRD DOWN AND 8. MOON GOES DEEP. TOUCHDOWN, HOUSTON! HAYWOOD JEFFIRES WITH HIS SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME. [ CROWD BOOING ] AND WARREN MOON HAS THROWN FOR FOUR TOUCHDOWNS IN THE FIRST HALF. >> I THINK NATE ODOMES WAS LOOKING FOR SOME INSIDE HELP HERE. THIS IS JUST AN UP ROUTE ON THE PART OF JEFFIRES. NOTHING FANCY. TAKE A LOOK AT NUMBER 37. WHERE IS HE? HE PUSHES HIM TO THE OUTSIDE. LOOKS BACK AND SLOWS DOWN RIGHT THERE. I THINK HE THINKS HE HAS SAFETY HELP, BUT SCHULZ IS OVER FAR TOO LATE. AND, OF COURSE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET SAFETY HELP FROM THE INSIDE. JUMPING UP AND DOWN. BOY, HE'S GOT REASON TO JUMP UP AND DOWN. I CAN'T IN MY HEAD QUICKLY THINK OF ALL THE GAMES THAT HE HAS HAD BIG NUMBERS, BUT CERTAINLY FROM AN ACCURACY STANDPOINT, THIS IS PROBABLY HIS BEST GAME EVER. >> AND THE EXTRA POINT IS GOOD, AND HOUSTON IS OUT IN FRONT BY A SCORE OF 28-3. AND SO FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A ROW, HOUSTON, A 67-YARD DRIVE -- THIS ONE IN NINE PLAYS. >> ONCE AGAIN, TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROTECTION. WARREN MOON HAS JEFFIRES ALL THE WAY. LAYS IT UP RIGHT ON THE MONEY. SCHULZ COMES OVER A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE. FOURTH TOUCHDOWN PASS IN THE FIRST HALF. TAKE A LOOK AT CODY CARLSON. HE'S EXCITED. "WELL, I KNOW THAT I'M NOT GONNA START, BUT THIS GUY<i> IS</i> DOING PRETTY GOOD, ISN'T HE?" >> YEAH. >> [ LAUGHS ] SEVEN RECEPTIONS, 91 YARDS, TWO TOUCHDOWNS. HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. STYLIN' >> GOT A LITTLE FUNK TO HIM, TOO. >> 14 SECONDS. THAT IS THE TIME REMAINING. THE ARM OF WARREN MOON. FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASSES. MARV LEVY, THE HEAD COACH OF THE BUFFALO BILLS. >> INTERESTING GRAPHIC HERE, CHARLIE. THE NFL POSTSEASON RECORD FOR COMPLETION PERCENTAGE WAS PHIL SIMMS, YOU'LL RECALL, BACK IN SUPER BOWL XXI, I BELIEVE IT WAS -- THE GIANTS AND THE BRONCOS -- 22 FOR 25, 88%. WARREN MOON NOW 19 FOR 22, 86%. A COUPLE MORE COMPLETIONS, HE MIGHT ESTABLISH A NEW RECORD. >> WITH 14 SECONDS LEFT TO GO IN THE FIRST HALF, AL DEL GRECO WILL BE KICKING OFF FOR THE OILERS, WITH KENNETH DAVIS, NUMBER 23, AND BRAD LAMB, NUMBER 81 -- THEY ARE THE DEEP MEN FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. THIS COMES ROLLING DOWN THE MIDDLE INTO THE END ZONE AND THROUGH THE END ZONE. KENNETH DAVIS WATCHES IT GO THROUGH THE END ZONE. THEY'LL BRING IT OUT TO THE 20-YARD LINE. AND BE SURE TO STAY WITH US AT HALFTIME FOR THE DOMINO'S PIZZA NFL HALFTIME REPORT. THEY'LL BE TALKING WITH DON SHULA. OF COURSE, HE HAS BEEN TO THE PLAYOFFS SO MANY TIMES. BILL COWHER -- REMEMBER WE HAD PITTSBURGH THE FIRST FOUR GAMES OF THE YEAR? AND WHAT A GREAT JOB. WHAT A MOTIVATOR. I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THIS YOUNG MAN. >> JUSTIFIABLY COACH OF THE YEAR, AT 11-5. IN FACT, THERE ARE THREE ROOKIE COACHES YOU COULD HAVE CONSIDERED FOR THAT HONOR, BUT CERTAINLY BILL COWHER IS ONE. HE'S A GUY RIGHT NOW THAT HE'S GOT TO BE ON THE EDGE OF HIS SEAT WATCHING WHAT WARREN MOON AND HOUSTON IS DOING IN ANTICIPATION THAT, YOU KNOW -- AT LEAST AT THIS POINT THE WAY IT LOOKS -- THAT THE OILERS WOULD BE HEADING DOWN TO PITTSBURGH. >> BUFFALO NOW FROM THEIR OWN 20-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. THE GIVE IS TO KENNETH DAVIS. AND SO THE BILLS SATISFIED NOW JUST TO RUN OUT THE CLOCK AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF AND GO INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AND TRY TO REGROUP. YOU CAN PAINT THE FIRST HALF COLUMBIA BLUE FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, AS THEY LEAD, 28-3, OVER THE BUFFALO BILLS. THE BUFFALO BILLS WILL HAVE THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY ON OFFENSE TO START THE SECOND HALF. OFF OF THE SHOULDER OF AN UP BACK. THAT WAS ROB AWALT. AND THE BILLS END UP WITH, IN REALITY, GOOD FIELD POSITION. KURT SCHULZ IS THE MAN WHO RECOVERED IT. AND THEY WILL START FROM THEIR OWN 36-YARD LINE. >> AND LOOK AT THAT. THAT'S NEARLY THE BEST FIELD POSITION THEY'VE HAD ALL DAY EXCEPT FOR THAT FIRST DRIVE THAT THEY WENT FOR THE FIELD GOAL. NOW STARTING AT THE 36-YARD LINE. CROWD HAS TO GET BACK INTO IT A LITTLE BIT, AND REICH HAS TO COMPLETE SOME PASSES EARLY ON TO GIVE THEM ANY KIND OF A CHANCE. >> REICH BACK TO THROW. THIS PASS IS COMPLETE TO DON BEEBE. AND HE IS GOING TO PICK UP THE FIRST DOWN, AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT BUFFALO NEEDED. JERRY GRAY HAD THE COVERAGE. >> JERRY GRAY RESPECTING HIS SPEED. DON BEEBE, THE FASTEST OF THE BUFFALO BILLS, STRETCHING OUT HERE TO GET THAT FIRST DOWN. HOUSTON OILERS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HERE IN THEIR PREVENT MODE THAT THEY JUST DON'T GIVE UP A TOUCHDOWN TOO SOON TO GET THEM RIGHT BACK IN THE GAME. >> AND THURMAN THOMAS. HE IS SHUT OFF OUTSIDE. SLIPS AS HE MAKES THE CUT. IT'LL BE NO GAIN AT THE 47. SECOND DOWN AND 10. CRIS DISHMAN WAS THERE TO COVER HIM. I'M SURPRISED THEY DON'T JUST COME OUT THROWING. WHY BOTHER WITH THIS? IF YOU'RE GONNA THROW, THROW TO THURMAN, THOUGH. GET HIM OUTSIDE. >> THEY'RE TRYING TO BREAK THINGS UP, TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT CREATIVE. HE'S CUTTING TO THE OUTSIDE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF WHITE SHIRTS. EVEN IF HE DOESN'T SLIP DOWN, HE'S GONNA BE NAILED FOR A 1- OR 2-YARD GAIN. >> ISN'T IT TOO LATE TO BE CREATIVE? YOU'RE DOWN 28-3. YOU GOT A HALF TO GO. YOU GOT TO GET SOMETHING GOING. AND YOU'VE GOT TO DO IT THROUGH THE AIR. TO THURMAN THOMAS. AND HE'S GOING TO PICK UP A YARD ON THE RIGHT SIDE. AND IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 9. >> GOOD OPEN-FIELD TACKLE BY CRIS DISHMAN. YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE THURMAN THOMAS BROUGHT DOWN BY THE FIRST MAN. CRIS DISHMAN, THEIR ALL-PRO CORNERBACK FROM 1991. ANOTHER ONE OF THE OILER HOLDOUTS EARLY IN THE SEASON. >> OPENING DRIVE, SECOND HALF. OILERS UP 28-3. REICH THROWS, FAR SIDE. THIS IS INTERCEPTED. AND DOWN THE FAR SIDELINE IS BUBBA McDOWELL. AND HE WILL SCORE. [ CROWD BOOING ] BUBBA McDOWELL WITH THE INTERCEPTION. THAT IS HIS FOURTH OF THE YEAR. IT WILL BE HIS SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE YEAR. AND HOUSTON MOVES OUT IN FRONT NOW, 34-3, WITH STILL 13:19 LEFT, THIRD QUARTER. >> THE STATISTICS ARE GONNA SAY FRANK REICH THREW AN INTERCEPTION, BUT REALLY THIS IS KEITH McKELLER. HE PUTS IT RIGHT ON THE HANDS. HERE'S McKELLER COMING INTO YOUR SCREEN. BOUNCES DOWN. CUTS TO THE OUTSIDE. THE BALL IS GONNA COME OFF OF NUMBER 84'S HANDS. AND McDOWELL IS GONNA CATCH IT RIGHT IN STRIDE, AND NOBODY HAS A CHANCE TO CATCH HIM. THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES STATISTICS ARE DECEIVING. IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE REICH JUST THREW A TERRIBLE PASS AND McDOWELL INTERCEPTED IT. AND IN REALITY, IT WAS McKELLER'S INABILITY TO COME UP WITH THE BALL. >> AND THE EXTRA POINT IS GOOD. AND HOUSTON NOW LEADS 35-3. BACK WITH THE KICKOFF IN A MOMENT. 13:19, TIME REMAINING. WE'RE IN THE THIRD QUARTER AT RICH STADIUM. AL DEL GRECO WILL BE KICKING OFF. JACK PARDEE NOW STILL LOOKING A BIT GRIM, EVEN WITH THAT MARGIN. BRAD LAMB AND KENNETH DAVIS ARE THE RETURN MEN. AND THE BALL BLOWS OFF OF THE TEE. 35-3 -- THAT MARGIN IS 32 POINTS. >> IRONICALLY, THE LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY IN A PLAYOFF GAME OCCURRED HERE IN RICH STADIUM -- THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, YOU'LL RECALL, TWO YEARS AGO. THE BUFFALO BILLS DEFEATED THE RAIDERS BY A COUNT OF 51-3. >> NFL POSTSEASON HISTORY, THOUGH, YOU CAN GO BACK TO 1940, WHEN THE BEARS BEAT THE REDSKINS 73-0. >> YEAH. I REMEMBER THAT ONE. >> THIS ONE IS OFF OF THE SHOULDER OF ONE OF THE BUFFALO BILL PLAYERS, AND HOUSTON RECOVERS THE BALL. AND, OF COURSE, LIKE AN ONSIDE KICK, ONCE IT GOES 10 YARDS OR IT TOUCHES A RETURN MAN -- THE OILERS, THOUGH, SAY THAT THEY HAVE THE BALL -- THEN IT BECOMES A LIVE BALL. >> LET ME MAKE THE POINT HERE SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AT HOME -- >> NOT INTENTIONAL. >> YEAH. EXACTLY. THE HOUSTON OILERS ARE NOT HERE -- WE SEE GARY BROWN DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] AND BUFFALO DOES HAVE THE BALL. ALL HE'S TRYING TO DO IS SKIP THE BALL ON THE ASTROTURF. >> AND GARY BROWN THE INJURED PLAYER. RIGHT NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO THE TOUCHDOWN. >> KEITH McKELLER, THE TIGHT END, THERE FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS, NOT A HAPPY MAN. AND THIS IS THE REASON. OUT ROUTE. REICH PUTS IT RIGHT ON HIS HANDS. HE TRIES TO BACKHAND IT. COMES OFF THE TACKIFIED GLOVES, RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF BUBBA McDOWELL, A MAN THAT JACK PARDEE TOLD US -- THEY DID HAVE NINE PRO BOWLERS, BUT THEY FELT THEY SHOULD HAVE HAD 10. AND THAT WAS THE MAN RIGHT THERE. THE REASON THEY FELT THAT HE DID NOT MAKE THE PRO BOWL IS BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH INTERCEPTIONS. MAYBE IF THEY'D HAVE THROWN THAT ONE INTO THE MIX, HE'D BE GOING TO HAWAII, HUH? >> STILL WORKING ON THE INJURED PLAYER. AND WHILE THEY ATTEND TO GARY BROWN, WE'LL STEP ASIDE FOR A MOMENT. HOUSTON 35, BUFFALO 3. BUFFALO DID RECOVER THE KICKOFF AT THE 50-YARD LINE. THEY HAVE A FIRST DOWN. WE BELIEVE IT WAS MARK MADDOX OF THE BILLS WHO GOT THE BALL. REICH BACK TO THROW. IT IS CAUGHT AT THE 34-YARD LINE BY METZELAARS. HE WAS NOT TOUCHED. HE NOW ADVANCES TO THE 26-YARD LINE. A GAIN OF 24 YARDS AND THE FIRST DOWN. >> ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING UP 35-3 IS YOU GO FOR THE INTERCEPTIONS. TWO HOUSTON OILERS HERE ARE GONNA GO FOR THE INTERCEPTIONS. THE FIRST ONE, I BELIEVE, IS ROBINSON, NUMBER 50. HE JUMPS -- RIGHT HERE -- THINKS HE HAS IT. GOES THROUGH HIS HANDS. BUBBA McDOWELL COMES OVER THE TOP AND TRIES TO KNOCK IT DOWN. GREAT CONCENTRATION ON THE PART OF METZELAARS NOT ONLY TO CATCH THE BALL BUT THEN HAVING THE SAVVY TO GET UP AND GET SOME EXTRA YARDAGE. >> REICH OVER THE MIDDLE. PASS COMPLETE, 20-YARD LINE, TO ANDRE REED. GAIN OF 6. SECOND DOWN AND 4. AND NOW SOME EXCITEMENT IN THE STANDS. A LITTLE SOMETHING TO CHEER FOR. >> JIM SHOFNER, FORMER HEAD COACH OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS, NOW TAKING THE PLACE OF TED MARCHIBRODA AS THE PASSING COORDINATOR FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS, QUARTERBACK COACH. >> KENNETH DAVIS IS NOW THE SET BACK FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. REICH TO THROW. FOUR-MAN RUSH. HAS PRESSURE. AND HE'LL BE SACKED AT THE 32-YARD LINE. FULLER GETS HIS SECOND SACK OF THE BALLGAME. CHILDRESS WAS ALSO THERE. SEAN JONES HAS THE OTHER SACK. >> WILLIAM FULLER, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, PART OF THAT TRADE IN 1986 BETWEEN THE RAMS AND JIM EVERETT. OF COURSE, THE OILERS FEEL LIKE, "HEY, MAYBE THAT WASN'T SUCH A BAD TRADE AFTER ALL." WILLIAM FULLER, AS WE MENTIONED, ALL-PRO LAST YEAR, LEADING THE AFC IN 1991 IN SACKS. HIS NUMBERS ARE DOWN. HE ONLY HAD EIGHT THIS YEAR, BUT HE'S STILL A FORCE. >> THIRD DOWN AND 15. FROM THE SHOTGUN. THIS PASS IS CAUGHT BY REED. HE IS DECKED IMMEDIATELY, BUT HE CAUGHT IT AT THE 15-YARD LINE. AND THAT CAN WELL BE A FIRST DOWN. >> FROM EXPERIENCE, I CAN TELL YOU, CHARLIE, THIS IS A SCARY TIME OF THE GAME FOR RECEIVERS. YOU'RE DOWN. YOU'VE GOT TO GO ACROSS THE MIDDLE DEEP. YOU KNOW IT'S A ZONE COVERAGE, AND YOU ALSO KNOW YOU'RE GONNA GET HIT. REED TAKES A SHOT FROM ROBERTSON, BUT THAT'S A NICE CATCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD BY REED -- AND A GOOD THROW BY REICH, PUTTING IT RIGHT ON THE MONEY. >> THEY'LL MARK THE BALL AT THE 15-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO. AGAIN, HOUSTON ON TOP, 35-3. REICH THROWS LEFT. INCOMPLETE. REED THE INTENDED RECEIVER. STEVE JACKSON HAD THE COVERAGE FOR HOUSTON. >> ANDRE REED, ON THE OUT-AND-UP ROUTE. STEVE JACKSON JUST BARELY TURNS AROUND QUICKLY TO BE ABLE TO GET A PIECE OF THAT. HERE'S THE OUT, AND HE GOES UP. 24 A LITTLE BIT LATE. TURNS AROUND RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE, AND HIS ARM COMES IN AND BATS IT DOWN. GOOD PLAY BY JACKSON. RIGHT HERE, THE RIGHT ARM COMES UP. ACTUALLY, THAT WAS INCIDENTAL. IT WAS UNINTENTIONAL. STILL LOOKS GOOD. PASS DEFENSED. >> ANDRE REED HAS FOUR RECEPTIONS FOR 66 YARDS. LOFTON HAS BEEN SHUT OUT. THE GIVE IS TO KENNETH DAVIS. AND WILL GO TO THE 7-YARD LINE. HE PICKS UP 8. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN AND 2 YARDS TO GO FOR THE FIRST DOWN. BUBBA McDOWELL, WHO HAD THE INTERCEPTION AND THE TOUCHDOWN, ALONG WITH MARCUS ROBERTSON, THERE TO STOP HIM. >> THERE'S THURMAN THOMAS ON THE SIDELINES. I'M SURPRISED THAT HE'S NOT IN HERE AT THIS POINT. OBVIOUSLY IT WAS AFTER HALFTIME. IT'S NOT AS IF HE NEEDS A REST. >> BUT DOWN 35-3, PERHAPS SEEING IF YOU CAN JUST GET SOMETHING GOING IN ANOTHER FORM. THIRD DOWN AND 2 AT THE 7-YARD LINE. >> COULD BE AUDIBLING TO A RUN HERE. >> INCOMPLETE. REED THE INTENDED RECEIVER. HE WANTED INTERFERENCE ON JACKSON. IT'LL BE FOURTH DOWN AND SHORT. >> AS USUAL, HERE'S THE SLANT ROUTE. CONTACT BEFORE THE BALL IS THROWN. CUTS TO THE INSIDE. A LITTLE BIT OF HOLDING RIGHT THERE. HAS THE LEFT HAND ON HIM. BUT THERE AT THE END OF THE PLAY -- THAT'S WHAT THE OFFICIAL SAW, AND THERE JACKSON WAS PRETTY MUCH OFF OF HIM BODYWISE. REED'S GOT A COMPLAINT, BUT IT WAS FOR DEFENSIVE HOLDING, NOT FOR PASS INTERFERENCE. >> FOURTH DOWN AND 2. KENNETH DAVIS. IT WILL BE A FIRST DOWN AT THE 2-YARD LINE. HE PICKED UP 5. IT'LL BE FIRST DOWN AND GOAL TO GO. MARCUS ROBERTSON WITH THE STOP FOR THE OILERS. >> THAT'S A GOOD CALL. YOU ANTICIPATE FOURTH AND 2, THEY'RE GONNA THROW TO THE END ZONE. JUST PENETRATE THAT MIDDLE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IS OUT ON THE FLANKS COVERING WIDEOUTS. TACKLE MADE BY THE FREE SAFETY BUT NOT BEFORE HE GOT IT IN. >> THEY COME BACK TO DAVIS AGAIN. HE TRIES TO GO OVER THE TOP. HE DOES NOT MAKE IT. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND GOAL. EDDIE ROBINSON, THE ROOKIE FROM ALABAMA STATE, WAS THERE TO GREET HIM FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. JUST ABOUT A FOOT AWAY. >> OF COURSE, THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT JUST SCORE, BUT SCORE QUICK. GET OUT OF THE HUDDLE AND SCORE THE POINTS AND TAKE SOME TIME OFF. >> MITCH FREROTTE, NUMBER 59, NORMALLY AN INTERIOR LINEMAN, IS AN ELIGIBLE RECEIVER, AS HE REPORTS. >> I THINK THAT MUST HAVE BEEN THE "JAWS" MOTION. OR THE CROCODILE. DID YOU SEE THAT? >> YES. IF THEY GO INTO THEIR FAMOUS CROCODILE DUNDEE DEFENSE. HERE IS DAVIS. HEADS FOR THE CORNER. AND HE MAKES IT. [ CROWD CHEERING ] BUFFALO'S FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE BALLGAME COMES WITH 8:52 LEFT TO GO IN THE THIRD. >> BUFFALO SPREADS PEOPLE OUT RIGHT, THINKING THAT'S THE DIRECTION THEY'RE GOING. AND THEY COME BACK LEFT, AND THERE ARE LIMITED OILERS. GOOD UPFIELD BLOCKING THERE ON THE PART OF JIM RITCHER, WHO PUSHES ROBERTSON OUT OF THE WAY, ENABLING DAVIS TO GO IN FOR THE SCORE. >> AND THE EXTRA POINT IS HOOKING BUT GOOD. AND HOUSTON NOW LEADS 35-10. BACK WITH THE KICKOFF IN A MOMENT. BUFFALO LOOKING FOR HELP ON HIGH. >> A LITTLE DIVINE INTERVENTION. BOY, THAT'S A STRANGE SISTER ACT THERE, THOUGH. [ LAUGHS ] >> LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE A BROTHER ACT TO ME. OKAY. 8:52 LEFT TO GO, THIRD. YOU ANTICIPATE AN ONSIDES KICK BY BUFFALO. >> BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HOUSTON'S ANTICIPATING. THEY HAVE THEIR STANDARD PEOPLE, FIVE PEOPLE UP FRONT. USUALLY YOU'LL HAVE NINE BETWEEN THE 45-YARD LINES. >> BUT YOU AND I ANTICIPATE IT. DON'T YOU THINK THEY'D ONSIDE-KICK? >> WELL... >> WHAT DOES A SHRUG OF THE SHOULDERS MEAN? >> DOESN'T DO A LOT FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME, DOES IT? >> NO, IT REALLY DOESN'T. AND IT DOESN'T PARTICULARLY THRILL ME EITHER. >> AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TIME OF POSSESSION. ARE THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN DEFENSIVELY GONNA BE ABLE TO STOP WARREN MOON? THEY COULDN'T DO IT IN THE FIRST HALF. YEAH. WHY NOT ONSIDE-KICK? YOU'RE DOWN 25. >> DARRYLL LEWIS AND GARY BROWN ARE THE RETURN MEN FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. ONSIDE KICK GOES 10 YARDS. BUFFALO SCRAMBLES FOR IT. [ CROWD CHEERING ] THE BILLS SAY THEY HAVE IT. LET'S SEE WHAT THE OFFICIALS SAY. >> AND CHRISTIE IS THE ONE THAT COMES UP WITH THE BALL. THERE'S A TERM FOR THIS KICK. IT'S CALLED THE SUICIDE ONSIDE. IT'S DESIGNED FOR THE KICKER TO GET IT. THEY WIND UP, DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE KICKING AN ONSIDE KICK. AND HE JUST DRIBBLES IT IN THE MIDDLE ABOUT 10 YARDS. HE'S GONNA BE FLANKED BY PEOPLE TRYING TO PROTECT HIM. THEY'RE GONNA TRY AND KNOCK HIM OUT OF THE WAY. ACTUALLY, GRAF GETS IT FIRST, THEN THE BALL KNOCKS OUT. LOOK AT THAT. IT SLIDES OVER TO CHRISTIE. GRAF HAD IT IN HIS CLUTCHES, BUT IT CAME OUT. AND GIVE CHRISTIE CREDIT. HUSTLING DOWN HERE. THE BALL EASILY 10 YARDS. BALL SQUIRTS OUT, AND NUMBER 2 HAS IT. BUFFALO BALL. >> SO BUFFALO NOW FROM THEIR OWN 48-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. 8:46 LEFT TO GO, THIRD QUARTER. REICH TO THROW. DIVING RECEPTION. NOW BEEBE WAS SAYING TO THE OFFICIALS THAT "I GOT IT." HE HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED DOWN. THAT COULD WELL HAVE BEEN A FUMBLE. IT WAS KNOCKED LOOSE FROM HIM. THE OFFICIALS ARE BLOWING THE PLAY DEAD. >> THAT'S THE POINT JERRY GRAY IS DEBATING WITH THE OFFICIAL. OKAY. HE MAKES THE CATCH. NOW WATCH. HERE'S THE CATCH. HE'S GOT HIS ARMS UNDERNEATH IT. OKAY. YOU HAVE THE CATCH. NOW IS HE DOWN YET? NO, HE'S NOT DOWN. HE'S NOT DOWN YET, AND THE BALL COMES LOOSE. >> THIS ONE IS INCOMPLETE. BEEBE TRYING TO BUY ANOTHER RECEPTION. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN. >> LET'S LOOK CLOSE AND SEE WHERE JERRY GRAY TOUCHES HIM -- IF HE TOUCHES HIM BEFORE HE PULLS THE BALL AWAY FROM HIM. YOU SEE THIS ALL THE TIME, OF COURSE, IN BASEBALL. THE OUTFIELDER WILL DIG ONE UP AND THEN HOLD THE BALL UP AND SAY, "YEAH, I'VE GOT THE CATCH." HAS HE BEEN TOUCHED YET? RIGHT THERE. NO. HE HIT THE BALL AWAY AND THEN HIT HIS JERSEY. TECHNICALLY, HE WAS NOT DOWN. NOW THE OFFICIAL COMES IN AND SAYS HE WAS, BUT HE WASN'T. GRAY HAD A LEGITIMATE BEEF. >> LET ME MAKE A CORRECTION. IT IS THIRD DOWN AND 1 FOR THE FIRST DOWN. THAT CATCH WAS GOOD FOR 9 YARDS. A FLAG IS DOWN. CARWELL GARDNER PICKS UP THE FIRST DOWN -- IF IT STANDS. >> DOUG SMITH JUMPED OFF, IT APPEARED. AND I THINK IT WILL STAND. 99, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LINE, APPEARED TO BE THE MAN WHO JUMPED OFF IN THE NEUTRAL ZONE. >> OFFSIDE, NUMBER 99. 5 YARDS. FIRST DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> INTO THE NEUTRAL ZONE. WATCH. MOVING JUST A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE SNAP -- IF I CAN GET IT CLEARED. WATCH DOUG SMITH. MOVING JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH. CLEARLY OFFSIDES. >> THE BALL AT THE HOUSTON 38-YARD LINE. BUFFALO HAS A FIRST DOWN. THEY TRAIL, 35-10. 8:09, TIME REMAINING, THIRD QUARTER. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] REICH TO THROW. ALONG THE SIDELINE. ALL ALONE! BEEBE SCORES! [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> HE COMES OUTSIDE OF JERRY GRAY. JERRY GRAY PUSHES HIM. TAKE A LOOK. HE'S OUT OF BOUNDS RIGHT THERE. JERRY GRAY WAS COMPLAINING TO THE OFFICIAL THAT DON BEEBE WAS OUT OF BOUNDS AND HE CAME BACK IN. IF WE GET ANOTHER SHOT OF THAT, TAKE A LOOK AT HIS RIGHT FOOT. WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AFTER THE EXTRA POINT. >> IT IS GOOD. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> WHERE'S THAT RIGHT FOOT? TAKE A LOOK AT THE RIGHT FOOT AS IT COMES DOWN. IS THAT OUT OF BOUNDS? IS THAT ON THE WHITE? IT CERTAINLY IS. HE'S DEFINITELY OUT OF BOUNDS. COMING BACK INSIDE. A GIFT TOUCHDOWN FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS, BUT NOW THEY'RE BACK IN IT AT 35-17. >> COREY PAVIN FROM 129 YARDS AWAY. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> OH! SLAM DUNK! DR. J! >> MARCH 1992 -- ANOTHER MEMORABLE MOMENT FROM NBC SPORTS. >> AS WE COME BACK OFF OF THAT MEMORABLE MOMENT OF A SLAM DUNK, THE BUFFALO BILLS WERE TRYING TO DO WHAT COREY PAVIN DID, AND THAT IS PUT THE BALL IN AIR, LET IT COME DOWN, THEY COULD CATCH IT DOWNFIELD, AS THE HOUSTON OILERS HAD BEEN ANTICIPATING AN ONSIDES KICK HERE. >> AND THAT WAS STRANGE. THE OILERS WERE REALLY LUCKY THERE. THAT'S TWO MEN THAT COLLIDED. THAT WAS TONY BROWN AND, I BELIEVE, STEVE JACKSON -- OR WAS IT DARRYLL LEWIS? WATCH. THE CATCH IS GONNA BE MADE -- HERE THE CATCH IS MADE BY LEONARD HARRIS AND -- OH, MY GOODNESS! THEY COLLIDE. OH, THEY WERE LUCKY TO COME UP WITH THAT. THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE YOU <i> CAN</i> FAIR-CATCH IT. BUT LOOK AT THE BALL. TONY BROWN IS LUCKY TO COME UP WITH THAT AS HE AND HARRIS COLLIDE. BILLS ALMOST HAD IT BACK. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> SO HOUSTON HAS THE BALL AT THEIR OWN 29-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. ACTUALLY, THEY'RE GONNA SPOT IT AT THE 31-YARD LINE. AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE FORTUNES OF THE HOUSTON OILERS -- A YEAR AGO, THEY WERE COMFORTABLY IN FRONT AT HALFTIME OF THE DENVER BRONCOS, AND THEN THE BRONCOS TURNED IT AROUND. YOU RECALL, OF COURSE, WHAT JOHN ELWAY DID. NOW THE SECOND HALF HAS BELONGED TO BUFFALO. THEY HAVE CLIMBED, CLAWED THEIR WAY BACK INTO THE BALLGAME. HOUSTON LEADING, 35-17. >> AND THAT 12th MAN WE JUST GOT A SHOT OF -- I.E., THE CROWD -- IS VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE NOW. MOON THROWS. THE PASS IS COMPLETE AT THE 34-YARD LINE. SLAUGHTER HAS IT. MARVCUS PATTON STOPS HIM. A GAIN OF 3. >> SHORT LITTLE HOOK HERE. JUST TRYING TO FIND A SEAM. A LITTLE BIT OF A SWIRL OUTSIDE FOR SLAUGHTER. NOT A BIG GAIN. GOOD PURSUIT ON THE PART OF MARVCUS PATTON AND BAILEY TO STUFF HIM FOR A FEW-YARD GAIN. BRUCE SMITH CUTTING INSIDE. MIKE MUNCHAK TACKLES HIM. [ LAUGHS ] OFFICIAL DIDN'T SEE IT. >> SECOND DOWN AND 7. [ CROWD CHEERING ] LORENZO WHITE IS DROPPED IN HIS TRACKS BY PHIL HANSEN. IT'LL BE THIRD AND 7. >> PHIL HANSEN'S SOMEWHAT OF THE FORGOTTEN DEFENSIVE END BECAUSE OF ALL THE LAURELS TO BRUCE SMITH, BUT HE KNIFES INSIDE AND STUFFS LORENZO WHITE. EIGHT SACKS ON THE SEASON FOR HANSEN AND THERE A TACKLE FOR LOSS. >> THE BUFFALO BILLS NEED ONE MORE DEFENSIVE PLAY -- THIRD AND 7 -- TO FORCE HOUSTON TO PUNT. 6:20 LEFT, THIRD QUARTER. MOON THROWS. INCOMPLETE! [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> MARK KELSO PLAYING CENTER FIELD. COMES OVER AND MAKES A GREAT PLAY. DUNCAN ON THE INSIDE RELEASE. NOW BOWS OUT TO THE CORNER. RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE, NUMBER 38 IS GONNA DIVE IN. LOOK AT THE HAND. JUST GETS A PIECE OF IT. THROW WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY. LOOK AT NUMBER 38. JUST GETS ENOUGH OF IT THAT IT RICOCHETS OFF OF THE HANDS OF DUNCAN. >> MONTGOMERY GETS HIS FIRST KICK AWAY. IT TAKES A BUFFALO BOUNCE. THE BILLS WILL HAVE EXCELLENT FIELD POSITION. THEY TRAIL, 35-17. THEY HAVE THE CROWD. THEY HAVE THE MOMENTUM. THE OILERS HAD ONLY A 26-YARD KICK. BACK IN A MOMENT. THURMAN THOMAS COULD WELL BE BOTHERED AGAIN BY THAT HIP POINTER THAT HE SUFFERED LAST WEEK. WE'LL TRY AND GET AN OFFICIAL REPORT FOR YOU. HE IS NOT IN. KENNETH DAVIS IS IN AS THE RUNNING BACK FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. THEY HAVE A FIRST DOWN AT THEIR OWN 41-YARD LINE. REICH BEARS RIGHT. HE THROWS. THE PASS IS COMPLETE. JAMES LOFTON. THAT IS HIS FIRST RECEPTION OF THE BALLGAME. >> THIS YEAR, HE TIED HIS POSITION COACH, CHARLIE JOINER'S, 750 CATCHES ALL TIME. 36 YEARS OF AGE. LIKE OLD MAN RIVER, HE JUST KEEPS ROLLING ALONG. >> AT THE HOUSTON 41-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. HERE'S DAVIS. MARK HIM A YARD. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 9. AND FOR FRANK REICH, IT HAS BEEN THE TALE OF TWO HALVES. THE FIRST HALF, 5 OF 11 FOR 59 YARDS. THE SECOND HALF, 8 OF 12, 123 YARDS. HE THREW FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. HE ALSO, THOUGH, THREW FOR THE INTERCEPTION TO BUBBA McDOWELL THAT COST HIM A TOUCHDOWN, AS McDOWELL SCORED ON THE RETURN OF 58 YARDS. SECOND DOWN. REICH HAS TIME. HE GOES DEEP! HAS A MAN OPEN! WIDE OPEN DOWN THE SIDELINE IS BEEBE! >> IT'S NOT GONNA COUNT. THE PLAY HAS BEEN BLOWN DEAD. THE OFFICIAL RAN IN. >> BEFORE THE SNAP WAS MADE, NUMBER 79 RAISED UP. FALSE START. 5 YARDS. STILL SECOND DOWN. >> DID HE SAY "79"? >> NO. I BELIEVE HE PROBABLY MEANT 75. >> NUMBER 75. >> YEAH. HOWARD BALLARD IS WHO HE MEANT. >> I GUESS HE HEARD. [ LAUGHS ] OH, HOWARD. >> HOWARD BALLARD. BIG MAN. TAKE A LOOK RIGHT HERE. HERE'S THE RIGHT TACKLE. TAKE A LOOK AT WHEN HE REARS UP, RIGHT THERE. GOOD CALL BY THE OFFICIAL. A LITTLE BIT TOO SOON. >> AND VERY COSTLY. BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE RECEIVERS OF THE BILLS ARE GETTING LOOSE DEEP IN THE SECONDARY. THE BALL GOES BACK TO THE 45. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 14. WE DO HAVE CONFIRMATION ON THURMAN THOMAS. IT<i> IS</i> THE HIP POINTER. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE COULD RETURN. THAT IS STILL TO BE DECIDED. 5:04 LEFT, THIRD QUARTER. IT IS HOUSTON 35, BUFFALO 17. THE BILLS NOW WITH A SECOND AND 14. AND, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO RESET THE CLOCK BECAUSE OF THAT FALSE START, BECAUSE THAT PLAY DOES NOT EXIST. THAT DOES NOT COUNT. >> CHARLIE, YOU'RE MENTIONING THE SECONDARY. INEVITABLY, WHEN YOU GET A BIG LEAD LIKE THIS, YOU STOP PLAYING TO WIN AND YOU START PLAYING NOT TO LOSE. AND I THINK THE HOUSTON OILER DEFENSE HAS DONE A LOT OF THAT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING JIM EDDY SAID "WE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST." >> AND YOU SAW JIM KELLY ON THE SIDELINE, HAPPIER THAN EARLIER. HERE'S THE SCREEN, RIGHT SIDE. NEEDS A BLOCK. GETS IT. FIRST DOWN FOR KENNETH DAVIS! [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> SET UP VERY WELL BY FRANK REICH. RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE, HE GETS TO DAVIS. NOW, WATCH THE LINEMEN OUT IN FRONT OF HIM GET THEIR BLOCKS. FIRST THERE'S GLENN PARKER. THEN THERE'S METZELAARS KNOCKING SOMEBODY DOWN. THEN THERE'S FREROTTE. GREAT JOB BY THE OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE BUFFALO BILLS. TAKE A LOOK AT THE REACTION OF JIM KELLY. "YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S BETTER." >> 19 YARDS. FIRST DOWN AT THE 26. REICH. NICE TOUCH. HAS ANOTHER MAN OPEN! BACKPEDALING INTO THE END ZONE IS ANDRE REED! [ CROWD CHEERING ] EXTRA POINT IS GOOD. [ CROWD CHEERING ] AND SUDDENLY IT'S 35-24 WITH 4:21 LEFT TO GO. WE'RE IN THE THIRD QUARTER. >> WELL, IF ANDRE REED HADN'T BEEN MUCH OF A FACTOR IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, HE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN ONE TODAY. ONCE AGAIN, THE OUT-AND-UP MOVE ON STEVE JACKSON. THERE'S NOTHING HE CAN DO ABOUT IT. HE'S COMPLETELY FOOLED, LOOKING INTO THE BACKFIELD. AND ANDRE REED CARIOCAS HIS WAY INTO THE END ZONE. JUST CUTS TO THE OUTSIDE. LOOKS IN. NOW LOOKS BACK. JACKSON RIGHT THERE -- NO WAY HE SHOULD BE LOOKING IN THE BACKFIELD. REICH DOESN'T EVEN THROW PARTICULARLY THAT GOOD OF A PASS, BUT JACKSON'S COVERAGE IS SO BAD THAT IT'S A TOUCHDOWN. AND THAT'S PROBABLY THE UNHAPPIEST GUY IN THE STADIUM RIGHT NOW -- JIM EDDY. HE CAN'T BE VERY PLEASED WITH THE WAY HIS DEFENSE IS PLAYING, GIVING UP THREE QUICK TOUCHDOWNS HERE IN THE THIRD PERIOD. >> SINCE BUBBA McDOWELL'S INTERCEPTION AND RETURN TO PUT HOUSTON UP 35-3 -- KENNETH DAVIS FROM A YARD OUT, REICH TO BEEBE, REICH TO REED. TOUCHDOWN DRIVES OF 50, 52, AND 59 YARDS. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> SECOND-HALF POSSESSIONS FOR BUFFALO. >> WHAT A DIFFERENCE A HALF MAKES. THAT INTERCEPTION AND THEN THREE STRAIGHT TOUCHDOWNS. BIGGEST PLAY, I'D HAVE TO SAY, AT THIS POINT HAS TO BE THAT ONSIDE KICK. WHY HOUSTON'S PREPARING FOR AN ONSIDE KICK, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE ONLY DOWN BY 11 POINTS. THEY CAN KICK OFF AND LET THEIR DEFENSE PLAY BALL NOW. >> THE BALL ROLLS OFF THE TEE. THAT'S THE SIXTH TIME TODAY THAT THE BALL HAS ROLLED OFF OF THE TEE. SO BRAD LAMB WILL COME IN TO HOLD IT. STEVE CHRISTIE WILL BE KICKING OFF. LEONARD HARRIS IS THE DEEP BACK. GARY BROWN IS THE UP BACK FOR HOUSTON. THIS GOES INTO THE END ZONE. IT WILL BE DOWNED FOR THE TOUCHBACK. THE OILERS WILL HAVE THE BALL AT THEIR OWN 20-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN WITH 4:13 LEFT TO GO IN THE THIRD. >> SO WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE HOUSTON OILER SECONDARY? WELL, YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING IN THE BACKFIELD, PEOPLE THAT ARE TOO BUSY WONDERING WHAT'S GOING ON. REED CUTS TO THE OUTSIDE, AND PEOPLE ARE JUST BACKPEDALING. HE'S WIDE OPEN. THERE'S NOBODY THERE. THERE'S CONFUSION. CONFUSION IN THE MIDDLE, AND THAT ENABLES REED TO GET THE EASY SCORE. >> IN THE THIRD QUARTER, BUFFALO HAS 176 YARDS OF TOTAL OFFENSE. 1-7-6. LOOK AT HOUSTON. THEY HAVE 3. [ CROWD CHEERING ] MOON TO THROW. >> THAT'S MOTION. >> FLAGS ARE DOWN. PASS IS COMPLETE. WEBSTER SLAUGHTER PULLED IT IN. >> WITH ERNEST GIVINS GOING IN MOTION, LORENZO WHITE CANNOT STEP UP AND LISTEN TO WHAT WARREN MOON HAS TO SAY. THAT'S TWO MEN IN MOTION. >> ILLEGAL MOTION. TWO MEN MOVING AT THE SAME TIME. 5 YARDS. STILL FIRST DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> AS SOON AS GIVINS COMES ACROSS RIGHT HERE IN MOTION, THEN LORENZO WHITE -- IF YOU CAN CLEAR IT FOR ME -- LORENZO WHITE CANNOT MOVE. NOW, WATCH LORENZO WHITE. RIGHT THERE -- MOVES UP AND WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS. AS SOON AS THAT MAN MOVES UP, THEN THE SITUATION IS THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE THE CALL. BOTH GUYS ARE MOVING AT THE SAME TIME. >> MOON! HIGH! TIPPED! INTERCEPTED! HENRY JONES! [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> WARREN MOON, WHO HAD BEEN SO PERFECT IN THE FIRST HALF, THROWS HIS FIRST BAD BALL. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO HIGH. SLAUGHTER JUST GETS A PIECE OF IT, BUT ALL THAT DOES IS MAKES A SOFTBALL FOR HENRY JONES, THE NFL's LEADING INTERCEPTOR THIS YEAR, WITH EIGHT FOR 262 YARDS AND TWO TOUCHDOWNS. TAKE A LOOK AT THE REACTION OF THOMAS AND CORNELIUS BENNETT. IF THEY CAN'T GET IN THERE, THEN THEY'RE CERTAINLY GONNA BE CHEERLEADERS. >> BUFFALO AT THE HOUSTON 23-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. STILL 3:35 LEFT TO GO IN THE THIRD. KENNETH DAVIS HAS A COUPLE OF YARDS, TO THE 21. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 8. SECOND DOWN AND 8. WE'RE MOVING ON THE 3-MINUTE MARK, TIME REMAINING, BUT STILL IN THE THIRD QUARTER. AND BUFFALO TRAILED AT HALFTIME, 28-3. AND THEN FOLLOWING THE INTERCEPTION BY BUBBA McDOWELL, THEY WERE DOWN 35-3 AT THE 13:19 MARK OF THE THIRD QUARTER. AND HERE'S DAVIS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. AND HE'LL HAVE A COUPLE MORE YARDS TO THE 18-YARD LINE. IT'S GONNA BE THIRD DOWN AND AROUND 5 YARDS TO GO FOR THE FIRST DOWN. >> AND THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO'S A LITTLE BIT BEWILDERED. EVERYTHING WENT HIS WAY IN THE FIRST HALF, BUT REALLY HE'S ONLY HAD SIX OPPORTUNITIES THUS FAR. AND HE'S THROWN ONE BAD PASS, AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT GETS INTERCEPTED. WHO SANG THE SONG "NIGHT AND DAY"? THIS IS THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN, FIRST AND SECOND HALF. >> I DID, THIS MORNING IN THE SHOWER. >> ♪ YOU ARE THE ONE ♪ YOU KNOW THE ONE I'M TALKING -- >> I DON'T KNOW. HOW DO I KNOW? >> I'M JUST ASKING. >> THIRD DOWN AND 5. REICH WANTS TO GO TO THE END ZONE. HAS GOOD PROTECTION. NOW HE'S BEING CHASED. NOW HE IS THROWING THE BALL AWAY. BUT HE GETS AWAY WITH IT, THE REASON BEING HE HAD KENNETH DAVIS ABOUT 5 YARDS DOWNFIELD FROM WHERE HE BOUNCED IT. SO IT'LL BE FOURTH DOWN. >> NOW, THE BUFFALO BILLS, HERE, SHOULD KICK THE FIELD GOAL. IT'S 35-24. YOU'RE ONLY DOWN BY 11 POINTS. YOU'VE GOT 2 MINUTES -- YOU'VE GOT OVER 17 MINUTES LEFT. WHY ARE YOU GONNA GO FOR IT HERE? THEY STILL HAVE THE MIND-SET OF BEING DOWN 35-3. >> THE MIND-SET SHOULD BE THAT "WE HAVE CONTROL OF THE BALLGAME AND LOTS OF TIME REMAINING." >> BUT A TOUCHDOWN AND TWO FIELD GOALS WINS YOU THE GAME, ASSUMING YOU CAN HOLD. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS. WHY ARE THEY GOING FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN? >> FOURTH DOWN AND 5 AT THE 18-YARD LINE. >> I GUESS MARV MUST THINK THAT FRANK'S ON A ROLL. NOW THEY'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT IT. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF AFTER TALKING ABOUT IT, THEY FIGURE OUT THE MATH AND SAY, "HEY, WAIT A MINUTE. A FIELD GOAL IS OKAY HERE BECAUSE 13 POINTS GIVES US 37." I KNOW MARV'S THINKING RIGHT HERE -- HE'S SAYING, "WE'RE TWO TOUCHDOWNS DOWN," AND CHRISTIE'S SAYING, "COME ON, MAN. GIVE ME A CHANCE TO GET IN THE GAME. IT'S OKAY." >> AND YOU SEE THE EXCITEMENT THAT WE'VE HAD HERE TODAY. WELL, THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE PLAYOFFS. NEXT SATURDAY, THE WINNER HERE WILL BE AT PITTSBURGH AGAINST THOSE TOUGH STEELERS. OH, THAT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER GREAT BALLGAME IN THE PLAYOFFS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, ON SUNDAY, THE UNBELIEVABLE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS -- JUNIOR SEAU, THE HEART OF THAT BALL CLUB -- IN MIAMI AGAINST THE DOLPHINS -- DAN MARINO, THE HEART OF THAT BALL CLUB. ANOTHER GREAT CONFRONTATION. >> THE ONLY QUARTERBACK THIS YEAR TO THROW FOR OVER 4,000 YARDS. OF COURSE, YOU SAW BARRY FOSTER EARLIER. THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS LITERALLY RODE HIS BACK INTO THE PLAYOFFS -- 1,690 YARDS RUSHING TO LEAD THE AFC. >> HE NEEDED THE WEEKEND OFF. >> YEAH, HE DID. I AGREE. YEAH. >> YEAH. LET'S GO BACK ON VIDEOTAPE. THIS IS MARV LEVY, THE HEAD COACH OF BUFFALO WHEN REICH CALLED THE TIME-OUT. DID NOT WANT TO BURN ONE THIS EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF. >> I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS SO MUCH THAT AS THE FACT THAT HE HAD THE CROWD BEHIND HIM AND HAD ALL THE MOMENTUM. IN STOPPING THE CLOCK, MAYBE HE ALTERED THAT MOMENTUM A LITTLE. I'M SURE HOPING NOT IRREVOCABLY AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME. >> STILL GOING FOR IT AT FOURTH AND 5. INTO THE END ZONE. HAS A MAN! TOUCHDOWN! [ CROWD CHEERING ] ANDRE REED. 18 YARDS. FOURTH AND 5. YOU GOT TO LOVE IT! UNLESS YOU'RE IN HOUSTON. AND THE EXTRA POINT IS GOOD. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> ONCE AGAIN STEVE JACKSON IS THE MAN, THEIR NICKEL BACK, WHO'S BURNED IN COVERAGE BY ANDRE REED. FOURTH AND 4. YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT THEY WOULD'VE GONE WITH A SHORTER ROUTE. BUT COMING INTO YOUR PICTURE IS GONNA BE 83, WITH JACKSON IN THE TRAIL MODE. REED MAKING SURE OF IT. COMING DOWN, TWO HANDS OVER THE BALL. TOUCHDOWN FOR THE BILLS. TAKE A LOOK AT JACKSON IN COVERAGE. LITTLE BIT OF AN OUTSIDE MOVE BY REED. WEAVES BACK AND JACKSON IS JUST, FOR SOME REASON, TRAILING SO FAR BEHIND. HERE'S THE MAN RIGHT HERE. HE'S GONNA BE IN A TRAIL POSITION THE ENTIRE TIME. AND HE HAS NO HELP BACK HERE. SO THAT MAN COVERAGE ON ANDRE REED, THAT'S JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERS. THEY SPLIT IN THE SECONDARY, AND REICH PUTS THE BALL RIGHT ON THE MONEY. AND MARV LEVY IS LOOKING LIKE A GENIUS RIGHT NOW. WE BOTH SAID, "WHY DIDN'T THEY KICK THE FIELD GOAL?" INSTEAD THEY GET THE TOUCHDOWN PASS. >> HE<i> IS</i> A GENIUS. FOURTH AND 5. FOR ANDRE REED, THAT IS HIS SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE BALLGAME. HE HAS SIX RECEPTIONS FOR 108 YARDS. THE MARGIN IS 4 -- 35-31 -- HOUSTON STILL LEADS, BUT BARELY. 2 MINUTES LEFT, THIRD QUARTER. COMING UP WITH THE BALL IS DARRYLL LEWIS. GOGANIOUS, THE ROOKIE FROM PENN STATE, WAS THERE FOR BUFFALO. >> NOW THAT MAN CAN BE CONSERVATIVE NO LONGER. >> LOOK AT THE SCORE BY QUARTERS! >> IT'S INTERESTING TO POINT OUT IN THAT SCORE BY QUARTERS -- THAT TOUCHDOWN BY THE OILERS WAS A DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWN. IF YOU TAKE AWAY BUBBA McDOWELL'S INTERCEPTION, BUFFALO HAS THE LEAD. >> HOUSTON'S TOTAL OFFENSE IN THE SECOND HALF IS STILL 3 YARDS. INCOMPLETE! [ CROWD CHEERING ] IT WAS DARRYL TALLEY WHO WAS THERE FOR THE BILLS. IT WILL BE SECOND DOWN AT THE 22. >> WARREN MOON SHOWED A LITTLE LACK OF COMPOSURE HERE. YEAH, TALLEY'S ON THE BLITZ. BUT HE HAS TO WAIT JUST A LITTLE LONGER TO GET RID OF THIS SCREEN PASS, AND WHITE WASN'T QUITE READY. THROWS IT OFF, AND IT RICOCHETS OFF OF HIS HELMET. SECOND DOWN, AND ONCE AGAIN THE CROWD VERY MUCH IN THIS GAME. [ CROWD CHEERING ] MOON THROWS. AND THE PASS IS COMPLETE AT THE 38-YARD LINE. >> WHAT A BIG CATCH BY WEBSTER SLAUGHTER -- INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE NEWEST OF THE FAB FOUR. YOU WOULD THINK WARREN WOULD GO TO ONE OF THE VETERAN PEOPLE. ACTUALLY, LEANING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT. THEY COULD'VE CALLED HIM FOR MOTION. ON THE DEEP IN ROUTE. TALLEY IN TRAIL POSITION. GREAT CATCH BY SLAUGHTER TO GET THAT BROKEN HAND UNDER THE BALL ONCE AGAIN. IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A BROKEN HAND IF YOU'RE AN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OR A LINEBACKER. TO HAVE A BROKEN HAND AND BE A RECEIVER AND STILL COME UP WITH THOSE CATCHES -- FABULOUS. >> HOUSTON AT THEIR OWN 38-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. MOON! BALL IS LOOSE! HOUSTON RECOVERED IT. AGAIN IT WAS DARRYL TALLEY CREATING HAVOC IN THE BACKFIELD OF THE OILERS. >> WALT COREY HAS ADJUSTED HIS DEFENSE. DARRYL TALLEY PLAYED IN THE MIDDLE IN THE FIRST HALF. NOW THEY HAVE HIM ON THE OUTSIDE, AND THEY'RE FORCING LORENZO WHITE TO STAY IN AND BLOCK HIM. WHITE WILL CUT HIM HERE. NOW MUNCHAK WILL COME OUT AND ACTUALLY PUSH HIM INTO MOON. TALLEY MAKES THE STRIP, BUT MUNCHAK AND WHITE ARE THERE FOR THE RECOVERY. BUT A BIG LOSS BY THE OILERS. >> AND THE SECOND TIME THAT MOON HAS BEEN SACKED IN THE BALLGAME. IT'LL BE SECOND AND 20 AT THE HOUSTON 28. 35 SECONDS LEFT, THIRD QUARTER. HOUSTON 35, BUFFALO 31 -- 4 POINTS THE DIFFERENCE. KNOCKED AWAY! [ CROWD CHEERING ] CARLTON BAILEY! >> JIM EDDY IS THE MAN THAT TALKED ABOUT BODY ENGLISH. YOU CAN SEE HERE THE HOUSTON OILERS BACKPEDAL. THEY'RE A LITTLE UNSURE OF THEMSELVES, A LITTLE UNCERTAIN. A LITTLE BIT MORE SIDEARM THAN USUAL, AND BAILEY ACTUALLY MUNCHAK AS A POGO STICK TO GET UP AND BAT THAT BALL DOWN. LOOK AT THE REACTION OF THE BUFFALO PEOPLE. EVERYBODY ANIMATED. ON THE HOUSTON SIDE, YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE JUST STANDING AROUND. VERY UNSURE OF THEMSELVES. >> THIRD DOWN, 20. INCOMPLETE. HENRY JONES HAD A CHANCE AT THE INTERCEPTION. DIDN'T SEE IT. IT'LL BE FOURTH DOWN. >> ONCE AGAIN, WARREN MOON TRYING TO GO TO WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. JUST A LITTLE BIT LONG. HENRY JONES IS ANTICIPATING THE HIT, SO HE COMES IN. BALL GOES THROUGH HIS HANDS AND, AS YOU MENTIONED, RICOCHETS OFF HIS SHOULDER PADS. BIG STAND FOR THE BUFFALO DEFENSE HERE. >> GREG MONTGOMERY KICKING FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN THE BALLGAME. >> AND NOT WELL. AWFUL PUNT. AWFUL PUNT. >> IT WILL BE DOWNED AROUND THE 48-YARD LINE. SO BUFFALO AGAIN WITH EXCELLENT FIELD POSITION. 11 SECONDS LEFT IN THE THIRD. 25 YARDS ON THE KICK. WE LOOKED AT THE TURNAROUND OF FRANK REICH. HERE IS THE TURNAROUND OF WARREN MOON. FIRST HALF, SECOND HALF. >> WELL, THE FIRST HALF, HE HAD FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASSES, NO INTERCEPTIONS. NOW, IN THE SECOND HALF, HE'S LUCKY HE DIDN'T GET THAT ONE BACK FOR A SECOND INTERCEPTION. ONLY 2 FOR 7. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HIM SETTING A PLAYOFF RECORD FOR COMPLETION PERCENTAGE. THAT'S DEFINITELY OUT THE WINDOW NOW. >> AT ONE TIME, HOUSTON LED BY 32 POINTS -- 35-3. THAT WAS STILL WITH 13 MINUTES TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER. NOW THE MOST POINTS OVERCOME IN POSTSEASON NFL TO WIN A GAME -- 20. HERE IS KENNETH DAVIS. IN 1957, DETROIT-SAN FRANCISCO, DETROIT TRAILED 27-7, AND THEY WON THAT BALLGAME. WE'LL TAKE THE COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE THIRD. IT IS HOUSTON 35, BUFFALO 31. AS WE START THE FOURTH QUARTER, HOUSTON STILL IS LEADING, 35-31. DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT. BUT NOW THE OILERS HAVE BLOWN FOURTH-QUARTER LEADS FOUR TIMES THIS YEAR -- PITTSBURGH, DENVER, PITTSBURGH, AND AT MINNESOTA. AND MOMENTUM, THAT FICKLE LADY OF FATE -- >> YEAH, BUT THOSE ARE 6- OR 7-POINT LEADS, NOT 32-POINT LEADS. >> NO, BUT NOW THEY LEAD BY 4. DON'T FORGET -- HOUSTON IS STILL IN FRONT IN THE BALLGAME. WE DOCUMENT THE COMEBACK OF BUFFALO. HERE IS JAMES LOFTON ON THE RECEIVING END. THE OILERS STILL HAVE THE BALLGAME AS FAR AS THE LEAD IS CONCERNED. DISHMAN WAS THERE FOR HOUSTON. IT'S 35-31, AND BUFFALO IS ON THE MOVE ONE MORE TIME. >> LOFTON WITH THE SHORT CATCH ON THE ONE KNEE. AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, HE HAD 51 CATCHES THIS SEASON FOR 786 YARDS AND SIX TOUCHDOWNS. THE ALL-TIME RECEPTION-YARDAGE LEADER IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE -- 13,821. >> THIRD DOWN AND 3. REICH WITH GOOD PROTECTION. ALMOST INTERCEPTED! TWO OILERS WERE FIGHTING FOR IT -- AL SMITH AND STEVE JACKSON. IT'LL BE FOURTH DOWN AND 3. >> FRANK REICH, WHO COULD DO NO WRONG. THERE HE THROWS COMPLETELY UNDERNEATH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS THINKING IS THERE, BECAUSE ANDRE REED IS DOUBLE COVERED. NO WAY HE'S GONNA GET HIM THE BALL. HE'S LUCKY HE GOT THAT ONE BACK. >> SO CHRIS MOHR WILL BE KICKING. AND A LATE ARRIVAL IS WEBSTER SLAUGHTER. HE BARELY GOT THERE IN TIME. FAIR CATCH. AND HE TAKES IT AT THE 9-YARD LINE. NOW FOR AN UPDATE, LET'S GO TO NEW YORK AND BOB COSTAS. BOB? >> CHARLIE, THANKS. BOOMER ESIASON IS WITH US. YOU MENTIONED, CHARLIE, THAT THE BIGGEST COMEBACK IN PLAYOFF HISTORY IN THE NFL GOES BACK TO 1957 -- 20 POINTS. THE BIGGEST COMEBACK TO VICTORY IN<i> ANY</i> NFL GAME, REGULAR SEASON OR POSTSEASON, IS FROM A 28-POINT DEFICIT. SO IF FRANK REICH IS ABLE TO PULL THIS THING OFF, IT WOULD BE AN NFL RECORD. HE ALREADY HOLDS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE BIGGEST COMEBACK IN DIVISION I COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY, AND IT WAS FOR YOUR ALMA MATER, MARYLAND. >> WELL, HE CAUGHT ME SLEEPING ON THIS DAY. THIS IS BACK IN 1984, AND YOU CAN SEE FRANK IS THE QUARTERBACK. HE DIDN'T START THE GAME BUT CAME IN THE SECOND HALF AND HIT GREG HILL ON A NUMBER OF PASSES JUST LIKE THIS FOR TOUCHDOWNS. I LEARNED THAT DAY -- NEVER TURN THE TV SET OFF AT HALFTIME WHEN FRANK REICH IS PLAYING BECAUSE HE HAS THIS UNCANNY ABILITY OF BRINGING HIS PLAYERS BACK AND HIS TEAM BACK. HE NOT ONLY DID IT IN THAT GAME. HE DID IT AGAINST TENNESSEE IN THE SUN BOWL THAT YEAR, TOO. >> THAT WAS THE BERNIE KOSAR-LED HURRICANES OF MIAMI, UP 31-0. MARYLAND WINS, 42-40. LET'S GO BACK TO BUFFALO. >> HOUSTON NOW FROM THEIR OWN 10-YARD LINE. THE PASS IS COMPLETE, FAR SIDE, TO LEONARD HARRIS. THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE OFFICIALLY IS THE 10-YARD LINE, WHERE SLAUGHTER HAD THE FAIR CATCH. MARVCUS PATTON WAS THERE FOR THE DEFENSE. >> LEONARD HARRIS IN FOR WEBSTER SLAUGHTER AT THAT POSITION. WEBSTER TAKES A LITTLE TIME OUT AFTER CATCHING THE PUNT. CROSSING ROUTE. SETS THEM UP IN DECENT FIELD POSITION THERE. SECOND AND 2. AS WE MENTIONED -- THE BODY LANGUAGE. YOU CAN SEE THE HOUSTON OILERS HAVE THAT LOOK ON THEIR FACE OF "WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT HAPPENED? WASN'T IT 35-3 ABOUT A HALF-HOUR AGO?" IT WAS! >> IT WAS. SECOND DOWN AND 1. HERE IS WHITE. HE'S GOT THE FIRST DOWN. HE NEEDED A YARD, AND THAT IS ALL THAT HE GOT. DARRYL TALLEY MAKES THE TACKLE. >> LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GONNA GET A LOT MORE THAN THAT. WATCH NUMBER 44 AS HE'S GONNA COME TO THE LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN. >> SOON HE IS. MAYBE HE'S NOT. >> HERE HE COMES TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN. NUMBER 56 -- HE'S REALLY THE ONLY GUY OUT THERE. IF HE DOESN'T MAKE THE TACKLE, HE'S GOT HENRY JONES MAN FOR MAN IN THE SECONDARY AND MAYBE A BIGGER GAIN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> FIRST DOWN. BLITZ IS COMING. PASS IS COMPLETE TO GIVINS OVER THE MIDDLE. HE'S OUT ACROSS THE 40. LOWERS HIS HEAD. TAKES ABOUT FIVE BUFFALO BILLS ACROSS THE 45 TO THE 46-YARD LINE. A GAIN OF 25 YARDS ON THE PLAY. >> KEY PLAY THERE WAS MADE BY HAYWOOD JEFFIRES. YOU'RE RIGHT, CHARLIE -- THEY CAME WITH THE BLITZ, AND WARREN MOON PICKS IT UP. HE GETS THE BALL TO ERNEST GIVINS. NOW WATCH THE SHIELD BLOCK BY NUMBER 84, JEFFIRES, DOWNFIELD. HERE COMES GIVINS. NOBODY ON HIM. NOW WATCH 84 GET IN THE WAY -- RIGHT THERE -- OF NATE ODOMES. THAT ENABLES GIVINS TO CUT UPFIELD. LOOK AT THAT. HE LOWERS HIS SHOULDER, ALL 172 POUNDS OF HIM, INTO KELSO. FOUR BILLS HAVE TO TAKE HIM DOWN. >> FIRST DOWN. HOUSTON ON THEIR OWN 47-YARD LINE. FOUR-MAN RUSH. INCOMPLETE. JEFFIRES THE INTENDED RECEIVER, AND ODOMES WAS THERE. THEY'VE BEEN PICKING ON ODOMES A LOT TODAY. >> THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE HEIGHT ADVANTAGE. THEY WANT THE FACT THAT JEFFIRES -- THEY LIST HIM AT 6'2", BUT HE'S ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 6'3", AND ODOMES IS ONLY 5'10". HERE, THE BALL IS THROWN A LITTLE BIT LOW AND TO THE OUTSIDE. EVEN IF HE COMES UP WITH THE BALL, BOTH FEET ARE NOT GONNA BE IN BOUNDS. >> YOU MENTIONED THAT TO ODOMES YESTERDAY, AND HE SAID "HAYWOOD, HE'S TALL TO ME." [ LAUGHS ] >> YEAH, I DID. 'CAUSE ODOMES SAID, "HE'S WHAT, 6'4" OR 6'5"?" I SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO. COME ON. HE'S ONLY 6'2", 6'3"." HE SAYS, "WELL, I'M LOOKING UP, REGARDLESS." >> SECOND DOWN. MOON. PRESSURE FROM THE BACK SIDE. GETS THE PASS OFF TO GIVINS. HE IS WRAPPED UP AROUND THE 47- OR THE 48-YARD LINE. THE BALL MAY HAVE COME LOOSE, BUT THE PLAY WAS ALREADY DOWN. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN. CARLTON BAILEY WAS THERE FOR BUFFALO. >> MOON TRYING TO GET THE BALL UNDERNEATH TO GIVINS TO LET HIM UTILIZE HIS OPEN-FIELD RUNNING ABILITY. GIVE CREDIT TO BAILEY HERE. CERTAINLY GIVINS IS A LOT FASTER, BUT BAILEY ABLE TO RUN HIM DOWN AND SET UP A THIRD DOWN. >> THE BALL CAME OUT. PLAY WAS ALREADY DEAD. THIRD DOWN AND 4. 47-YARD LINE OF BUFFALO. [ CROWD CHEERING ] HOUSTON STILL LEADS. THE MARGIN IS SLIM -- 35-31. AND WE'RE IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. MOON DROPS IT BACK OVER. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN ON THE PLAY. JEFFIRES HAS THE FIRST DOWN AT THE 40 IF THE PLAY STANDS. >> CHARLIE, THE FLAG IS GONNA BE DEFENSIVE HOLDING. PHIL HANSEN JUST TOTALLY TACKLED LORENZO WHITE COMING OUT OF THE BACKFIELD. HE HAD HIM IN COVERAGE, AND THERE WAS NO WAY HE WAS GONNA LET HIM IN THE FLAT. >> HOLDING. NUMBER 90 OF THE DEFENSE. PENALTY IS DECLINED. FIRST DOWN. >> HE'S GUILTY FOR 5 AND THE FIRST DOWN. PLAY GOOD FOR 7 AND THE FIRST DOWN. THAT'S THE REASON TO DECLINE. >> YOU CAN SEE BY HIS REACTION HE HAD NO BEEF AT ALL. LORENZO WHITE'S GOING OUT INTO THE FLAT, AND HE JUST WRAPPED HIS ARMS AROUND HIM. NO WAY HE WAS GONNA LET HIM GET OPEN. >> 11:13 -- THAT IS THE TIME REMAINING IN THE GAME. HOUSTON LEADS, 35-31. >> HERE'S NUMBER 90, TOP OF YOUR SCREEN. >> WE COME BACK TO LIVE ACTION. GOING DEEP INTO COVERAGE. IT IS INCOMPLETE. JEFFIRES THE INTENDED RECEIVER. NATE ODOMES WAS THERE -- NUMBER 37 FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS. >> THAT WAS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD THROW BY MOON. GOOD COVERAGE BY ODOMES. IF YOU CAN'T GO OVER THE TOP, COME UNDERNEATH. WATCH WHAT NUMBER 37 DOES. HE COMES UNDER THE ARMS, INTO THE BODY -- RIGHT THERE -- DISTRACTING JEFFIRES JUST ENOUGH. GREAT COVERAGE BY ODOMES, WHO EARLIER IN THE SEASON, AT MIDSEASON, CHARLIE, <i> SPORTS ILLUSTRATED</i> PICKED AS THEIR BEST CORNERBACK IN THE LEAGUE. HE'S A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED THAT HE WAS NOT NAMED TO THE PRO BOWL. THAT WAS PRO BOWL-TYPE COVERAGE RIGHT THERE. >> BACK TO THE BUFFALO 40-YARD LINE. IT IS SECOND DOWN AND 10. HOUSTON UP BY 4 -- 35-31. 10:48 LEFT TO GO IN THE FOURTH. MOON ROLLING RIGHT. BUYING TIME. NOW HE'LL BE SACKED AT THE 47-YARD LINE. THIRD TIME THAT HE HAS BEEN SACKED. JEFF WRIGHT GETS HIM. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> GIVE CREDIT TO WRIGHT, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT A GOOD PLAY BY WARREN MOON. FROM THE REVERSE ANGLE, WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO SEE HE HAS PLENTY OF TIME, BUT IN HIS EFFORT TO WANT TO FORCE THE BALL, HE DOESN'T THROW IT AWAY. HE'S GOT PLENTY OF TIME HERE. OKAY. THE GUYS ARE IN COVERAGE. THROW IT AT THEIR FEET RIGHT THERE. BUT INSTEAD HE HAS TO TAKE A SACK. AND NOW INSTEAD OF COMING UP THIRD AND 10, THEY COME UP THIRD AND 16. >> INTERCEPTED! CARLTON BAILEY! BAILEY IS DOWN. THERE'S A FLAG DOWN BACK AT THE 49-YARD LINE. >> AND BRUCE SMITH IS PLEADING HIS CASE, CHARLIE. I THINK HE ROUGHED WARREN MOON. >> ROUGHING THE PASSER, NUMBER 78. 15 YARDS. FIRST DOWN. >> WHAT AN INOPPORTUNE TIME TO MAKE<i> THAT</i> MISTAKE. >> THIRD DOWN AND 16, PLUS THE INTERCEPTION. THE BILLS LOSE EVERY WAY POSSIBLE ON THIS PLAY. >> CHARLIE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE THINKING HERE. THIRD AND 16. OKAY. GET TO THE PASSER. SURE THING. ALL RIGHT. YOU GOT HIM RIGHT THERE. WHY THROW HIM DOWN ON HIS HEAD? WHY THROW HIM DOWN ON HIS HEAD? HERE COMES BRUCE SMITH. YEAH, THIS IS CLOSE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PLAY IS GONE. HE DIDN'T NEED TO THROW HIM DOWN. BRUCE SMITH IS VERY WELL AWARE THAT THE BALL WAS THROWN. HE DID NOT HAVE TO THROW WARREN MOON DOWN. THAT IS A CLOSE CALL, I REALIZE. AND HE'S COMING OVER, ASKING, "WHAT'S THE DEAL? I DON'T GET IT." BUT, BRUCE, YOU DO GET IT. THE BALL WAS THROWN. YOU DID NOT HAVE TO THROW WARREN MOON DOWN. THAT'S WHAT THE OFFICIAL SAW, AND THAT'S WHAT HE CALLED. >> AND THE BALL IS NOW AT THE BUFFALO 31-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. >> THE IDEA IS WHETHER OR NOT THE GUY CAN STOP. CAN HE STOP? AND IN THE CASE OF BRUCE SMITH, HE COULD, BECAUSE HE WAS REACHING. IT WASN'T AS IF HE HAD MOMENTUM AND WAS COLLIDING WITH HIM. IT WAS HIS HANDS THAT PULLED WARREN MOON DOWN ON HIS HEAD. >> BRING HIM DOWN WITH YOU RATHER THAN THROWING HIM DOWN. TIPPED. INCOMPLETE. IT WILL BE SECOND DOWN BACK AT THE 31-YARD LINE. HARRIS THE INTENDED RECEIVER. ODOMES AGAIN FOR BUFFALO. >> ONE MORE TIME WE'RE GONNA GET TO SEE THE MOMENTUM OF BRUCE SMITH. NOW WATCH HIS MOMENTUM COMING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. IS HIS BODY COMING INTO HIM? NO. IT'S A REACH. RIGHT HERE, HE REACHES. HE COULD HAVE LET GO. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO PULL HIM DOWN ONTO HIS HEAD. THAT'S A GOOD CALL BY THE OFFICIAL. >> SECOND DOWN AND 10. PRESSURE FROM THE BACK SIDE. HERE IS THE SCREEN. PASS IS COMPLETE TO WHITE, AND HE IS DOWN TO THE 20-YARD LINE. THAT SHOULD PICK UP THE FIRST DOWN. HANSEN WITH THE TACKLE. >> BOY, THE OILERS DID A GOOD JOB OF SETTING THIS UP. WATCH ALL THE BLUE SHIRTS. AND ACTUALLY, PHIL HANSEN, IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR SCREEN, IS GONNA RUN BACK AND CATCH LORENZO WHITE FROM BEHIND. IF HE DOESN'T -- LOOK AT THE WHITE SHIRTS UP FRONT. JUST BARELY TRIPPING HIM UP, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO FIGURE KELSO'S NOT GONNA MAKE THE PLAY. WHITE COULD'VE GONE THE DISTANCE. GREAT CALL BY THAT MAN, KEVIN GILBRIDE. >> AT THE 20-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN, HOUSTON. 9:23 AND COUNTING, TIME REMAINING. OILERS LEAD BY 4, 35-31. THEY STARTED THIS DRIVE BACK AT THEIR OWN 10-YARD LINE WITH SLAUGHTER'S FAIR CATCH. HERE IS WHITE. >> WOW. >> HAS 5, TO THE 15. 2 YARDS WERE THERE. HE MADE THE LAST 3 HIMSELF, TAKING MADDOX AND KELSO WITH HIM. IT'LL BE SECOND AND 5. >> BOY, HE DID TAKE MADDOX WITH HIM. I MENTIONED EARLIER WHAT A GREAT PHYSIQUE THIS MAN HAS FOR A RUNNING BACK -- 5'11", 228 POUNDS. THAT LOW CENTER OF GRAVITY, KEEPING HIS LEGS DRIVING ENABLES HIM, AS YOU MENTIONED, CHARLIE, TO RUN RIGHT THROUGH MADDOX. CATCHING, RUNNING, AND -- PEOPLE FORGET THIS ABOUT LORENZO WHITE -- A GREAT BLOCKER. YOU HAVE TO BE A GREAT BLOCKER TO BE A ONE BACK IN THE RUN-AND-SHOOT SET. THAT MAN CAN DO IT ALL. >> WARREN MOON HAS THROWN FOR FOUR TOUCHDOWNS. SECOND AND 5 AT THE 15. HE IS SACKED AT THE 20! JEFF WRIGHT GOT HIM. THE SECOND SACK FOR WRIGHT, THE FOURTH FOR THE BILLS. >> WARREN RAN RIGHT INTO THAT SACK. THAT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD PROTECTION, AND JOHN FLANNERY, RIGHT THERE AT LEFT GUARD, REPLACING MIKE MUNCHAK, HAS WRIGHT UP TOP. THIS IS GOOD PROTECTION. NOW WATCH WHAT MOON DOES. MOON JUST RUNS RIGHT INTO HIM. IT'S A COVERAGE SACK. >> THIRD DOWN AND 10. 8 MINUTES -- 8 MINUTES LEFT TO GO IN THIS WILD-CARD PLAYOFF CONFRONTATION. MOON. PASS IS COMPLETE. IT IS SHORT OF THE FIRST DOWN. HARRIS SPINS LOOSE. HE WILL COME UP ABOUT 4 1/2 YARDS SHY OF THE FIRST DOWN. AL DEL GRECO WILL COME IN WITH A FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT. PHIL HANSEN MAKES THE PLAY. >> WELL, THEY WEREN'T SHORT FOR LACK OF EFFORT. YOU'RE GONNA SEE HARRIS COME INSIDE, COME UNDERNEATH OF GIVINS. MOON'S GONNA GET HIM THE BALL AND GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO RUN. HE CUTS BACK INSIDE, SPINS OFF THE TACKLE OF CONLAN. AND NOW GREAT PURSUIT ONCE AGAIN BY PHIL HANSEN DOWNFIELD. THAT'S A BIG TACKLE AND GOOD EFFORT BY NUMBER 90. BRUCE SMITH COMING IN A LITTLE BIT LATE. THIS TIME, NO ROUGHING CALL. THAT WAS MOMENTUM. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. >> 32-YARD FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT. AL DEL GRECO FINISHED THE SEASON HITTING FIVE IN A ROW. NO! NOW THE PITCHBACK! THE BUFFALO BILLS TAKE OVER! THEY HAVE THE BALL, GOING DOWN THE FIELD! >> THIS RUN IS GONNA GO FOR NOTHING. THE OFFICIAL HAS ALREADY CALLED THEM DOWN AT THE 27-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> WE SAID IT WAS A WILD-CARD PLAYOFF. I THINK "WILD" IS THE DEFINITIVE WORD. LED BY DARRYL TALLEY OF THE BUFFALO BILLS. BUFFALO WILL HAVE THE BALL BACK AT THEIR OWN 26-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN. WE'LL STEP ASIDE. WE'LL SORT IT OUT. WE PROMISE. AND WE'LL BE BACK. ALL RIGHT. HERE WE COME BACK TO RICH STADIUM. >> THAT SNAP IS FINE. IT JUST GOES THROUGH THE HANDS OF GREG MONTGOMERY. OF COURSE, THE BIG DEBATE BY THE CROWD AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS DOWN. RIGHT THERE. THE GROUND CAUSES THE FUMBLE. THAT'S A GOOD CALL BY THE OFFICIAL, GERRY AUSTIN. MARV LEVY DIDN'T AGREE. HE THOUGHT TALLEY SHOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO THE DISTANCE. BUT AUSTIN WAS ON TOP OF IT. GOOD CALL. >> SO THE BALL DOWN AT THE 26-YARD LINE. BUFFALO TAKES OVER ON DOWNS. HERE'S A SCREEN, RIGHT SIDE, FOR KENNETH DAVIS. DAVIS TO THE 30. SLIPS AS HE MAKES HIS CUT AT THE 31-YARD LINE. HE HAS 5. IT'LL BE SECOND AND 5. AL SMITH WAS THERE FOR THE OILERS. DON'T FORGET, HOUSTON STILL LEADS IN THE BALLGAME BY 4 POINTS, 35-31, WITH NOW 6 1/2 MINUTES LEFT TO GO. AND AGAIN, THE WINNER HERE TODAY WILL PLAY NEXT WEEKEND AT PITTSBURGH ON SATURDAY. AND IN THE LATE GAME ON SUNDAY, THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS AT MIAMI AGAINST THE DOLPHINS -- ALL, OF COURSE, ON NBC, LEADING THEN, TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AND TO THE SUPER BOWL HERE ON NBC THIS YEAR ON JANUARY 31st AT THE ROSE BOWL IN PASADENA. INCOMPLETE. BEEBE HAD HIS HANDS ON IT. JUST COULDN'T QUITE PULL IT IN. CRIS DISHMAN WAS THERE STRIDE FOR STRIDE. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN. >> FRANK REICH HAS TO BE FRUSTRATED. HE PUT THAT ONE RIGHT ON BEEBE'S HANDS. VERY CATCHABLE BALL. DISHMAN IN DECENT COVERAGE BEHIND HIM. BUT RIGHT THERE, HE'S RUNNING -- HE'S IN FULL STRIDE. YOU GOT TO FIGURE HE'S GONNA MAKE IT AT LEAST PAST MIDFIELD. SLANT ROUTE. CUTS INSIDE OF DISHMAN. BALL'S RIGHT THERE. VERY CATCHABLE. >> FRANK REICH WITH THAT VERY SLOW START IN THE FIRST HALF. NOW HE HAS THROWN FOR 257 YARDS TOTAL. HE'S THROWN FOR THREE TOUCHDOWNS, ONE INTERCEPTION. HE'S HIT 18 OF 31. REMEMBER HE TOLD US YESTERDAY, "I FEEL AS PREPARED AS I HAVE EVER BEEN." AND HE HAS CERTAINLY SHOWN IT IN THE SECOND HALF. THIRD DOWN AND 4. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] AND HE WILL TAKE A TIME-OUT. 6:06, TIME REMAINING. HOUSTON LEADS BY 4. BACK IN A MOMENT. THIS IS CHARLIE JONES. TODD CHRISTENSEN. JACK PARDEE, THE HEAD COACH OF THE HOUSTON OILERS. WITH 13:19 LEFT IN THE THIRD QUARTER, THE HOUSTON OILERS LED BY 32 POINTS, 35-3. AND NOW, WITH 6:06 LEFT TO GO IN THE BALLGAME, THAT MARGIN HAS BEEN CUT TO 4 POINTS -- 35-31. BUFFALO NOW. THIRD DOWN AND 4. AND HERE IS DAVIS. HE'S GOT THE FIRST DOWN! HE'S TO THE 50! HE MIGHT MAKE IT! NO! TRIPPED UP! STEVE JACKSON, A HAND ON AN ANKLE, SAVED 6 POINTS. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> KENNETH DAVIS WITH THE GREAT VISION. THIS IS DESIGNED TO GO LEFT. NOW HE CUTS BACK TO THE RIGHT. ALMOST FUMBLES THE HAND-OFF. BAD TACKLING ON THE PART OF THE OILERS. NOW KENNETH DAVIS HIGH-STEPS IT THERE. STEVE JACKSON, JUST THERE, TRIPS UP HIS HEEL OR, CHARLIE, YOU'RE RIGHT -- HE MIGHT HAVE GONE THE DISTANCE. >> 35 YARDS ON THE PLAY. THAT WAS A THIRD-DOWN-AND-4 CONVERSION. HOUSTON 33-YARD LINE. FIRST DOWN, BUFFALO. RIGHT BACK TO DAVIS. THERE'S NOT MUCH THERE THIS TIME. SEAN JONES MAKES THE TACKLE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 10 AT THE 33-YARD LINE. NOW LET'S GO BACK TO KENNETH DAVIS AND THE PLAY THAT HE BUSTED ON THIRD DOWN AND 4. >> THE SECONDARY READS IT AND COMES UP RIGHT THERE. GREAT BLOCK BY BOTH RITCHER AND WOLFORD, ENABLING DAVIS TO CUT IN THE OPEN FIELD. GOING WITH THE HIGH STEP. INTERESTING STYLE. I GUESS THEY HAVEN'T MISSED THURMAN THOMAS TOO MUCH THIS SECOND HALF. >> REICH'S PASS IS COMPLETE, FAR SIDE, TO BEEBE. HE'S WRAPPED UP IMMEDIATELY BY JERRY GRAY. IN CASE YOU JOINED US LATE, THURMAN THOMAS BOTHERED AGAIN BY THAT HIP POINTER THAT HE SUFFERED A WEEK AGO. HAS NOT PLAYED IN THE SECOND HALF. THE BALL JUST OUTSIDE THE 25-YARD LINE. IT IS THIRD DOWN AND 2. MOVING ON THE 4-MINUTE MARK, TIME REMAINING IN THE GAME. BUFFALO WITH ONLY ONE TIME-OUT REMAINING IN THE SECOND HALF. DROPS OVER THE MIDDLE. PASS IS COMPLETE! FIRST DOWN! ANDRE REED! BUBBA McDOWELL WITH THE TACKLE. BUFFALO HAS A FIRST DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> HOUSTON OILERS DECIDE TO GO WITH A BLITZ. HERE COMES STEVE JACKSON ON THE BLITZ. RIGHT AWAY, THE KNOW IT'S MAN COVERAGE. ANDRE REED DOES A GREAT JOB OF READING THAT AND CUTTING TO THE INSIDE. McDOWELL HAS TO COME FROM HIS SAFETY SPOT TO MAKE THE TACKLE. THAT'S BLITZ READ. HE KNOWS AS SOON AS IT'S BLITZING HE'S GONNA GO SHORT AND ACROSS THE MIDDLE. AND REICH READS IT AS WELL. GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SET UP SHOP NOW -- FIRST AND 10 AT THE 17. >> 3:19 AND COUNTING, TIME REMAINING. BUFFALO TRAILING BY 4. REICH TO THROW. END ZONE. TOUCHDOWN! [ CROWD CHEERING ] ANDRE REED'S THIRD TOUCHDOWN OF THE BALLGAME. >> AND I HATE TO KEEP PICKING ON STEVE JACKSON, BUT THAT'S THE MAN IN THE TRAIL COVERAGE RIGHT THERE, NUMBER 24, EXPECTING HELP FROM THE INSIDE AND MARCUS ROBERTSON. MARV LEVY WITH THE -- WELL, SEMI-EXCITED REACTION. AT THIS POINT, THAT'S THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN NFL HISTORY -- DOWN 35-3. NOW, AS WE HEAD TO COMMERCIAL, THE BILLS ARE UP, 38-35, WITH A LITTLE MORE THAN 3 MINUTES REMAINING. >> BUFFALO 38, HOUSTON 35. YOU ARE WITNESSING ONE OF THE GREATEST COMEBACKS IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. STEVE CHRISTIE WILL BE KICKING OFF, WITH GARY BROWN AND DARRYLL LEWIS THE RETURN MEN FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. 3:08, TIME REMAINING. AND HOUSTON WILL HAVE THE BALL AROUND THEIR OWN 28-YARD LINE. THAT WAS JOHN FLANNERY OF THE SPECIAL TEAMS WHO CAME UP WITH IT. >> YOU WOULD THINK BY NOW HE WOULD KNOW BETTER. STEVE JACKSON, THE MAN IN COVERAGE. LOOK AT HIS EYES. HIS EYES ARE TOTALLY INTO THE BACKFIELD. HE HAS TO PLAY THE MAN, NOT LOOK IN THE BACKFIELD. AND AS A RESULT OF LOOKING IN THE BACKFIELD THE ENTIRE TIME, ANDRE REED JUST FLAT-OUT RUNS BY HIM. HE'S<i> STILL</i> LOOKING IN THE BACKFIELD. AND BY THAT TIME, IT'S TOO LATE. THINK FRANK REICH IS PUMPED UP? AMAZING. >> 3 MINUTES TO GO IN THE BALLGAME. REMEMBER HOUSTON'S DIVISION PLAYOFF LAST YEAR? THEY HAD THE LEAD. JOHN ELWAY HAD 2:07. HE CAME BACK -- THE FIELD GOAL TO WIN IT. CAN WARREN MOON PULL OFF A JOHN ELWAY AND RECAPTURE THE LEAD HERE? HE HITS CURTIS DUNCAN, RIGHT SIDE, AND HE GOES OUT OF BOUNDS. SAVES A FEW SECONDS ON THE CLOCK. VERY IMPORTANT MOVE, BECAUSE THOSE SECONDS ARE GOING TO ADD UP. >> THEY'RE PUTTING IT ALL ON THIS ONE DRIVE, AND, OF COURSE, BUFFALO NOW IS PUTTING THE ONUS UPON ITS DEFENSE, WHO AT THIS POINT HAS BEEN MAGNIFICENT IN THIS SECOND HALF. BUT WARREN MOON RIGHT NOW HAS TO RECAPTURE THE MAGIC THAT HE HAD IN THE FIRST HALF, WHEN HE WAS ABSOLUTELY UNTOUCHABLE. NOW, THIS IS HOW IMPORTANT THAT GAME IS. WALT COREY'S STRAW IS OUT OF HIS MOUTH. THAT'S HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS DRIVE IS. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> REMEMBER, THE MARGIN IS 3 POINTS. THE OILERS CAN PLAY THE SHORT FIELD, GO FOR THE TIE AND OVERTIME. HERE'S GIVINS. SPINS LOOSE. HE'S TO THE 41-YARD LINE. HE'S GOT THE FIRST DOWN. PHIL HANSEN MAKES THE TACKLE. >> AND WHY NOT, WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT, GO TO YOUR TOUGH GUY IN THE MIDDLE, GO TO YOUR CLUTCH LITTLE MAN WHO CONTINUES TO COME UP WITH PLAY AFTER PLAY? LOOK AT THE 360 MOVE HE PUTS ON THE LINEBACKER TO AVOID HIM. JUST SLIDES INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD, RIGHT THERE, AND LOOKS DOWN. MAKES THE CATCH. LOOK AT THE 360 HE PUTS ON TALLEY. GOODBYE. ANOTHER 360 TO AVOID CONLAN. BUT HANSEN, ONCE AGAIN, DEFENSIVE LINEMAN, RUNNING DOWNFIELD, SHOWING HIS HUSTLE ON THE TACKLE. >> AND THE FIRST DOWN AT THE 41-YARD LINE. MOON COMES BACK, RIGHT SIDE. PASS IS COMPLETE TO SLAUGHTER. HE'LL GET OUT OF BOUNDS. THAT'LL STOP THE CLOCK. 2:09. >> WHAT THE BUFFALO BILLS HAVE DONE HERE IS THEY'VE GONE A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE. THEY'RE GOING BACK TO A ZONE. AND AS A RESULT, WARREN MOON IS, AS THEY SAY, TAKING WHAT THEY GIVE HIM. THEY BACKPEDAL INTO THE ZONE. HE GOES UNDERNEATH TO SLAUGHTER. AS YOU SAID, CHARLIE, WISELY GETTING OUT OF BOUNDS, PRESERVING BOTH THE TIME-OUTS AND THE CLOCK. >> AND HE NEEDS TO TAKE ONLY ANOTHER 25, 28 YARDS TO BE WELL WITHIN FIELD-GOAL RANGE FOR AL DEL GRECO. >> THAT'S ONE THAT COULD COME BACK TO HAUNT THE OILERS AS WELL -- THAT BALL THAT SLIPPED THROUGH THE HANDS OF GREG MONTGOMERY. OTHERWISE, RIGHT NOW THE SCORE WOULD BE TIED. >> SECOND DOWN AND 2. MOON THROWS OVER THE MIDDLE. FIRST DOWN. GIVINS. HE'LL GO OUT OF BOUNDS WITH 2:02. SO AT 2:01, THEY'LL SQUEEZE IN ONE MORE PLAY BEFORE THE 2-MINUTE WARNING. SO HOUSTON, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THAN A YEAR AGO, USING THE CLOCK SO WELL. THEY DIDN'T USE IT THAT WELL AGAINST DENVER. >> THAT'S CORRECT. AND MAYBE THEY CAN'T STAND PROSPERITY. MAYBE THEY DO BETTER UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS, BECAUSE NOW THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE -- 78,000 SCREAMING IN THEIR FACE. THEY GET IT TO GIVINS ACROSS THE MIDDLE, EVERYTHING BEING UNDERNEATH. NOW TAKE A LOOK AT BRUCE SMITH. ARE THEY GONNA LET HIM BEAT THEM? I DON'T THINK SO. YOU SEE LORENZO WHITE COMING TO HELP DON MAGGS CHIP AT HIM. THEY DO NOT WANT BRUCE SMITH TO MAKE A BIG DEFENSIVE PLAY. >> WARREN MOON 4 OF 4 ON THIS DRIVE. BUFFALO 40-YARD LINE. >> GOOD TIME FOR A DRAW PLAY HERE, CHARLIE. THE CLOCK'S GONNA STOP ANYWAY. GET LORENZO WHITE THE BALL. >> FLAG IS DOWN. [ WHISTLES BLOW ] WE HAD MOTION ON HOUSTON. IT'LL BE A FALSE START. THAT'LL COST THEM 5. THEY'LL PUT ONE SECOND BACK ON THE CLOCK, TAKE THE BALL TO THE 45-YARD LINE. IT'LL BE FIRST AND 15. >> BEFORE THE SNAP, FALSE START, NUMBER 78. 5 YARDS. IT'S STILL FIRST DOWN. >> THE REASON I MENTION THAT IS BECAUSE THE CLOCK IS GONNA STOP ANYWAY. THEY HAVE THE BUFFALO BILLS DEFENSE ON THEIR HEELS. A DRAW PLAY TO LORENZO WHITE RIGHT HERE. TAKE A LOOK AT MAGGS. HE'S STILL -- AS IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT BRUCE SMITH. HE'S GONNA ROCK BACKWARDS. AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA NECESSITATE THE FLAG. >> [ CHUCKLES ] HE WAS LEANING. HE WAS HOPING THE BALL WOULD BE SNAPPED BEFORE HE GOT CAUGHT. FIRST DOWN, 15. 45-YARD LINE. STILL 2:01 LEFT TO GO. HOUSTON TRAILING BY 3. UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE. SLAUGHTER. SLAUGHTER'S GOING TO HEAD FOR THE SIDELINE. THE CLOCK WILL STOP ANYWAY. 1:55 IS THE TIME REMAINING. THE 2-MINUTE WARNING WILL BE GIVEN TO BOTH BENCHES. THE SCORE -- BUFFALO 38, HOUSTON 35. THE OILERS ON THE MOVE. BACK IN A MOMENT. DON BEEBE LED THE COMEBACK. IS IT TAINTED? IS THERE A REASON FOR INSTANT REPLAY IN THE PLAYOFFS? >> I THINK, CHARLIE, CERTAINLY IT'S TAINTED. YOU REMEMBER EARLIER, THEIR SECOND TOUCHDOWN, JERRY GRAY PUSHES DON BEEBE TO THE OUTSIDE. WE'RE GONNA STOP IT ON THE RIGHT FOOT. RIGHT THERE. TAKE A LOOK RIGHT THERE. YOU CAN SEE THE RIGHT FOOT IS ON THE WHITE, AND HE'S CLEARLY OUT OF BOUNDS RIGHT THERE. AND AS HE COMES BACK, EVEN THE LEFT FOOT THERE IS ON WHITE. SO CLEARLY HE WAS OUT OF BOUNDS. IT'S A TOUCHDOWN THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD. >> SECOND DOWN AND 6. PASS IS COMPLETE. DUNCAN GOES TO THE SIDELINES, STOPPING THE CLOCK. HE IS OUT AT THE 34-YARD LINE. 1:48, TIME REMAINING. >> ONCE AGAIN COMING UNDERNEATH. BUT DUNCAN SHOULDN'T BE SO CONSCIOUS OF GETTING OUT OF BOUNDS. HE NEEDS TO GET THE FIRST DOWN HERE, AND HE ACTUALLY TAKES A STEP BACKWARD THERE, ENABLING THEM NOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING, SAY, THIRD AND 2 IF HE RUNS UP, OR EVEN THE FIRST DOWN, NOW THEY HAVE THIRD AND 4. AND AT THIS POINT, CHARLIE, BECAUSE OF THE KICKING PROBLEMS THAT AL DEL GRECO HAS HAD, THEY NEED TO GET FARTHER THAN THE 32-YARD LINE TO BE IN FIELD-GOAL POSITION. >> HE HAS STRUGGLED, IN PARTICULAR, TWO BALLGAMES -- MIAMI AND PITTSBURGH. THIRD DOWN AND 4. TIPPED! INCOMPLETE. >> THEY'VE GOT TO GO FOR IT. THEY HAVE TO GO FOR IT. THEY CANNOT KICK A 51-YARD FIELD GOAL. THEY JUST CAN'T DO IT, ESPECIALLY NOW, AFTER WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER, AS THE BALL SLIPPED THROUGH THE HANDS OF GREG MONTGOMERY, THE PUNTER. THEY HAVE NO CHOICE HERE. THEY'VE GOT TO GO FOR IT ON FOURTH AND 4. >> FOURTH DOWN AND 4 AT THE 34-YARD LINE. YOU FIGURE THE HOLD IS 7 YARDS BEHIND THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. THAT WOULD BE THE 41-YARD LINE. ADD THE END ZONE -- A 51-YARD FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT. NOW, DEL GRECO HAS HIT FROM 54, BUT THEY HAD THAT PROBLEM, YOU MENTIONED, EARLIER. SO THEY WILL GO FOR IT. FOURTH DOWN AND 4. [ CROWD CHEERING ] IT'S THERE! SLAUGHTER TO THE 16-YARD LINE! AND CREDIT THAT OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE HOUSTON OILERS. THEY GAVE WARREN MOON ALL KINDS OF TIME! >> AND NOT JUST THE OFFENSIVE LINE OF THE OILERS, CHARLIE, BUT THE SAVVY AND POISE OF WARREN MOON TO HANG IN THERE. A YOUNGER QUARTERBACK STARTS TO SCRAMBLE OUT, BUT NOT WARREN MOON. TAKE A LOOK AS HE HANGS IN THE POCKET AND WAITS AND WAITS AND WAITS. LOOK AT THE PROTECTION HE GETS. FINALLY SLAUGHTER GETS OPEN OVER THE COVERAGE OF THE LINEBACKERS, UNDERNEATH THE SAFETIES. GREAT JOB BY WARREN MOON AND THAT OFFENSIVE LINE. >> FOURTH AND 4. THEY PICK UP 18 YARDS, TO THE BUFFALO 16. FIRST DOWN. ONE MINUTE LEFT, REGULATION PLAY. MOON AGAIN WITH -- HE'S THROWING THIS ONE AWAY. CURTIS DUNCAN, THE CLOSEST RECEIVER. YOU COULD TELL WHEN WARREN COCKED THE BALL -- THERE WAS NO QUESTION. HE WANTED TO PUT IT UP IN THE STANDS. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN. >> CHARLIE, KEVIN GILBRIDE HERE HAS TO THINK ABOUT RUNNING THE FOOTBALL. THEY HAVE THREE TIME-OUTS REMAINING AND 52 SECONDS. IF THEY CALL A DRAW PLAY OR GO OFF-TACKLE, I THINK THAT WOULD TOTALLY SURPRISE THE BILLS. AND THEY COULD UTILIZE THEIR TIME-OUTS RIGHT AWAY AND PRESERVE THE CLOCK. THIS IS NOT A TOTAL PASSING MODE HERE FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS, AND KEVIN GILBRIDE HAS TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. >> I'M NOT SURE THEY WANT TO PRESERVE THE CLOCK. LET THE CLOCK RUN DOWN. >> BUT WITH 52 SECONDS LEFT AND THREE TIME-OUTS, YOU HAVE THE LUXURY OF DOING THAT. >> SECOND DOWN. HERE'S THE DRAW, JUST AS YOU SUGGESTED. HERE IS WHITE. HE'LL GO TO THE 11-YARD LINE. HE PICKS UP 5. IT'S THIRD DOWN AND 5 AT THE 11-YARD LINE. >> AND WARREN GOES RIGHT TO THE OFFICIAL AND CALLS TIME-OUT. GOOD CALL BY KEVIN GILBRIDE. >> WE'LL STEP ASIDE FOR JUST A MOMENT. BUFFALO LEADS BY 3. IT IS THIRD DOWN AND 5. THE BALL AT THE 11-YARD LINE. 43 SECONDS LEFT IN THE BALLGAME. NOW LET'S GO BACK IN TIME. THE GAME WOULD HAVE BEEN TIED AT THIS POINT, EXCEPT -- POSSIBLY TIED. THIS WAS THE SNAP ON THE ATTEMPT. >> WELL, GREG MONTGOMERY, HE JUST BOTCHES IT. AL DEL GRECO, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, IN TWO CRUCIAL GAMES -- AGAINST THE MIAMI DOLPHINS A MISSED FIELD GOAL, PITTSBURGH, AT THE END OF REGULATION, HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT. THIS IS NOT AUTOMATIC BY ANY STRETCH. THE OILERS WANT TO GET A TOUCHDOWN IN REGULATION. >> THIRD DOWN AND 5. THE BALL AT THE 11-YARD LINE. YOU THROW TO THE END ZONE HERE? >> NO. I LIKE THE DRAW PLAY AGAIN. THE REASON I LIKE THE DRAW PLAY -- IT WOULD BE TOTAL SURPRISE IF THEY WENT WITH THE DRAW PLAY THIRD AND 5. EVEN IF THEY GET THE FIRST DOWN AND THEY TACKLE HIM ON THE FIELD OF PLAY, THEY CAN USE THE TIME-OUT. >> I LIKE THE FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT HERE ON THIRD DOWN IN CASE YOU BOBBLE THE SNAP. THEN YOU'VE GOT A SECOND CHANCE AT IT. >> NOT WITH 43 SECONDS LEFT. >> MOON. SLIDES AWAY FROM A WOULD-BE TACKLER AND GOES TO THE 9-YARD LINE. DON'T FORGET THE OLD SPICE NFL REPORT, THE POSTGAME REPORT THAT WE WILL HAVE AFTER THE EXCITEMENT IS FINALLY CONCLUDED HERE. WE'LL TAKE THE COUNTDOWN. HERE IS THE FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT. THIS IS FOR THE TIE, TO TAKE US INTO OVERTIME. >> YOU SEE JACK PARDEE RIGHT THERE LOOKING AT THE CLOCK. I DON'T KNOW WHY LEVY'S SIGNALING FOR A TIME-OUT. IF I'M HIM, I JUST PUT ALL THE PRESSURE ON THE KICKER RIGHT HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS THINKING IS HERE, BECAUSE IF HE MAKES THE KICK, HE'S ONLY GONNA HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT ANYWAY. LET IT RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN. PUT ALL THE PRESSURE. CHARLIE, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT PITTSBURGH DID. I REMEMBER READING AN ACCOUNT LATER THAT BILL COWHER WAS COMMISERATING WITH THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR, RON ERHARDT, AND HE SAID, "HE'S NOT GONNA MAKE IT." AND THEY PUT IT ALL DOWN TO 3 SECONDS. AL DEL GRECO HAS TO BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE PAST KICKS NOW. >> AND DON'T FORGET, AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACE OF THIS YOUNG MAN WHO CAN TAKE US INTO OVERTIME, THAT WE WILL HAVE THE OLD SPICE NFL LIVE POSTGAME REPORT WITH BOB, WILL, O.J., AND BOOMER. AND TODD. AND MAYBE CHARLIE. >> YEAH. EXACTLY. I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, IT'S NOT JUST AL DEL GRECO, BUT GREG MONTGOMERY. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN PRACTICE AND YOU HAVE ALL THOSE REPETITIONS -- HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS THAT ARE ALWAYS JUST RIGHT. AND FINALLY IN A PLAYOFF GAME, YOU GET YOUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY. THE BALL SLIPS THROUGH YOUR HANDS. THAT MAN RIGHT THERE, GREG MONTGOMERY -- IT HAS TO BE GOING THROUGH HIS HEAD WHY HE DROPPED THAT LAST ONE. THAT COULD BE PLAYING ON HIM A LITTLE BIT. >> AND IT ALL STARTS WITH BRUCE MATTHEWS, THE PRO BOWLER, WHO WILL SNAP. 26 YARDS FOR THE TIE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] AND IT IS GOOD FROM 26 YARDS AWAY. AND WITH 12 SECONDS LEFT IN REGULATION, WE ARE TIED, 38-38. >> MAN, I TELL YOU, IF IT WAS 20 BELOW, I WOULDN'T CARE. THIS IS SOME KIND OF GAME. >> [ LAUGHS ] >> THIS IS GREAT! THIS IS GREAT! FORGET IT. I DON'T CARE IF I'M A HYPE MONSTER. TAKE A LOOK AT MONTGOMERY. SURE OF THE CATCH. McKELLER TRIES TO GO UP, BUT THAT'S MONEY. DEL GRECO'S GOT TO FEEL AWFULLY GOOD WITH HIMSELF CONSIDERING ALL THE MISSES HE'S HAD EARLIER IN THE REGULAR SEASON. THAT ONE RIGHT NOW IS REDEEMING. >> AND SO THE BALLGAME TIED, 38-38. AND IN CASE YOU JOINED US LATE IN THE SECOND HALF, YOU HAVE MISSED ONE OF THE GREAT COMEBACKS IN NFL HISTORY, AS HOUSTON, JUST OVER 13 MINUTES TO GO IN THE THIRD QUARTER, LED 35-3 AFTER DOMINATING THE FIRST HALF, 28-3. AND THEN HERE CAME THE BUFFALO BILLS, LED BY NUMBER 14, FRANK REICH. BOY, WHAT A COMEBACK. >> THIS IS ONE FOR THE AGES. I'M TELLING YOU. >> REICH WITH FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASSES, ALL IN THE SECOND HALF. I'M IGNORING THAT STATEMENT. >> YOU DON'T AGREE? >> OH, I DO AGREE. >> [ LAUGHS ] >> I WISH THAT<i> I</i> WOULD HAVE SAID THAT. >> YEAH. EXACTLY. [ BOTH LAUGH ] BOY, OH, BOY. >> 38-38. 12 SECONDS LEFT TO GO IN REGULATION. NOW, POINT -- IF THE BALL GOES INTO THE END ZONE WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED IN THE FIELD OF PLAY, THERE'S NO TIME OFF THE CLOCK, AND THEY BRING IT OUT TO THE 20. YOU'LL STILL HAVE 12 SECONDS LEFT. PROBABLY WON'T MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE, BUT IF YOU'RE WONDERING AT HOME, THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN. DON'T THEY WANT TO SQUIB IT DOWN THE MIDDLE, MAKE THEM TOUCH IT, RUN SOME TIME OFF THE CLOCK? >> I'M REMINDED, CHARLIE, OF THE PHILOSOPHER WHO SAID THAT THE PURPOSE OF LIFE WAS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR EMOTIONAL INCOME. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. WE HAVE RUN THE GAMUT TODAY. >> DAVIS WILL FALL ON IT AT THE 7-YARD LINE. AND WE HAVE 9 SECONDS LEFT IN REGULATION. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FACTORS HERE -- WHO'S GONNA WIN THE TOSS? WHICH WAY DO YOU GO? THE WIND, IT SEEMS TO ME, HAS NOT BEEN AS BIG A FACTOR IN THE SECOND HALF AS IN THE FIRST. >> I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN A FACTOR AT ALL. I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. FIRST THINGS FIRST. BUFFALO JUST TO FALL ON THE BALL HERE, RUN OUT THE CLOCK, GO INTO OVERTIME. >> THEY'D BETTER DO THAT AS OPPOSED TO HAND OFF. EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THE MIRACLE AT THE MEADOWLANDS. THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT HERE. >> AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] AND SO WE'LL NOW TAKE THE COUNTDOWN TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL. WE ARE TIED, 38-38. WE ARE HEADED FOR OVERTIME. AND NOW PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT CALL OF THE DAY -- HEADS OR TAILS. >> ISN'T IT AMAZING? YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, CHARLIE. WE'VE GONE 60 MINUTES -- 60 FABULOUS MINUTES. TWO VERY DIFFERENT FOOTBALL GAMES IN A FIRST AND SECOND HALF. AND WHAT HAPPENS? IN A LOT OF CASES NOW IT COULD COME DOWN TO THE SERENDIPITY OF HEADS OR TAILS. >> WE WILL STAY HERE FOR THE TOSS OF THE COIN. AND AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, SINCE WE ARE IN POSTSEASON PLAY, WE STAY HERE TILL WE HAVE A WINNER. >> THERE'LL BE A COIN TOSS. IT'S THE SAME AS STARTING A NEW BALLGAME. WE'LL PLAY UNTIL ONE TEAM SCORES. >> SUDDEN DEATH -- ONE TEAM SCORES IN ANY FASHION. AND WE STAY HERE UNTIL THAT HAPPENS. >> I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE REACTION OF BOTH SIDES HERE IN TERMS OF WHICH WAY THE COIN GOES, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT, HEADS OR TAILS -- I BELIEVE THAT'S CHARLES JACKSON OF NFL SECURITY OUT THERE, ISN'T IT? >> I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. >> HE'S GOT A NICE COAT. THIS IS BIG. ESPECIALLY THE WAY BOTH QUARTERBACKS HAVE BEEN. >> PLEASE CALL IT WHILE IT'S IN THE AIR. >> TAILS. >> TAILS. IT IS A TAIL. >> IT'S A TAIL. >> WE'LL DEFEND THIS END AGAIN. >> OKAY. HOUSTON WINS THE TOSS. THEY WILL RECEIVE. >> YOU CAN SEE OVER THERE ON THE SIDELINES, WHEN THEY FOUND THAT OUT, THEY JUMPED UP AND DOWN. >> 38-38. BUFFALO COMING FROM 32 POINTS BEHIND. HOUSTON WINS THE TOSS FOR OVERTIME. THE CALL WAS TAILS. THROUGH THE END ZONE. OILERS WILL START AT THE 20-YARD LINE. >> AS A SPECIAL-TEAMS CAPTAIN FOR THE RAIDERS, CHARLIE, I ALWAYS MADE IT A POINT TO CALL TAILS, BUT I ALWAYS LOST. AND I THINK THAT HOUSTON HERE DEFINITELY HAS THE ADVANTAGE, PARTICULARLY IN THE WAY WARREN MOON LED THE TEAM DOWN LAST TIME. >> AND IN OVERTIME THIS SEASON, HOUSTON'S RECORD IS 1-0. THAT WAS AGAINST KANSAS CITY. BUFFALO'S RECORD IS 0-1, AT INDIANAPOLIS. HOUSTON, A FIRST DOWN AT THEIR OWN 20-YARD LINE. LED BY THIS MAN, WARREN MOON. >> WARREN MOON IS GONNA HAVE TO BEAT 12 PEOPLE, BECAUSE I GUARANTEE THAT DURING THIS DRIVE, THE CROWD'S GONNA GET VERY MUCH INTO IT. >> IN REGULATION, WARREN MOON THREW FOR 364 YARDS. SIGNIFYING THE 12th MAN FOR BUFFALO. MOON HIT 34 OF 47. HE THREW FOR FOUR TOUCHDOWNS. REICH THREW FOR FOUR TOUCHDOWNS. WE START FROM SCRATCH. WE ARE TIED. WE START OVERTIME. MOON DROPS IT OFF UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE. CURTIS DUNCAN AT THE 24-YARD LINE. JAMES WILLIAMS MAKES THE TACKLE. IT'LL BE SECOND DOWN AND 6. >> TIME IS NOT A FACTOR HERE. BECAUSE IT IS SUDDEN DEATH, THE THING IS GONNA GO FOREVER. SO CURTIS DUNCAN NOT IN A HURRY TO GET OUT OF BOUNDS. JUST GETS DOWN WITH A 4-YARD GAIN. >> SECOND DOWN AND 6. [ CROWD CHEERING ] GIVINS COMES ACROSS IN MOTION. MOON AGAIN UNDERNEATH THE COVERAGE. AND AGAIN IT IS DUNCAN. JAMES WILLIAMS IS THERE. IT'LL BE THIRD DOWN. >> WELL, GETTING DUNCAN THE BALL IS ALL WELL AND GOOD. BUT STILL, THAT'S GONNA SET THEM UP THIRD AND 3. DUNCAN ONCE AGAIN WITH JUST A LITTLE SHOT UNDERNEATH. THERE'S THAT SWIRL ROUTE -- IN AND THEN OUT AGAIN. JAMES WILLIAMS COMES UP TO FORCE HIM OUT OF BOUNDS AND FORCE A THIRD DOWN. >> YOU COME TO A GAME LIKE THIS, THERE ARE SO MANY BIG PLAYS. HERE IS STILL ONE MORE FOR THE HOUSTON OILERS. [ CROWD CHEERING ] MOON NEEDS 3 YARDS. HAS THE TIME. THROWS. IT IS INTERCEPTED! BUFFALO HAS THE BALL! NATE ODOMES! AT THE 35-YARD LINE. FLAGS ARE DOWN. THERE'S A WRESTLING MATCH AT THE 40-YARD LINE. [ CROWD BOOING ] ERNEST GIVINS, ON RUNNING HIS ROUTE TO THE OUTSIDE, COULD NOT GET TO THE BALL. ODOMES PICKS IT OFF. >> CHARLIE, IT WAS A SWIRL ROUTE THAT WARREN MOON WAS WAITING FOR HIM TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF AND GET TO THE OUTSIDE. >> AT THE END OF THE RUN, WE HAVE A PERSONAL FOUL. TACKLING BY THE FACE MASK. FROM THE END OF THE RUN. FIRST DOWN. [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> WARREN MOON CERTAINLY HAD PLENTY OF TIME. HAYWOOD JEFFIRES CUTTING UPFIELD. THAT'S NOT WHO'S GONNA END UP GETTING THE BALL. HE COMES BACK, AND HE'S OPEN, BUT THE BALL COMES OVER HIM, AND ODOMES HAS THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO BE PAYING ATTENTION. THE BALL'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO HIM. MOON IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO THROW UNDERNEATH, RIGHT THERE, TO GIVINS. AND GIVINS WAS ABSOLUTELY MANHANDLED, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH IT. DARRYL TALLEY HELD GIVINS AND GOT AWAY WITH IT. ODOMES COMES UP WITH THE INTERCEPTION. AND NOW IT'S A 15-YARD FACE MASK, AND BUFFALO IS GONNA SET UP SHOP AT THE 20-YARD LINE. >> SO BUFFALO WITH A FIRST DOWN AT THE HOUSTON 20-YARD LINE. [ CROWD CHEERING ] NATE ODOMES TOLD US THAT THIS WEEK, THE BUFFALO BILLS PRACTICED OUTDOORS. RAIN, SLEET, SNOW, COLD -- HE SAID, "IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. WE HAD TO GET READY FOR THIS GAME. WE WANTED TO GET READY OUTDOORS." THEY DID NOT GO INSIDE THE BUBBLE. FIRST DOWN. 20-YARD LINE OF HOUSTON. >> THIS IS VERY INTERESTING. HOW CLOSE DO THEY HAVE TO GET? RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT A 37-YARDER. >> DAVIS TO THE 19-YARD LINE. SECOND AND 9. >> WARREN MOON IS LOOKING AT GIVINS THE WHOLE WAY. WATCH WHEN GIVINS COMES DOWN. HE'S NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF FROM THE LINEBACKER -- IN THIS CASE, DARRYL TALLEY. TAKE A LOOK AS HE COMES UPFIELD. NOW, WATCH TALLEY AS HE GETS AHOLD OF HIM. LOOK AT HIM. HE'S ALL OVER HIM. HE'S HOLDING HIM, PRACTICALLY TACKLING HIM. AND THAT'S WHAT WARREN IS WAITING ON, BUT THE OFFICIAL DIDN'T SEE IT. AND IF YOU GET AWAY WITH IT, IT'S A GOOD PLAY. >> IT WAS NOT CALLED. THE INTERCEPTION BY NATE ODOMES. BUFFALO HAS THE BALL AT THE 19-YARD LINE OF HOUSTON. IT IS SECOND DOWN AND 9. STEVE CHRISTIE. HE HAS HIT FROM 54 YARDS AWAY. THE BILLS JUST TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE AS THEY CAN. KENNETH DAVIS AGAIN. AND NOW ON THIRD DOWN, IN CASE THERE'S A MISCUE ON THE SNAP, THEY WILL GO FOR THE FIELD GOAL ON THIRD DOWN. THIS IS FOR THE WIN. THIS IS TO ADVANCE IN THE PLAYOFFS TO PITTSBURGH. IT WILL BE A 31-YARD FIELD-GOAL ATTEMPT. [ WHISTLE BLOWS ] ADAM LINGNER WILL SNAP. AND HOUSTON WILL TAKE A TIME-OUT TO TRY AND ICE THE KICKER, STEVE CHRISTIE. DOES THIS REALLY HAVE AN EFFECT ON A GOOD KICKER? >> I DON'T THINK SO, NO. ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY WHO KICKED 80% DURING THE SEASON -- 24 FOR 30. HE WAS AN OUTSTANDING ACQUISITION FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS IN PLAN B FROM TAMPA BAY. 115 POINTS, A CAREER RECORD FOR HIM. >> OF ALL OF THE KICKS IN ALL OF THE CITIES, THIS IS THE ONE THAT COUNTS. >> I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY, YOU FIGURE THAT THIS IS ABOUT A 30-, 31-YARD KICK, IT SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER, AND EVERYBODY'S SMILING ON THE SIDELINES. STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, SO, UNTIL IT'S KICKED, YOU KNOW, DON'T PUT THE POINTS UP ON THE BOARD. >> BUT AGAIN, REMEMBER -- IT IS THIRD DOWN. IN CASE THERE IS A BAD SNAP -- FRANK REICH, THE HOLDER, IF HE CAN'T, THEN HE SHOULD JUST DOWN THE BALL IMMEDIATELY. THEY'LL LOSE THAT YARDAGE, AND THEY HAVE ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY. THEY'RE GONNA SET IT AT THE 22. AN ATTEMPT OF 32 YARDS FOR THE WIN. >> ONLY 50% THIS SEASON FROM BETWEEN 30 AND 40, AS YOU SAW. >> IT IS RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE! [ CROWD CHEERING ] >> AS YOU SAID, CHARLIE, RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE NFL. AND WE WERE THERE. >> AND THE CELEBRATION BEGINS IN BUFFALO. >> AND THE REACTION ON THE OTHER SIDE, CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT. UP 35-3. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY? GOOD CATCH THERE BY REICH. >> AND AGAIN, AS WE HAVE MENTIONED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, YOU ARE WITNESSING THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. DOWN 32 POINTS WITH 13:19 LEFT TO GO IN THE THIRD, AND THE BUFFALO BILLS HAVE ENGINEERED AN UNBELIEVABLE WILD-CARD COME-FROM-BEHIND RECORD-SETTING WILD-CARD PLAYOFF VICTORY HERE AT RICH STADIUM. >> A WILD, WILD, WILD WILD-CARD PLAYOFF VICTORY.
1- The onside kick is hilarious because both announcers see it coming but the Oilers don't
2- On the drive after the onside kick, Bebee gets bailed out on a fumble by the ref. Also on the TD he was out, guess that was the rule then. If there was instant replay back then this comeback never would have happened.
3- The crowd was huge. Even before the onside kick you can hear the excitement of the crowd. But after the onside kick and touchdown the crowd was just electric. Really felt like the Bills were going to win when the score was 35-17.
4- The announcers really wanted the Bills to kick a field goal on 4th and 4 down 11, but i think the math checks out bc you couldn't go for 2 back then. Also they score a TD so lol.
5- There was no Jim Kelly, no Thurman Thomas in this game.
6- Just finished the 3rd quarter, the Bills should have won this game by 20.
7- Man, the Bills had the lead in regulation and let the Oilers get really close. Man if they had more time the probably would have scored a TD and that would have sucked.
8- Man, the Oilers won the toss in OT, if they kicked a FG that would have sucked.
9- Is Steve Christie the greatest kick of all time or what?
10, and most importantly...FUCK THE PATRIOTS.
This game had a television blackout, so like most of us, I had to listen to it on the radio.
I am bias being a Bills fan, but you also have to take the stage into consideration, down 25 in the Super Bowl is insane, granted Atlanta stayed in the locker room after half time
Idk that comeback was crazy and than overtime. Insane
The New England Patriots can't even leave you with that...
There was no two-point conversion in 1992 (NFL adopted it in 1994). The Pats had two of those last night and they won the OT coin toss while the Bills lost theirs.
Disappointing that this video omits the halftime show and sideline reporting. I have it on DVD and it's always a shock when OJ suddenly appears.
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I've been a Bills fan since 2009 (long story why)
I am 24 years old. I just sat and watched this game start to finish. (first ever game with this Bills qb too)
All i can say is, wow. Just wow!