i was 12 at the time. 2 days from my birthday. the game wasnt even on tv. i lisend to the first half and gave up. my mom came home and said the bills are comming back and could win. she said all th bars were full from fans that left the game and were heading home and then heard that the game had changed. now bars that had satlite dishes were able to show the game. so alot of people watched the game there and not at home. late in the third the bars realy got packed with fans and hopes of a great comeback.
if anyone doesnt understand buffalo, the bills at the time and still a little now, mean everything to buffaloians. the bills are the pride of buffalo. not just as a team, but as a team that played to give respect to down and out people. to people who needed a reason to be happy. this game made the entire population of buffalo beleive they all could overcome anything.
some teams have more fans than buffalo but no team ever had the hearts of a city like buffalo did on this day. thats why this is the geatest game ever!

THANK YOU BETTY AN DAVE!! I wasn't a season ticket holder at the time. The Bills finished the season on a weak note losing big to the Oilers a couple weeks before. But they made the AFC playoffs and we had a home game to start out. Our dear friends called and asked us to go with them to this game. The game wasn't sold out. I bought tickets three days before the game at a local grocery store. On gameday we dressed up in ZUBAZ pants, jerseys and APEX jackets. We painted our faces and tailgated like Barbarians. After two consecutive appearances in the Superbowl we were going to cheer our Bills back to the BIG DANCE for a third time! We got into the stadium early to watch warm ups. I remember feeling some trepidation knowing Jim Kelly and Cornelius Bennett were injured. Nevertheless I felt reassured seeing both players cheering their team mates on from the sidelines.
The game started and it seemed like the Bills never got out of the lockeroom. I always watch the games through binoculars. I enjoy the war in the trenches and like to key on skilled players. I wanted to key on Bruce Smith. I expected him to dominate and disrupt the Oilers' offense....I was in for a disappointing surprise. Early and to my dismay Bruce Matthews was dominating on the Houstons' O line. He played a great game.
I have seen over 200 NFL games in the "Ralph", (Rich Stadium then). I've seen Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Dan Marino, Brett Farve and (of coarse) Jim Kelly play. But I have never seen a quarterback a play better half of football than Warren Moon did the first half of this game. Warren's command of the offense, laser tight passes and precision was awesome. His performance that first half was absolutely flawless....I'll tell you although a RABID BILLS FAN I marvelled at this man's ability. Furthermore, my favorite Bill, Thurman Thomas got nicked up and couldn't play. He was replaced by Kenneth Davis, a good back but no "Thermanator"..... Down 28-3 at half time I remember consoling myself at half time in that I had seen a special performance by Houston, especially by Warren Moon. Prospects of winning the game were bleak.
Early in the third quarter when Houston intercepted a Frank Reich pass and returned it for a touchdown I thought the Bills' season was over. I was hyper-critical of the team's performance. I told my wife Bev I felt like leaving the Stadium. Forever the optimist she convinced me to stay and enjoy the game whatever outcome. Funny, Dave felt like me but his wife Betty also felt like Bev.....we weren't leaving.
Then increduously the game began to change.
After the first Buffalo touchdown the fans cheered but it was nothing like I've experienced so many times when they celebrate. I did notice however Jim Kelly and Cornelius Bennett running out to the field to congratulate the offense.
Then there was another touchdown AND ANOTHER......THE WHOLE TEAM contributed. Special teams with recoveries of on side kicks, (Steve Christie...the kicker). The defense...interceptions, (Henry Jones and Nate Odoms) and the incredible performance Frank Reich and ANDRE REED gave......(to the HOF voters if you have questions as to whether Andre Reed belongs in the HOF.....watch this video!). I must also mention the great runs off the right side Kenneth Davis made. He ran like a bull through the Oilers' defense in the second half.
You could see the Oilers' were dazed and confused. I remember looking at their players sitting on the sidelines through my binoculars. They looked like they just couldn't believe how the momentum had changed and looked helpless about what to do about it.
The fans were in a frenzy, "FANDIMONIUM" as Van Miller phrases it. By the way, Van Miller is a great announcer.....listen to the play by play in this video by Van. He called Bills games week in and out many years this way, (always upbeat with emotion and a knack for spontaneous phrases). I think he is one of the great sports radio announcer's of all time.....surely miss the likes of him nowadays. The fans are at a fever pitch, the Bills' turned the tables on the Oilers' in the third quarter.
Fourth quarter, the Bills have the ball.. Everyone could sense something special was unfolding. Emotions running high the fans' still had the presence to quiet down so the offense can communicate on field.....the Bills once down 35-3 are still behind after a furious comeback.....35-31.....until Frank Reich calls a pass and throws a dart to Andre Reed for a TD......the Bills' take the lead! Through my binocularI watched Cornelius Bennett on the sideline feinting a heart-attack as the offense came off the field. The Stadium was rocking....it was deafining. My wife, jumping up and down, pushed me and yelled....."You still want to leave?". I remember thinking there were still a few minutes left on the clock, I told Bev "Don't count your chickens before they hatch!".
Sure enough, Houston receives the ball and proceeds down the field. I'm thinking they righted the ship and will score to win the game. Warren Moon began to run the offense again with the crispness I saw in the first half. However the Bills' defense stiffened up. The Oilers' settled for a game tying field goal. 38-38 end of regulation.
The Oilers won the coin toss for overtime. I said to myself.....nice tease Buffalo....Houston can still win it.....Houston will probably win it......my heart was pounding......I didn't want to commit my emotions too deep only to be disappointed.
The Bills' defense created yet another turnover deep in the Oilers' end of the field!! The Bills' have the ball!!! For the first time all afternoon I felt the Bills' would win this game!!! I said to myself, please....hold onto the ball....get position in the center of the field. Two runs.....third down.....Marv Levy sends the special teams onto the field....Snap, kick...Steve Christie boots the ball through the uprights.....Bills WIN 38-35. Hugs and high fives all around !!!
I have never witnessed pure joy as the fans displayed that day leaving the Stadium. Although the great Bills' teams of those day never won a Super Bowl .....that team exemplified a no quit attitude. They gave me a personal lesson that if you want to suceed you never give up regardless of the circumstances. On that merit alone this game deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest NFL football games of all time.

If I recall, the bills lost 4 superbowls in consecutive years, this game led them to their 3rd loss, and then the next year they had their 4th loss.