Today’s NFL flashback features a key meeting between the Bills and Titans, or more accurately Bills and Oilers. No, it’s not The Comeback. This one is from an earlier playoff meeting, and is significant because it was the first postseason win for Buffalo during the Jim Kelly/Thurman Thomas/Marv Levy era.
On January 1, 1989 the two teams met at Rich Stadium in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. After a scoreless first quarter Buffalo struck first with a 1-yard TD run by Robb Riddick. Houston answered with a Tony Zendejas field goal, but in the third the Bills got what turned out to be the winning score on an 11-yard Thurman Thomas TD run.
Mike Rozier rushed for a Houston touchdown in the fourth quarter to make the score 17-10 but that was it for the scoring. With the victory Buffalo had its first playoff win since 1981 and advanced to the AFC Championship to face the Bengals.
Jim Kelly and Houston’s Warren Moon turned in very similar games at QB — Kelly threw for 244 yards and 1 interception while Moon 240 yards and an interception. Thurman Thomas led all rushers with 75 yards; Houston’s Alonzo Highsmith ran for 57 yards.
