Welcome to Classic Bills Video of the Week. Each week, I’m going to pull a classic Bills video off Youtube and give you my thoughts as I watch it.
Today, we’re checking out a game from 1990 – the first year in Buffalo’s run of four straight AFC titles. In this contest, the Bills trail the Denver Broncos 21-9 in the fourth quarter, and Broncos kicker David Treadwell is lining up for a chip shot field goal. Then…the fun starts.
My thoughts after the jump.
0:04: How the hell do the Broncos have NO ONE blocking Nate Odomes? He comes in completely untouched to block the kick. Cornelius Bennett picks up the ball and runs it back all the way for a touchdown.
I don’t know many people remember, but Bennett was really good for quite a while. 1,190 tackles, 71.5 sacks, 7 INTs…that’s a pretty solid career.
0:08: Treadwell “diving” to try to tackle Bennett while at least 10 yards away from him is among the funnier things I’ve seen in a while. I think he just fell over…while running with no one around him.
1:15: Roughing the kicker on an extra point? That’s smart.
1:40: Almost right after the kickoff, a tipped pass from John Elway is picked off by Leonard Smith and returned for a touchdown. I can’t tell if this is an awesome play by the defensive lineman who tipped it or just an awful play by Elway.
1:52: Does the Buffalo crowd still get this loud? I don’t know. Hopefully the team gives them a reason to do so again sometime in the near future.
2:05: There’s some UGLY hats being worn by this crowd.
2:30: Holy crap…look that that outfit Broncos coach Dan Reeves is wearing. Just freaking hideous. Two-tone ugly sweater with light blue pants. The early 90’s might be the worst fashion period in history.
2:35: After getting a roughing the kicker on the last extra point, the Broncos don’t even bother to rush this one…and Scott Norwood misses it anyway.
2:55: The Broncos somehow get backed up to their own five-yard line, and then John Elway fumbles the snap for no reason. Bennett recovers for the Bills on the 2-yard line. Not exactly a virtuoso performance by Elway in this quarter.
3:50: Kenneth Davis scores easily for the Bills, giving the Bills three touchdowns in just 77 seconds of game time. Amazing. The Bills now hold a 29-21 lead. (This was before two-point conversions, so it’s a two-score game.) Gotta feel bad for the Broncos defense, which is responsible for exactly zero of the 21 points scored by the Bills in that run.
And that’s really it for highlights. The Broncos score again late to pull within one, but the Bills hold on for a 29-28 win. Pretty awesome game, although it’s sort of been forgotten among other classic Bills contests.