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Throwback Thursday: Late Christie FG puts Bills past Jets (2000)

By Cam Boon

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Welcome to Throwback Thursday! Each week, we’ll preview the upcoming week’s game by taking a look back (sometimes WAY back) at a game either of relevance to the week, or something that happened to the day. Hope you enjoy, as we throw it back to Oct. 29, 2000:

Steve Christie made three of his four field goal attempts, including the game-winning 34-yarder as time expired, and the Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets 23-20 in a game filled with Buffalo’s defense.

The unit forced four turnovers, including two Vinny Testaverde interceptions and a fumble by both him and Curtis Martin. Testaverde had a nightmare stretch towards the end of the second quarter, much like EJ Manuel‘s this past week in London.

Testaverde threw two interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown by Henry Jones, and fumbled in three straight possessions late in the half. The latter, a strip-sack by Sam Rogers, turned away possible points as the Jets were down to the Buffalo 10-yard line.

Other than that horrid stretch, Testaverde played well. He completed 28 of his 38 passes for 293 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The first touchdown tied the game at seven late in the first quarter when he found Fred Baxter from 12 yards out. The second was of the 10-yard variety to Wayne Cherbet late in the third quarter. This also knotted the game, but this time at 17 apiece.

It was all field goals in the fourth, however. Christie gave the Bills the lead with a 29-yard kick with 6:14 to go, after previously having a kick blocked in the fourth. Buffalo took advantage of the field position gained from Martin’s fumble, giving them the ball at their own 47 yard line.

After one play, the Bills were down to the one-yard line but a touchdown was negated on an offensive pass interference by Eric Moulds.

Testaverde’s Jets responded. The quarterback led his team 56 yards down the field in nine plays, leading to a John Hall 36-yard field goal. His green and white would never see the ball again.

Doug Flutie led the final charge, going 57 yards in 11 plays before Christie’s final kick put the dagger in New York.

This would be the start of a four-game winning streak for Buffalo, who at the end of it would catapult their record to 7-4. But, in classic Bills fashion, they would then encounter a four-game losing streak, sending their record to 7-8 and beginning their playoff drought which continues to this day.

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