1990 Buffalo Bills season
Encyclopedia
The 1990
Buffalo Bills
season was the 31st season for the team in the National Football League
. The Buffalo Bills finished the National Football League
's 1990 season with a record of 13 wins and 3 losses, and finished first in the AFC
East
division. The Bills were 8–0 at home for the second time in their franchise history. On the road, the Bills were 5–3. The Bills qualified for their first Super Bowl
appearance.
The season was chronicled on October 2, 2008 for America's Game: The Missing Rings, as one of the five greatest NFL teams to never win the Super Bowl.
to 13 of 31 completions for 150 yards and intercepting him 5 times, while also holding running back Marcus Allen
to just 26 yards on 10 carries. The Raiders offense clearly missed running back Bo Jackson, who suffered what would turn out to be a career ending injury the week before in a win against the Cincinnati Bengals. On offense, the Bills amassed 502 total yards, including 202 yards on the ground. Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 138 and a touchdown while also catching 5 passes for 61 yards, while running back Kenneth Davis tied an AFC playoff record with 3 rushing touchdowns. Buffalo also set an NFL playoff record by scoring 41 points in the first half. Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw for 300 yards and two touchdown passes to wide receiver James Lofton
, who finished the game with 5 receptions for 113 yards. Thomas recorded a 12-yard touchdown run, while Davis scored from 1 yard, 3 yards, and 1 yard out. Linebacker Darryl Talley
returned one of his two interceptions 27 yards for a touchdown.
rollouts, bootlegs, and play-action fakes. As tight end Mark Bavaro
later recalled, "[w]e came out with three tight ends, fat slobs picking you up and moving you and letting you tackle O.J., if you could." This enabled them to take time off the clock and limit Buffalo's possessions. The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with 40 minutes, 33 seconds, including 22 minutes in the second half. On defense, New York wanted to be physical with Buffalo's wideouts, and play with extra defensive backs to concentrate on stopping the Bills passing game, while conceding the running game.
The contrast in strategies was evident during the first period. After forcing the Bills to punt on the opening drive of the game, the Giants consumed 6:15 off the clock by marching 58 yards in 10 plays to score on a 28-yard field goal from Matt Bahr
. In that drive, New York ran five rushing plays and five passing plays. But the Bills struck right back on their ensuing possession with a five-play, 66-yard drive that took 1:23 off the clock, including a tipped 61-yard completion from quarterback Jim Kelly
to receiver James Lofton
that set up Scott Norwood
's 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 3–3.
After forcing the Giants to punt on their ensuing possession, the Bills' offensive strategy started to work to perfection. Kelly led the Bills on a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive that consumed 4:27 and moved the ball so effectively that the team never faced a third down. Kelly completed six consecutive passes (four to Andre Reed
) for 62 yards, and running back Don Smith
capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run to give Buffalo a 10–3 lead. Smith's 1-yard touchdown run was his only carry of the game and the last carry of his career. Reed's 5 first quarter receptions were a Super Bowl record.
After trading punts, the Giants were pinned at their own 7-yard line. On second down, defensive lineman Bruce Smith sacked quarterback Jeff Hostetler
in the end zone for a safety, increasing the Bills' lead 12–3. On the play, Smith had a chance to force a fumble since Hostetler was holding the football with only his throwing hand. But to his credit, Hostetler held the ball away from Smith, helping to ensure that only 2 points would be surrendered.
The Bills started out on their next drive with great field position following the free kick, but were forced to punt after 3 plays. Taking the ball at their own 13-yard line with 3:43 left in the second quarter, the Giants abandoned their long drive strategy and employed a quick strike attack of their own. Hostetler led the Giants 87 yards, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide recieiver Stephen Baker with just 25 seconds left in the half to cut New York's deficit to 12–10.
The Giants then opened the third quarter and resumed their original game strategy by driving 75 yards in 14 plays to score on Ottis Anderson
's one-yard touchdown run, taking their first lead of the game at 17–12. The drive consumed a Super Bowl record nine minutes and 29 seconds, and included four successful third down conversions. The highlight was a 14 yard pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram on 3rd down and 13 yards to go. Ingram caught a short pass and broke five Buffalo tackles to get the first down and keep the drive alive.
After forcing Buffalo to punt on their ensuing possession, New York drove to the Bills' 35-yard line. But on fourth and two, Smith tackled Anderson for a 2-yard loss. Buffalo then took over and stormed down the field, advancing 63 yards in just four plays and scoring on a 31-yard burst from running back Thurman Thomas on the first play of the fourth quarter, regaining the lead at 19–17. Thomas' fourth quarter touchdown run marked 1,000 points scored in Super Bowl history (1,001 with the extra point).
However, before the Bills' defenders had a chance to catch their breath, they found themselves back on the field trying to contain another long Giants drive. This one went for 14 plays and 74 yards, half of which came off passes from Hostetler to tight end Mark Bavaro
, and took another 7:32 off the clock. The Bills managed to halt the drive at their own 3-yard line when linebacker Cornelius Bennett
broke up Hostetler's third down pass, but Bahr kicked his second field goal to give New York a 20–19 lead.
On the Bills' ensuing possession, they could only advance to their own 41-yard line before having to punt, enabling the Giants to take more time off the clock. The Bills finally forced New York to punt and took the ball at their own 10-yard line with 2:16 remaining. Kelly then led them down the field with a mix of scrambles, short passes, and Thomas runs. Buffalo drove to the Giants' 29-yard line, setting up Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds left. However, his kick barely sailed wide right, sealing New York's victory with 4 seconds left.
Note: Rush = Rushing Yards; REC = Receiving Yards
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was the 31st season for the team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The Buffalo Bills finished the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's 1990 season with a record of 13 wins and 3 losses, and finished first in the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
East
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
division. The Bills were 8–0 at home for the second time in their franchise history. On the road, the Bills were 5–3. The Bills qualified for their first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance.
The season was chronicled on October 2, 2008 for America's Game: The Missing Rings, as one of the five greatest NFL teams to never win the Super Bowl.
NFL Draft
| Round | |Pick # | |Position | Fresno State California State University, Fresno California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of... | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 43 | Carwell Gardner Carwell Gardner Carwell Ernest Gardner is a former professional American football fullback in the National Football League. He played eight seasons for the Buffalo Bills , the Baltimore Ravens , and the San Diego Chargers... |
Running Back | Louisville University of Louisville The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General... |
| 3 | 70 | Glenn Parker Glenn Parker Glenn Andrew Parker is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League who played for the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Giants... |
Guard | Arizona University of Arizona The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885... |
| 4 | 101 | Eddie Fuller | Running Back | LSU Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name... |
| 6 | 155 | John Nies | Punter Punter (football position) A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a... |
Arizona |
| 7 | 167 | Brent Griffith | Guard | Minnesota-Duluth |
| 7 | 171 | Brent Collins | Linebacker | Carson-Newman |
| 7 | 182 | Fred DeRiggi | Nose Tackle | Syracuse Syracuse University Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College... |
| 8 | 209 | Marvcus Patton Marvcus Patton Marvcus Raymond Patton is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 8th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 239-lb. linebacker from UCLA, Patton played in 13 NFL seasons from 1990 to 2002 for the Bills, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs... |
Middle Line Backer | UCLA |
| 9 | 239 | Clarkston Hines | Wide Receiver | Duke Duke University Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B... |
| 10 | 266 | Mike Lodish Mike Lodish Michael Timothy Lodish is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the tenth round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 6'3", 270-lb. defensive and nose tackle from UCLA, Lodish played in 11 NFL seasons from 1990-2000 for the Bills and Denver Broncos... |
Defensive Tackle | UCLA |
| 11 | 293 | Al Edwards Al Edwards (American football) Al Edwards is a former American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Northwestern State University.... |
Wide Receiver | Northwestern State, La. |
Regular season
Bruce Smith set a club record with 19 sacks. Smith also had 101 tackles.- September 24, 1990 – Thurman Thomas rushed for 214 yards versus the New York Jets. It was the second highest total in the history of Monday Night Football.
- Bruce Smith had 8 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 hurries in the Bills 30–23 victory over Philadelphia.
- Bruce Smith had 9 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 pressures in the Bills victory over Indianapolis.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 9, 1990 | vs. Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
W 26–10 | 1–0 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 2 | September 16, 1990 | at Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 7–30 | 1–1 | Joe Robbie Stadium | |
| 3 | September 23, 1990 | at New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 30–7 | 2–1 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
|
| 4 | September 30, 1990 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 29–28 | 3–1 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 5 | October 7, 1990 | Los Angeles Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 38–24 | 4–1 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 6 | Bye | |||||
| 7 | October 21, 1990 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 30–27 | 5–1 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 8 | October 28, 1990 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
W 27–10 | 6–1 | Sullivan Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
|
| 9 | November 4, 1990 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 42–0 | 7–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| 10 | November 11, 1990 | Phoenix Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 45–14 | 8–1 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 11 | November 18, 1990 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
W 14–0 | 9–1 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 12 | November 25, 1990 | at Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 27–24 | 9–2 | Houston Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
|
| 13 | December 2, 1990 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 30–23 | 10–2 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 14 | December 9, 1990 | at Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... |
W 31–7 | 11–2 | Hoosier Dome RCA Dome RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons .... |
|
| 15 | December 15, 1990 | at New York Giants New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17–13 | 12–2 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
|
| 16 | December 22, 1990 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 24–14 | 13–2 | Rich Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
|
| 17 | December 30, 1990 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
L 29–14 | 13–3 | RFK Stadium | |
AFC Divisional Playoffs
AFC Championship Game
The Bills shredded the Raiders, limiting quarterback Jay SchroederJay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
to 13 of 31 completions for 150 yards and intercepting him 5 times, while also holding running back Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
to just 26 yards on 10 carries. The Raiders offense clearly missed running back Bo Jackson, who suffered what would turn out to be a career ending injury the week before in a win against the Cincinnati Bengals. On offense, the Bills amassed 502 total yards, including 202 yards on the ground. Running back Thurman Thomas rushed for 138 and a touchdown while also catching 5 passes for 61 yards, while running back Kenneth Davis tied an AFC playoff record with 3 rushing touchdowns. Buffalo also set an NFL playoff record by scoring 41 points in the first half. Bills quarterback Jim Kelly threw for 300 yards and two touchdown passes to wide receiver James Lofton
James Lofton
James David Lofton is a former American football player and coach. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Raiders , the Buffalo Bills...
, who finished the game with 5 receptions for 113 yards. Thomas recorded a 12-yard touchdown run, while Davis scored from 1 yard, 3 yards, and 1 yard out. Linebacker Darryl Talley
Darryl Talley
Darryl Victor Talley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia....
returned one of his two interceptions 27 yards for a touchdown.
Super Bowl XXV
To counteract the Bills' no-huddle offense, the Giants' strategy was to use a power running game utilizing O.J. Anderson, aided by quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
rollouts, bootlegs, and play-action fakes. As tight end Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
later recalled, "[w]e came out with three tight ends, fat slobs picking you up and moving you and letting you tackle O.J., if you could." This enabled them to take time off the clock and limit Buffalo's possessions. The Giants set a Super Bowl record for time of possession with 40 minutes, 33 seconds, including 22 minutes in the second half. On defense, New York wanted to be physical with Buffalo's wideouts, and play with extra defensive backs to concentrate on stopping the Bills passing game, while conceding the running game.
The contrast in strategies was evident during the first period. After forcing the Bills to punt on the opening drive of the game, the Giants consumed 6:15 off the clock by marching 58 yards in 10 plays to score on a 28-yard field goal from Matt Bahr
Matt Bahr
Matthew David Bahr is a former professional American football placekicker in the National Football League. He attended Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania where he excelled in both football and soccer...
. In that drive, New York ran five rushing plays and five passing plays. But the Bills struck right back on their ensuing possession with a five-play, 66-yard drive that took 1:23 off the clock, including a tipped 61-yard completion from quarterback Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
to receiver James Lofton
James Lofton
James David Lofton is a former American football player and coach. He is a former American football coach for the San Diego Chargers but is best known for his years in the National Football League as a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Raiders , the Buffalo Bills...
that set up Scott Norwood
Scott Norwood
Scott Allan Norwood is a former American football placekicker in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills. Norwood was an integral part of its offense during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and kicked in Buffalo's first two Super Bowl appearances...
's 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 3–3.
After forcing the Giants to punt on their ensuing possession, the Bills' offensive strategy started to work to perfection. Kelly led the Bills on a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive that consumed 4:27 and moved the ball so effectively that the team never faced a third down. Kelly completed six consecutive passes (four to Andre Reed
Andre Reed
Andre Darnell Reed is a former professional American football player. He played wide receiver in the National Football League for 16 seasons, 15 with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Washington Redskins .Reed ranks tenth in NFL history in total career receptions with 951.-Football career:Reed...
) for 62 yards, and running back Don Smith
Don Smith (running back)
Donald Michael Smith is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He scored a touchdown in Super Bowl XXV for the Buffalo Bills.-External links:*...
capped it off with a one-yard touchdown run to give Buffalo a 10–3 lead. Smith's 1-yard touchdown run was his only carry of the game and the last carry of his career. Reed's 5 first quarter receptions were a Super Bowl record.
After trading punts, the Giants were pinned at their own 7-yard line. On second down, defensive lineman Bruce Smith sacked quarterback Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
in the end zone for a safety, increasing the Bills' lead 12–3. On the play, Smith had a chance to force a fumble since Hostetler was holding the football with only his throwing hand. But to his credit, Hostetler held the ball away from Smith, helping to ensure that only 2 points would be surrendered.
The Bills started out on their next drive with great field position following the free kick, but were forced to punt after 3 plays. Taking the ball at their own 13-yard line with 3:43 left in the second quarter, the Giants abandoned their long drive strategy and employed a quick strike attack of their own. Hostetler led the Giants 87 yards, scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide recieiver Stephen Baker with just 25 seconds left in the half to cut New York's deficit to 12–10.
The Giants then opened the third quarter and resumed their original game strategy by driving 75 yards in 14 plays to score on Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
's one-yard touchdown run, taking their first lead of the game at 17–12. The drive consumed a Super Bowl record nine minutes and 29 seconds, and included four successful third down conversions. The highlight was a 14 yard pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram on 3rd down and 13 yards to go. Ingram caught a short pass and broke five Buffalo tackles to get the first down and keep the drive alive.
After forcing Buffalo to punt on their ensuing possession, New York drove to the Bills' 35-yard line. But on fourth and two, Smith tackled Anderson for a 2-yard loss. Buffalo then took over and stormed down the field, advancing 63 yards in just four plays and scoring on a 31-yard burst from running back Thurman Thomas on the first play of the fourth quarter, regaining the lead at 19–17. Thomas' fourth quarter touchdown run marked 1,000 points scored in Super Bowl history (1,001 with the extra point).
However, before the Bills' defenders had a chance to catch their breath, they found themselves back on the field trying to contain another long Giants drive. This one went for 14 plays and 74 yards, half of which came off passes from Hostetler to tight end Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
, and took another 7:32 off the clock. The Bills managed to halt the drive at their own 3-yard line when linebacker Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius Bennett
Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000...
broke up Hostetler's third down pass, but Bahr kicked his second field goal to give New York a 20–19 lead.
On the Bills' ensuing possession, they could only advance to their own 41-yard line before having to punt, enabling the Giants to take more time off the clock. The Bills finally forced New York to punt and took the ball at their own 10-yard line with 2:16 remaining. Kelly then led them down the field with a mix of scrambles, short passes, and Thomas runs. Buffalo drove to the Giants' 29-yard line, setting up Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt with eight seconds left. However, his kick barely sailed wide right, sealing New York's victory with 4 seconds left.
Thurman Thomas
Thomas led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage for the second consecutive season. His 1,297 yards led the AFC and was second in the NFL to Barry Sanders. Thomas had at least 100 total yards in 10 of the Bills 16 games. After gaining 219 total yards versus the New York Jets, Thomas was named AFC offensive player of the week.Note: Rush = Rushing Yards; REC = Receiving Yards
| Game | Rush | Rec | Total |
| Indianapolis 1990 Indianapolis Colts season The 1990 Indianapolis Colts season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 7th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1990 season with a record of 7 wins and 9 losses, and finished third in the AFC East division.-NFL... |
84 | 61 | 145 |
| Miami 1990 Miami Dolphins season -Offseason:-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Passing:-Receiving:-Defense:-AFC Wildcard Game:With 2:28 left in the game, the Dolphins capped an 85-yard drive with quarterback Dan Marino's winning 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Clayton.... |
23 | 37 | 60 |
| New York Jets 1990 New York Jets season -Schedule:-External links:*... |
214 | 5 | 219 |
| Denver 1990 Denver Broncos season -Schedule:-External links:* *... |
36 | 25 | 61 |
| LA Raiders 1990 Los Angeles Raiders season The 1990 Los Angeles Raiders season was the club's 31st season in the National Football League . Led by Coach of the Year Art Shell, the club appeared in its first AFC Championship Game since the 1983 season, but lost a lopsided affair to the Buffalo Bills, 51–3.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Game details:*... |
67 | 47 | 114 |
| New York Jets 1990 New York Jets season -Schedule:-External links:*... |
5 | 0 | 5 |
| New England 1990 New England Patriots season The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1990 season with a record of one win and fifteen losses, and finished last in the AFC East division... |
136 | 9 | 145 |
| Cleveland 1990 Cleveland Browns season The 1990 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 41st season with the National Football League.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:... |
58 | 65 | 123 |
| Phoenix 1990 Phoenix Cardinals season The 1990 Phoenix Cardinals season was the team's 71st year with the National Football League and the 3rd season in Phoenix.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Roster: -References:**... |
112 | 0 | 112 |
| New England 1990 New England Patriots season The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1990 season with a record of one win and fifteen losses, and finished last in the AFC East division... |
165 | 5 | 170 |
| Houston 1990 Houston Oilers season -Schedule:-AFC Wild Card:-Awards and records:* Ray Childress, 1990 AFC Pro Bowl selection* Ernest Givins, Pro Bowl Selection* Drew Hill, Ranked second in AFC in receptions* Haywood Jeffires, Led AFC in Receptions... |
54 | 32 | 86 |
| Philadelphia 1990 Philadelphia Eagles season The 1990 Philadelphia Eagles season resulted in an appearance in the postseason after starting out at 2–4 and finishing at 10–6.-Off Season:The Eagles held training camp at West Chester State University in West Chester, PA about 20 miles from Veterans Stadium where they play their home... |
53 | 39 | 92 |
| Indianapolis 1990 Indianapolis Colts season The 1990 Indianapolis Colts season was the 38th season for the team in the National Football League and 7th in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Colts finished the National Football League's 1990 season with a record of 7 wins and 9 losses, and finished third in the AFC East division.-NFL... |
76 | 91 | 167 |
| New York Giants 1990 New York Giants season The 1990 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference of the National Football League , won their sixth championship—and second Super Bowl—in franchise history... |
60 | 65 | 125 |
| Miami 1990 Miami Dolphins season -Offseason:-NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Passing:-Receiving:-Defense:-AFC Wildcard Game:With 2:28 left in the game, the Dolphins capped an 85-yard drive with quarterback Dan Marino's winning 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mark Clayton.... |
154 | 29 | 183 |
| Washington 1990 Washington Redskins season The 1990 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record from 1989.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-References:... |
0 | 22 | 22 |
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
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Offensive Linemen
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Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
Ray Bentley Ray Russell Bentley is a former professional American football linebacker.-Playing career:... ILB Darryl Talley Darryl Victor Talley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia.... ILB Shane Conlan Shane Patrick Conlan is a former professional American football player. He played college football at Penn State University, where he won two national championships... ILB Cornelius Bennett Cornelius O'Landa Bennett is a former American football linebacker who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1987 to 1995, Atlanta Falcons from 1996 to 1998, and the Indianapolis Colts from 1999 to 2000... ILB Carlton Bailey Carlton Wilson Bailey is a former professional American football player who played linebacker in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and Carolina Panthers... LB Hal Garner Hal E. Garner, Jr. is a former All-American college football player for Utah State and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 3rd round of the 1985 NFL Draft... LB Marvcus Patton Marvcus Raymond Patton is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 8th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 239-lb. linebacker from UCLA, Patton played in 13 NFL seasons from 1990 to 2002 for the Bills, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs... LB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
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Awards and records
- Led NFL in Points Scored, 428
- Jim Kelly, NFL Passing Leader, 101.2 Passer Rating
- Jim Kelly, Most Valuable Player, Pro Bowl
- Bruce Smith, NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- Bruce Smith, UPI AFL-AFC Player of the YearUPI AFL-AFC Player of the YearFrom 1960 to 1969, the United Press International gave the annual AFL Player of the Year award in the American Football League, whose teams in 1970 became the American Football Conference of the new National Football League ....
, Defense - Bruce Smith, Newspaper Enterprise Association Defensive Player of the Year AwardNewspaper Enterprise Association Defensive Player of the Year AwardBeginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player. Beginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player....
- Bruce Smith, Team Record, Number of Sacks in a Single Season, (19)
- Bruce Smith, AFC Defensive Player of the Month, December
- Thurman Thomas, NFL Combined Yards from Scrimmage Leader