NFL 49ers and Bills

Wikipedia

This game is remembered for the controversial "Music City Miracle": Kevin Dyson took a lateral from Frank Wycheck on a kickoff to score the game-winning touchdown with under 15 seconds left.

In the first quarter, the Titans had a big chance to score when Jevon Kearse forced a fumble while sacking Buffalo quarterback Rob Johnson that linebacker Barron Wortham recovered on the Titans 29-yard line. It was the start of a long day for Johnson, who ended up completing just 10 of 22 passes while being sacked six times, twice by Kearse. However, Tennessee only gained 3 yards with their next drive and Al Del Greco missed a 43-yard field goal attempt.

Early in the second quarter, Craig Hentrich's 44-yard punt pinned the Bills back at their own 4-yard line. Then on 2nd and 6 from the 8, Kearse sacked Johnson, forcing a fumble that went through the end zone for a safety that gave the Titans a 2-0 lead. After the safety, Derrick Mason returned the free kick 42 yards to the Bills 28-yard line. Five plays later, Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. After several punts, Buffalo got a first down on their own 43 when Kurt Schulz forced and recovered a fumble from Titans running back Eddie George. But the Bills could not gain a first down and had to punt. Then the Titans drove 56 yards in 11 plays. Del Greco initially missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, but the Bills were penalized for defensive holding on the play, and Del Greco's second attempt was good from 40 yards on the last play of the half. At the end of the half, the Bills were trailing 12–0 and had only managed to gain 64 yards, while also losing 44 yards on nine penalties.

But in the second half, the Bills managed to rally back. On Buffalo's first play of the third quarter, Antowain Smith broke off a 44-yard run, sparking a 62-yard drive that ended with his 4-yard touchdown carry, making the score 12-7. Later on, Tennessee drove to the Bills 39-yard line, only to lose the ball due to an interception by Antoine Winfield. With 41 seconds left in the third quarter, a Titans punt gave Buffalo the ball on their own 35-yard line, where they proceeded to drive 65 yards, featuring a 37-yard completion from Johnson to Eric Moulds, with a roughing the passer penalty on Kearse adding another 15. Smith finished the drive with another 4-yard touchdown run, giving the Bills a 13–12 lead after receiver Kevin Williams dropped a pass from Johnson on the two-point conversion attempt.

Late in the fourth quarter, Titans receiver Isaac Byrd's 16-yard punt return to the Bills 45 and five carries from George for 17 yards set up a 36-yard field goal by Del Greco, giving Tennessee a 15–13 lead with 1:38 left. But following a 33-yard kickoff return by Williams, the Bills retook the lead with a 41-yard field goal from Steve Christie at the end of a 38-yard drive that saw Johnson lose a shoe. Stuck in the no-huddle offense in order to beat the clock, Johnson was forced to play without a shoe for most of the drive, but still managed to lead the team into scoring range with two key completions to Peerless Price for 23 yards. Christie's field goal gave the Bills a 16–15 lead with only 16 seconds left in the game.

On the ensuing Christie kickoff, fullback Lorenzo Neal picked up the ball at his own 25-yard line. He then handed off to Wycheck, who ran all the way to the right sideline before lateralling the ball all the way back to Dyson on the left side of the field. After taking the ball, Dyson ran 75 yards for a touchdown to give his team the win. The play would be reviewed by referee Phil Luckett, but it was determined that Wycheck's lateral did not travel forward, and the play was upheld.

"We worked on that play yesterday", said Titans coach Jeff Fisher of the winning return. "The play is called Home Run Throwback, it's a play you usually work on Saturdays, the day before a game. That play was designed with Frank Wycheck in the middle to try and put the ball out laterally." However, this was the first time they ran the play with Dyson, who replaced Mason as kick returner when he was injured earlier in the game.

George finished the game with 106 rushing yards. Bills defensive end Bruce Smith had 2.5 sacks. Both teams combined for just 413 total yards (219 for Buffalo, 194 for Tennessee). The game would mark the end of an era in Buffalo as it was the final game that Smith, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed played for the Bills.

The Bills would not make the playoffs again after this game for another 18 years.