1989 AFC Divisional playoff - Cleveland Browns vs Buffalo Bills Pt 1 (January 6, 1990)

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• published: 04 Sep 2015
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n a shootout, 33-year-old Browns linebacker Clay Matthews intercepted Bills quarterback Jim Kelly at the Cleveland 1-yard line with 3 seconds left to preserve a 34–30 victory. Kelly threw for 405 yards and 4 touchdowns while Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar threw for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. Browns receiver Webster Slaughter had the best postseason performance of his career with 3 receptions for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns. The game was played on a cold icy field that would have a big impact on the game. The Browns took the opening kickoff and drove into Bills territory, but came up empty when Matt Bahr slipped while planting his foot on a 45-yard field goal attempt. On Buffalo's second play after the missed kick, Kelly threw a short pass to Andre Reed. Defensive back Felix Wright slipped while going into coverage, leaving Reed wide open and he ended up taking the ball 72 yards to the end zone. But Cleveland struck back with a 45-yard field goal by Matt Bahr and a 52-yard touchdown pass from Kosar to Slaughter in the second quarter. Kelly's 33-yard touchdown pass to James Lofton put the Bills back in the lead, 14–10, but Browns retook the lead with Ron Middleton's 3-yard catch shortly before the end of the first half.[4] On the opening drive of the second half, the first turnover of the game occurred when Browns defensive back Mark Harper intercepted a pass from Kelly on the Cleveland 46. Kosar then hooked up with Slaughter for another touchdown pass, this one 44-yards, to increase their lead to 24–14. Buffalo responded with a 6-yard touchdown catch by running back Thurman Thomas, who tied an NFL playoff record with 13 receptions for 150 yards. But Browns running back Eric Metcalf returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to give his team a 31–21 lead by the end of the third quarter. After an exchange of field goals, Buffalo drove 77 yards to score on Kelly's 3-yard touchdown pass to Thomas. But Scott Norwood slipped on an icy patch of the field while attempting the extra point, forcing the Bills to attempt to score a touchdown instead of a field goal on their final drive. With time running out, Kelly led the Bills to Cleveland's 11-yard line. But fullback Ronnie Harmon dropped a potential game winning catch in the end zone [5] and Kelly was intercepted by Matthews on the next play. Metcalf finished with 169 all purpose yards.