The Dallas Disasters

by Coast

Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII

Why waste two posts on these two massacres. They can be grouped into one painful article to save everyone from having to read two.

Super Bowl XXVII was the Bills most unlikely road to the Super Bowl. It was almost a story book ride for them to get there and it felt like fate would be on their side. The Bills were 11-5 in 1992, their worst record during the Super Bowl years. Their defense was a mediocre 14th in the league. They also were forced to play a wild card playoff game because the Miami Dolphins won the division that year. The Bills faced a week 17 game versus the Houston Oilers with a shot at the AFC East still alive. They not only lost the game but they lost Jim Kelly. Then, they had to play host to this same Oiler team a week later. This game needs to description although I could write about it and think about it 24 hours a day. The Bills led by Frank Reich came back from a 32 point second half deficit to win in overtime. The Bills then went on the road to Pittsburgh and led by Reich, they won easily, 24-3. Finally, the Bills went to South Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins. Led by the return of Jim Kelly, the Bills were able to get another easy win 29-10 to earn their third berth to the Super Bowl in as many years.

Their opponents, the Dallas Cowboys, were beginning their dynasty which earned them the title as the team of the 90's. They were loaded with talent and hall of famers. Dallas ranked in the top 5 on offense and defense. Dallas was a 7 point favorite in this game and it goes without saying, they would cover, in what was one of the biggest blowouts in NFL post season history.

Oddly enough, the Bills actually scored first in this game. Steve Tasker blocked a punt and Thurman Thomas, the Bills best offensive player, scored the first touchdown of the game. Thurman Thomas was again miserable in the Super Bowl. He had 11 carries for 19 yards in the game which was actually an improvement from his 13 yard performance a year earlier.

The Bills turned the ball over 9 times. They lost 5 fumbles and had 4 interceptions. Jim Kelly was out of the game in the second quarter. Reich came in and didn't fair much better. In the end, it was 52-17 and an embarrassing rout. The Bills best play, which is the most overrated play ever, is Don Beebe chasing down Leon Lett and knocking the ball out of his hands. Don Beebe makes hundreds of thousands of dollars to play football. What was he supposed to do, not chase him? I don't understand. Just because the Bills were getting embarrassed doesn't mean you stop trying. Give me a break.

The following year was a slightly different story. The Bills had another great year. They finished 12-4 in 1993, won the division and home field advantage and took care of business in the playoffs, including a dominating performance over Joe Montana and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.

Dallas was also 12-4 during that season and the Bills actually beat them in week 2 at Texas Stadium (Dallas was without Emmitt Smith and I beleive Aikman as well in this game). However, once healthy, this Cowboy team was stacked. They finished 2nd in offense and defense in the NFL. They steamrolled through the playoffs including a 38-21 win over the 49ers in the NFC title game and were favored by 10 in the Super Bowl.

This time though, the first half went exactly as planned for Buffalo. The Bills 5th ranked defense slowed down Dallas' high powered offense and held them to a total of two field goals in the first half. The Bills controlled the game and behind a 10-0 second quarter, took a 13-6 halftime lead. The Bills also were getting the football to begin the second half. They had a chance to take a strangle hold on this game, their final shot at winning it all. This is when disaster struck the Bills. The Bills fumbling issues during the Super Bowl caught them for the final, most devastating time. Thurman Thomas once again had a bad game, rushing for only 37 yards. But, it was his third quarter fumble that ultimately cost his team the game. This fumble was returned for a touchdown by James Washington and destroyed all Buffalo's momentum. Dallas cruised from this point on. Emmitt Smith would score twice in the 2nd half and the Cowboy D shut down the Bills offense to solidify a 30-13 win.

The Bills have lost 4 straight Super Bowls. For that, I have been known to call Marv Levy and Jim Kelly losers. They did choke in big games. The fact is, the AFC was weak during the 90s. It was like the NFC now. The teams in the NFC were just better and Buffalo's timing to have a great team was bad. They ran into the powers that were the Cowboys. That faced a team that had Belichick and Parcells on the same coaching staff. The Redskins had that one great year where they were the most dominant team in the NFL. The Bills had one legit shot at winning it and were outcoached. All this said, I would trade just about anything to go back to these days. No playoffs for 8 years? 11-5 being a bad season? The Bills making the playoffs would feel like a Super Bowl win right about now.