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Bills Clinch Playoff Berth For First Time This Decade
It's January 8, 2000. The Buffalo Bills are facing off against the Tennessee Titans in an AFC Wild Card matchup.
The play was dubbed the "Music City Miracle." The Titans ended up making it all the way to Super Bowl XXXIV where they faced the St. Louis Rams where they lost by a touchdown.
And since then, the Bills haven't seen the postseason.
But that was then, and this is now.
With the Bills 31-28 win over the Patriots this past Sunday, the Bills have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the "Music City Miracle." Here's how the Bills did it.
1. Reanimation of the corpse
Bills Head Coach Dick Jauron found a pulse in 2009 and recaptured some of his early coaching career magic when he was the NFL coach of the year in 2001.
2. Exterminated the injury bug
The strength and conditioning staff has done an amazing job this year as no serious injuries have hit the team. The nagging injury bug is something that has hit the bills hard in recent years but this year, it was squashed.
3. Edwards, TO, Evans and Lynch doing their best impersonation of Kelly, Reed, Loften, and Thomas
Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, James Lofton and Thurman Thomas. A staple of the Bills teams that sent them to 4 straight Super Bowls in the early 90's.
4. Significant production from the unexpected
Roscoe Parrish has emerged as a premiere kick returner in the league, currently sitting 1 kick return TD shy of tying Devin Hester's season record of 6. Rookie Jairus Byrd has shown he is a threat in the Bills secondary. Rookie Shawn Nelson has provided the Bills with something they have lacked for a while now, a sure-handed tight end. Leodis Mckelvin has also shown a capable game changer with his ability to pick off passes.
5. Refusing to raise the white flag in the trenches
The Bills offensive line raised many questions prior to and early on this season but appears to be gelling as a unit. Conversely, the defensive line has produced some semblance of a pass rush while the run defense has held relatively firm like it did last year.
6. Rise of a superstar
The last and most important aspect that has pushed the 2009 Buffalo Bills into postseason contendency. Most playoff teams have one thing in common: they either send multiple players to the pro bowl or they have one key player that single-handedly carries the team in MVP fashion.
Many expected Trent Edwards to be the player to rise to the occasion and have a career year. However, Edwards has only marginally improved, if not digressed.
Edwards struggles did pave the way for Marshawn Lynch though who has shown he is a primetime player capable of taking a game over.
Lynch currently leads the league in rushing yards as well as rushing touchdowns.
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Falcons Clinch Playoff Spot Thanks To Turner's Big Game
(11-3) 20 @ 24 (8-6)
1st Quarter:
M. Turner 13 yard run (J. Elam kick) - 2:51
2nd Quarter:
R. Lindell 38 yard field goal - 12:55 J. Elam 38 yard field goal - 0:20
3rd Quarter:
M. Turner 57 yard run (J. Elam kick) - 8:53 J. Reed 25 yard pass from R. Fitzpatrick (R. Lindell kick) - 6:31
4th Quarter:
R. Lindell - 38 yard field goal - 4:01 L. Evans returned fumble 20 yards (R. Lindell kick) - 3:54 M. Jenkins 16 yard pass from M. Ryan (J. Elam kick) - 1:58
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