You wanna talk about close series? The Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders have been throwing down on the gridiron since 1960, and after over six decades, it’s 22-21 Bills. Wild, right? But here’s the real twist: the Raiders *actually* lead the regular-season matchups 21-20. It’s only thanks to two absolute playoff monster wins that the Bills are even on top overall. Two games, man, swung the entire thing. Forget going all the way back to the AFL days, we’re diving straight into those two postseason brawls, starting with one that sent Buffalo straight to the Super Bowl.
The Day Buffalo Broke Through, Raiders Got Absolutely CRUSHED
Dude, imagine this game. It’s January 20, 1991, the AFC Championship Game, and the Raiders were still in Los Angeles, traveling to Buffalo. The Bills were coming off a killer 13-3 regular season and had already handled Miami in the divisional round. All that stood in their way of a first Super Bowl appearance was a 12-4 Raiders squad. As it turned out, “obstacle” might have been a strong word for LA that day. Jim Kelly hit James Lofton for a touchdown on Buffalo’s opening possession, and from there, it was a clinic. Thurman Thomas punched one in for a rushing score, and Darryl Talley snagged an interception and took it 27 yards to the house! The Bills were up 21-3 by the end of the *first quarter*.
Things just got worse for the Raiders in the second. Kenneth Davis ran for not one, but *two* touchdowns, and Kelly found Lofton again for another score. By halftime, Buffalo was absolutely shellacking them, leading 41-3. Yeah, you read that right: 41-3 at halftime. The Bills eventually won 51-3. Kelly threw for 300 yards, Thomas churned out 138 rushing yards, and the Buffalo defense picked off Raiders quarterback Jay Schroeder five times. Five! The Bills were off to their first Super Bowl, and the Raiders were just headed home, probably still wondering what hit them.
Keeping The Streak Alive: A Much Closer Call
Okay, so three years later, the Raiders came back to Rich Stadium for another playoff game on January 15, 1994. This time, though, they made Buffalo earn it. The Bills were on a mission, trying to reach their fourth consecutive Super Bowl, but Los Angeles definitely had other plans for a while. They jumped out to a 17-6 lead in the second quarter before Thomas finally scored to cut the deficit to four points at halftime.
Kelly then linked up with Bill Brooks for a touchdown in the third quarter, and a Steve Christie field goal nudged Buffalo ahead 22-17. But the Raiders answered right back! Jeff Hostetler hit Tim Brown for an 86-yard touchdown pass, taking a 23-22 lead into the fourth quarter. Talk about drama! But you know Kelly and Brooks weren’t done. They connected again, this time for a 22-yard touchdown that sealed the deal. The Bills hung on for a 29-23 win, heading back to the AFC Championship Game, and eventually, their fourth straight Super Bowl. Man, those two playoff matchups? They don’t just put the Bills ahead in the all-time series, they tell a story of absolute postseason grind and domination that’s still talked about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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