ORCHARD PARK–Let’s pick up where we left off on the 30th anniversary of the most thrilling game in Buffalo Bills’ history.

Yes, you know which one that is.

It’s the Jan. 3, 1993, playoff game against the Houston Oilers.

The Bills were down 28-3 at halftime, and it quickly got worse. The Oilers opened the second half by making it 35-3.

No National Football League team had ever won after being down by 32 points. But play by play, score by score, the Bills came roaring back and won on a field goal in overtime. The final score was 41-38.

Van Miller, longtime voice of the Buffalo Bills, famously said it was “fandemonium” at Rich Stadium.

The moral of the story if you’re at the game: Never, never, never leave the game early.

The moral of the story if you’re not at the game: Never, never, never stray too far from the television or the radio. And if you change the channel, keep checking back.

≤≤≤

Fast forward to the 2025 home opener on Sunday evening, Sept. 7. Yes, a Sunday Night Football game in Orchard Park to start the Bills’ regular season.

With the Baltimore Ravens up by 15 points in the fourth quarter, what did many fans do? That’s right. Oblivious to the lesson of Jan. 3, 1993, they left early.

Mistake. Big mistake.

Just under the four-minute mark, the Bills put seven points on the board, cutting the lead to eight.

Following a quick turnover by the Ravens, the Bills scored another touchdown. The two-point conversion failed when possible defensive holding or possible defensive pass interference went uncalled.

The Bills weren’t finished though. The defense held, the Ravens went three and out, and the Bills started what would be the final drive with 1:26 to go and no timeouts.

The Bills moved down the field to about the Ravens’ 10-yard line, where kicker Matt Prater put the ball through the uprights for a 41-40 victory as time expired.

≤≤≤

Prater had joined the team a few days beforehand.

Until then, he was at home in Arizona, coaching his son’s football team. At the post-game press conference, a reporter asked for the high school’s name. But it wasn’t a high school. It was a team for nine- to 11-year-olds.

At which point the new kicker laughed, and so did the press, good naturedly, of course.

Just imagine that. Late last week he was drawing up plays for boys who are barely big enough to hold a football, and who can look out of place in shoulder pads that seem way too big.

Then on Sunday, he played in the–yes, the–game of the week and kicked the game-winning field goal as the clock went to zero.

Afterward, Prater brilliantly answered a television reporter’s on-field question.

What was the answer? He credited his new Bills teammates for getting the ball to a point on the field where all he had to do was swing his leg.

You can confidently bet that instantly endeared him to Bills’ fans everywhere.

≤≤≤

Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen gave another perfect answer. What does this win mean? It means the Bills are 1 and 0.

Sixteen regular-season games remain.

Oh, what a win this is though.

Yet at least for now, let’s not look up the location or the February date of the game whose initials are SB.

You, faithful reader of this column, know its position on such a game: This column has no interest in the Bills’ merely going to the SB.

Been there. Done that.

If we’re going, we must (fill in the blank).

You know which word goes in the blank.

Meanwhile, let’s just pinch ourselves and be mindful that we’re 1 and 0, with Bills’ fans smiling ear to ear all week long.

All week long.

≤≤≤

At Hilary and Randy Elf’s wedding reception, the bride, a Los Angeles native, was publicly asked if she’d be a Bills’ fan since she was moving to Western New York. Mrs. Elf had long since decided the answer was “yes.”

COPYRIGHT (c) 2025 BY RANDY ELF