It seemed like a logical decision at the time. It was a cold, windy day at Rich Stadium in suburban Buffalo in 1993, and the hometown Billswere behind, 35-3, in the second half of a first-round playoff game against the Houston Oilers. With the outcome seemingly no longer in question and the weather rather uninviting, many fans simply chose to go home.
A field goal in overtime sent the Bills, and fans, into a frenzy with a 41-38 win against the Oilers.
The score was not the lone reason for pessimism. The Bills were playing without Jim Kelly, their franchise quarterback; linebacker Cornelius Bennett, the N.F.L.'s defensive player of the year; and running back Thurman Thomas, the offensive player of the year, who injured his hip early in the third quarter. And the Oilers had crushed Buffalo, 27-3, the week before.
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