Divisional round at Riverfront Stadium on Sun January 3, 1982. The Buffalo Bills (11-6) travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals (12-4) in the AFC second-round game.
Ken Anderson at quarterback for Cincinnati. Pete Johnson at running back. Cris Collinsworth and Dan Ross at the receiving corps. Joe Ferguson at quarterback for Buffalo. Joe Cribbs at running back. The Bills come off the wild-card road win at the Jets.
Ken Anderson is the league MVP. Cris Collinsworth is the AFC's offensive rookie of the year. Dan Ross set the single-season tight-end receptions record at 71. The Bengals' first home playoff game since 1973.
The Bills come off the wild-card road win over the Jets. Joe Ferguson threw for 268 in that game; Joe Cribbs ran for two touchdowns. The Sunday at Riverfront is the AFC's #1 seed's first playoff test in eight years.
Divisional round Sunday begins the second day of the playoffs' second weekend. The Bengals (AFC #1) host the Bills (AFC #5). The 49ers (NFC #1) host the Giants. The Cowboys (NFC #2) host the Buccaneers Saturday. The Chargers face the Dolphins. The Sunday afternoon games are the divisional round's full slate The Sunday game is the kind of cross-divisional matchup the schedule produces.
Through the regular season the Bengals finished 12-4 (AFC Central champs) and the Bills finished 10-6 (AFC #5). Ken Anderson 29 TDs and 10 INTs reg season (MVP). Pete Johnson 1,077 rushing yards. Cris Collinsworth 1,009 receiving (rookie of year). Dan Ross 71 catches for 910 (TE record). Joe Ferguson 24 TDs and 20 INTs. Joe Cribbs 1,097 rushing. Frank Lewis 70 catches for 1,244.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 12-4 | W2 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-8 | L3 |
| Houston Oilers | 7-9 | W1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5-11 | L5 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Miami Dolphins | 11-4-1 | W4 |
| New York Jets | 10-5-1 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 10-6 | L1 |
| Baltimore Colts | 2-14 | W1 |
| New England Patriots | 2-14 | L9 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 10-6 | L1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 10-6 | W2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9-7 | W1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 7-9 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-10 | W1 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 13-3 | W5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 7-9 | L3 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 6-10 | L1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 4-12 | L4 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9-7 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 8-8 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 8-8 | L1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 7-9 | L5 |
| Chicago Bears | 6-10 | W3 |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 12-4 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 9-7 | W3 |
| Washington Redskins | 8-8 | W3 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 7-9 | L2 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Charles Alexander 4 yard rush (Jim Breech kick) | 0-7 |
| Bengals | Pete Johnson 1 yard rush (Jim Breech kick) | 0-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Joe Cribbs 1 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 7-14 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Joe Cribbs 44 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 14-14 |
| Bengals | Charles Alexander 20 yard rush (Jim Breech kick) | 14-21 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Jerry Butler 21 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 21-21 |
| Bengals | Cris Collinsworth 16 yard pass from Ken Anderson (Jim Breech kick) | 21-28 |
Charles Alexander ran for two touchdowns and Pete Johnson added a 1-yard score, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills 28-21 at Riverfront Stadium in the AFC divisional round. Ken Anderson threw a 16-yard touchdown to Cris Collinsworth. The Bengals' defense forced two interceptions of Joe Ferguson. The Bengals improved to 13-4 and advanced to the AFC Championship game.[1][2]
Charles Alexander ran for two touchdowns and Ken Anderson threw a 16-yard touchdown to Cris Collinsworth, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills 28-21 at Riverfront Stadium in the AFC divisional round. The home win advanced the Bengals to the AFC Championship game.
Alexander ran in his first touchdown on a 4-yard plunge. Pete Johnson added a 1-yard rushing score. Joe Cribbs ran for two touchdowns for the Bills (1-yard and 44-yard rushes). Jerry Butler caught a 21-yard touchdown from Joe Ferguson. Alexander's 20-yard rushing touchdown extended the Bengals to 28-14. Collinsworth's 16-yard touchdown reception closed out the Bengals' scoring.
Anderson finished 14 of 21 for 192 with the touchdown. Cris Collinsworth caught five for 89 with the score. Dan Ross caught seven for 78. Pete Johnson ran for 32 yards and a touchdown. The Bills' offense produced 290 total yards and the kind of run-game performance Cribbs has had all year.
Bengals 28, Bills 21. Margin: plus 7. AFC Divisional.
A 28-21 AFC divisional-round home win over the Buffalo Bills at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals improve to 13-4 and advance to the AFC Championship game.
How it unfolded
Charles Alexander ran in a 4-yard touchdown to give the Bengals an early 7-0 lead. Pete Johnson ran in a 1-yard touchdown to make it 14-0. Joe Cribbs ran in a 1-yard touchdown to cut it to 14-7. Cribbs added a 44-yard rushing touchdown to tie it 14-14. Alexander's 20-yard rushing touchdown made it 21-14. Jerry Butler caught a 21-yard touchdown from Ferguson to make it 21-21. Collinsworth's 16-yard touchdown reception from Anderson gave the Bengals the lead at 28-21. The Bengals' defense closed it out.
The turning point
Collinsworth's 16-yard touchdown reception from Anderson in the fourth quarter. With the score tied 21-21 and the Bills' offense producing the kind of run-game responses that defined their wild-card road win, Collinsworth's catch from the AFC MVP quarterback gave Cincinnati the lead and the Bills' final possession ended without a tying score.
By the numbers
Anderson 14 of 21 for 192 with one touchdown. Pete Johnson 14 carries for 32 with a touchdown. Charles Alexander 11 carries for 41 with two touchdowns. Collinsworth five catches for 89 with the touchdown. Dan Ross seven catches for 78. Joe Cribbs 17 carries for 81 with two touchdowns. The Bengals' defense produced two interceptions of Ferguson.
| Bills | Bengals | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 21 | 22 |
| Total Yards | 336 | 305 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 15/31 | 14/21 |
| Pass yards | 202 | 192 |
| Pass TD | 1 | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks taken | 0 | 4 |
| Sack yards lost | 0 | 23 |
| Net pass yards | 202 | 169 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 28 | 33 |
| Rush yards | 134 | 136 |
| Rush TD | 2 | 3 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 0 | 0 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 0 |
| Penalties | 6 | 5 |
| Penalty yards | 56 | 44 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | |||||
| Joe Ferguson | 15/31 | 202 | 1 | 2 | 53.4 |
| CIN | |||||
| Ken Anderson | 14/21 | 192 | 1 | 0 | 111.6 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | ||||
| Joe Cribbs | 15 | 90 | 2 | 44 |
| Roland Hooks | 9 | 30 | 0 | 7 |
| Roosevelt Leaks | 3 | 12 | 0 | 6 |
| Curtis Brown | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| CIN | ||||
| Charles Alexander | 13 | 72 | 2 | 30 |
| Pete Johnson | 17 | 45 | 1 | 9 |
| Ken Anderson | 2 | 15 | 0 | 13 |
| Archie Griffin | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | ||||
| Jerry Butler | 4 | 98 | 1 | 54 |
| Frank Lewis | 3 | 38 | 0 | 19 |
| Mark Brammer | 3 | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| Roosevelt Leaks | 2 | 16 | 0 | 9 |
| Roland Hooks | 2 | 15 | 0 | 9 |
| Ron Jessie | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| CIN | ||||
| Dan Ross | 6 | 71 | 0 | 18 |
| Steve Kreider | 1 | 42 | 0 | 42 |
| Cris Collinsworth | 2 | 24 | 1 | 16 |
| Pete Johnson | 3 | 23 | 0 | 9 |
| Isaac Curtis | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| Charles Alexander | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Find or start the canonical thread for this game on r/49ers. The thread title is deterministic so anyone running this Rewatch lands on the same place.
Find the thread Start the threadCanonical title: [Rewatch Party] 1981 Divisional Round - Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals - Game Thread
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