Wild Card weekend opens at Shea Stadium on Sun December 27, 1981. The Buffalo Bills (10-6) travel to face the New York Jets (10-5-1) in the kind of AFC East rematch the league's expanded playoff format produces.
Joe Ferguson at quarterback for Buffalo. Joe Cribbs at running back. Richard Todd at quarterback for the Jets. Wesley Walker and Lance Mehl among the receiving headliners. The Jets' first home playoff game since 1969.[1][2]
The Bills and Jets met twice during the regular season and split the series. Walt Michaels' Jets are the host as the AFC East's second-place finisher. Chuck Knox's Bills are the AFC #5 wild-card. Joe Cribbs gained 1,097 rushing yards on the year; Frank Lewis caught 70 balls. The Jets' offense rotates Mickey Shuler and Wesley Walker as the perimeter targets.
Wild-card road games favor the home team historically; Sunday at Shea is the first game of the league's first 16-team playoff bracket.
Wild Card weekend opens the league's expanded 1981 playoffs. The Bills (AFC #5) face the Jets (AFC #4). The Giants (NFC #5) face the Eagles (NFC #4). The conference's top seeds (Bengals, Chargers, 49ers, Cowboys) sit on the bye. The Sunday afternoon games are the league's first 16-team playoff weekend, the new format's debut The Sunday game is the kind of cross-divisional matchup the schedule produces.
Through the regular season the Bills finished 10-6 (AFC #5) and the Jets finished 10-5-1 (AFC #4). Joe Ferguson 24 TDs and 20 INTs. Joe Cribbs 1,097 rushing yards. Frank Lewis 70 catches for 1,244. Richard Todd 25 TDs and 13 INTs. Freeman McNeil 623 rushing yards. Wesley Walker 47 catches for 770 The Sunday game is the kind of cross-divisional matchup the schedule produces.
| 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 |
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1981 AFC WILD CARD BUFFALO BILLS🦬vs NEW YORK JETS🛩️1981 NEW YORK SACK EXCHANGE HIGHLIGHTS 12-27-1981| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Charles Romes 26 yard special teams fumble return (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 7-0 |
| Bills | Frank Lewis 50 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 14-0 |
| Bills | Nick Mike-Mayer 29 yard field goal | 17-0 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Frank Lewis 26 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 24-0 |
| Jets | Mickey Shuler 30 yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick) | 24-7 |
| Jets | Pat Leahy 26 yard field goal | 24-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Jets | Pat Leahy 19 yard field goal | 24-13 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bills | Joe Cribbs 45 yard rush (Nick Mike-Mayer kick) | 31-13 |
| Jets | Bobby Jones 30 yard pass from Richard Todd (Pat Leahy kick) | 31-20 |
| Jets | Kevin Long 1 yard rush (Pat Leahy kick) | 31-27 |
Joe Cribbs ran for two touchdowns and Joe Ferguson threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, and the Buffalo Bills beat the New York Jets 31-27 at Shea Stadium in the AFC wild-card round. Cribbs ran in a 45-yard touchdown that gave the Bills a 24-13 lead. Frank Lewis caught 50-yard and 26-yard touchdowns from Ferguson. The Bills improved to 11-6 and advanced to the divisional round at Cincinnati.[1][2]
Joe Cribbs ran for two touchdowns, Joe Ferguson threw for 268 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bills won 31-27 at Shea. The win advanced Buffalo to the AFC divisional round at Cincinnati. Cribbs' 45-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter pushed the Bills ahead 24-13 and gave the road team a margin Richard Todd's Jets could not fully close.
Frank Lewis caught a 50-yard touchdown from Ferguson on the opening drive after Charles Romes' 26-yard fumble return for a touchdown on the Jets' opening punt. Lewis added a 26-yard touchdown in the second half. Cribbs' 45-yard rush in the third quarter was the day's defining run. Richard Todd threw three touchdowns (Mickey Shuler 30, Bobby Jones 30, plus an offense-controlled Kevin Long 1-yard rush) but the Jets' two-touchdown second half could not produce the comeback.
Bills 31, Jets 27. Margin: plus 4. AFC Wild Card.
A 31-27 AFC wild-card-round road win at Shea Stadium. The Buffalo Bills improve to 11-6 and advance to the divisional round at Cincinnati.
How it unfolded
Charles Romes returned a Jets punt fumble 26 yards for a touchdown on the opening drive. Ferguson threw a 50-yard touchdown to Frank Lewis to make it 14-0. Nick Mike-Mayer's 29-yard field goal made it 17-0. Lewis caught a second 26-yard touchdown to push the lead to 24-0. Mickey Shuler caught a 30-yard touchdown from Todd. Pat Leahy kicked two field goals. Cribbs' 45-yard rush made it 31-13. Bobby Jones caught a 30-yard touchdown from Todd and Kevin Long ran in a goal-line touchdown for the Jets' two late scores.
The turning point
Lewis' 50-yard touchdown from Ferguson on the second drive. With Romes' fumble return for a touchdown opening the scoring, Lewis' long touchdown reception extended the Bills' lead to two scores and the Jets' offense was chasing the game from the second quarter on.
By the numbers
Ferguson 17 of 34 for 268 with two touchdowns. Cribbs 39 rushing on 13 with two touchdowns including the 45-yard score. Lewis seven catches for 158 with two touchdowns. Todd 28 of 51 for 377 with three touchdowns and one interception. Shuler four for 51 with a touchdown.
| Bills | Jets | |
|---|---|---|
| Team totals | ||
| First Downs | 15 | 23 |
| Total Yards | 321 | 419 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 5 |
| Passing | ||
| Comp/Att | 17/34 | 28/50 |
| Pass yards | 268 | 377 |
| Pass TD | 2 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 4 | 4 |
| Sacks taken | 2 | 5 |
| Sack yards lost | 38 | 29 |
| Net pass yards | 230 | 348 |
| Rushing | ||
| Rushes | 22 | 22 |
| Rush yards | 91 | 71 |
| Rush TD | 1 | 1 |
| Discipline | ||
| Fumbles | 1 | 3 |
| Fumbles lost | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 8 | 6 |
| Penalty yards | 62 | 55 |
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | |||||
| Joe Ferguson | 17/34 | 268 | 2 | 4 | 56.6 |
| NYJ | |||||
| Richard Todd | 28/51 | 377 | 2 | 4 | 59 |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | ||||
| Joe Cribbs | 15 | 83 | 1 | 45 |
| Roosevelt Leaks | 6 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Joe Ferguson | 2 | -4 | 0 | 0 |
| NYJ | ||||
| Freeman McNeil | 12 | 32 | 0 | 7 |
| Kevin Long | 8 | 28 | 1 | 8 |
| Richard Todd | 2 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF | ||||
| Frank Lewis | 7 | 158 | 2 | 50 |
| Joe Cribbs | 4 | 64 | 0 | 28 |
| Roosevelt Leaks | 3 | 23 | 0 | 11 |
| Mark Brammer | 2 | 17 | 0 | 14 |
| Jerry Butler | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| NYJ | ||||
| Mickey Shuler | 6 | 116 | 1 | 30 |
| Bobby Jones | 4 | 64 | 1 | 30 |
| Derrick Gaffney | 4 | 64 | 0 | 26 |
| Scott Dierking | 7 | 52 | 0 | 16 |
| Jerome Barkum | 2 | 41 | 0 | 37 |
| Wesley Walker | 3 | 24 | 0 | 11 |
| Tom Newton | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Bruce Harper | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
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