1988 · Conference Championships · Game 2

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Conference Championships

Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals

Sun January 8, 1989 · Riverfront Stadium, kickoff 12:30pm

Pregame

Pregame: Conference Championships
AI summary based on verified facts

AFC Championship at Riverfront Stadium on Sun January 8, 1989. The Buffalo Bills (13-4) travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals (13-4) for the AFC title and a trip to Super Bowl XXIII.

Sam Wyche year five as head coach. Boomer Esiason at quarterback. Ickey Woods at running back. Cris Collinsworth and Tim McGee at receiver. The Bills come off the 17-10 divisional win over Houston. Jim Kelly at quarterback. Thurman Thomas at running back. Andre Reed and James Lofton at receiver.

Marv Levy in year fourth as head coach.[1][2]

Columnist
AI summary based on verified facts

Sam Wyche's Bengals are the AFC's No. 1 seed and the conference's MVP-winning offense. Boomer Esiason has thrown for 28 touchdowns. Ickey Woods has 15 rushing touchdowns. Cris Collinsworth has 951 receiving yards. The Bills come in off the 17-10 divisional win over Houston. Marv Levy's young roster (Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, James Lofton, Bruce Smith) is the conference's emerging force.

The Sunday-afternoon AFC Championship is the conference's title game. The winner advances to Super Bowl XXIII.

Around the league
AI summary based on verified facts

Conference Championship Sunday is the league's most-watched playoff weekend. The Bengals (AFC #1) host the Bills (AFC #2). The Bears (NFC #1) host the 49ers (NFC #2) in the NFC Championship. The Sunday-afternoon AFC matchup is the year's marquee conference championship.

Trend analyst
AI summary based on verified facts

Through the regular season the Bengals finished 12-4 and the Bills finished 12-4. The two teams played in the regular season. Boomer Esiason 3,572 reg season yards, 28 TDs, 14 INTs (NFL MVP). Ickey Woods 203 carries for 1,066 with 15 TDs. Cris Collinsworth 58 catches for 951. Jim Kelly 3,380 reg season yards, 15 TDs, 17 INTs. Thurman Thomas 207 carries for 881. Andre Reed 71 catches for 968.

League standings entering Week 17

Standings as of kickoff, Week 17 (no future-game spoilers)

Around the league

  • Tied atop the league at 12-4: Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears.

AFC

AFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Cincinnati Bengals12-4W1
Cleveland Browns10-6W1
Houston Oilers10-6L1
Pittsburgh Steelers5-11W1

AFC East

TeamRecStrk
Buffalo Bills12-4L1
Indianapolis Colts9-7W1
New England Patriots9-7L1
New York Jets8-7-1W2
Miami Dolphins6-10L1

AFC West

TeamRecStrk
Seattle Seahawks9-7W2
Denver Broncos8-8W1
Los Angeles Raiders7-9L2
San Diego Chargers6-10W2
Kansas City Chiefs4-11-1L2

NFC

NFC West

TeamRecStrk
Los Angeles Rams10-6W3
New Orleans Saints10-6W1
San Francisco 49ers10-6L1
Atlanta Falcons5-11L3

NFC Central

TeamRecStrk
Chicago Bears12-4L1
Minnesota Vikings11-5W1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers5-11W1
Detroit Lions4-12L2
Green Bay Packers4-12W2

NFC East

TeamRecStrk
New York Giants10-6L1
Philadelphia Eagles10-6W2
Phoenix Cardinals7-9L5
Washington Redskins7-9L2
Dallas Cowboys3-13L1

Game video

▶ Open in YouTube A Slugfest for the AFC Title! (Bills vs. Bengals 1988, AFC Championship) · channel: NFL Throwback

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1988 AFC Championship - Bills @ Bengals1988 AFC Championship - Bills @ Bengals1988 AFC Championship Game Buffalo v Cincinnati1988 AFC Championship Game Buffalo v CincinnatiArchives: Relive when Bengals-Bills met in AFC championship in 1988 seasonArchives: Relive when Bengals-Bills met in AFC championship in 1988 seasonAndre Reed TD - 1988 AFC Championship Game, Bills vs. Bengals 1/8/89Andre Reed TD - 1988 AFC Championship Game, Bills vs. Bengals 1/8/89The DUMBEST BROADCASTING MISTAKE in AFC Championship HISTORY | Bills @ Bengals (1988)The DUMBEST BROADCASTING MISTAKE in AFC Championship HISTORY | Bills @ Bengals (1988)Archives: Relive when Bengals-Bills met in AFC championship in 1988Archives: Relive when Bengals-Bills met in AFC championship in 19881988 AFC Championship Bills vs Bengals NBC Intro1988 AFC Championship Bills vs Bengals NBC Intro

Score

Reveal through:

Buffalo Bills 10, Cincinnati Bengals 21[2][1]

1234T
Buffalo Bills01000010101010
Cincinnati Bengals7707714142121

Scoring plays

Q1

TeamPlayScore
BengalsIckey Woods 1 yard rush (Jim Breech kick)0-7

Q2

TeamPlayScore
BillsAndre Reed 9 yard pass from Jim Kelly (Scott Norwood kick)7-7
BengalsJames Brooks 10 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick)7-14
BillsScott Norwood 39 yard field goal10-14

Q3

TeamPlayScore
No scoring this quarter.

Q4

TeamPlayScore
BengalsIckey Woods 1 yard rush (Jim Breech kick)10-21

Recap

Recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Boomer Esiason threw two touchdowns to Cris Collinsworth and Tim McGee, Ickey Woods ran in a 1-yard touchdown, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills 21-10 at Riverfront Stadium to win the AFC Championship. Esiason finished 11 of 16 for 94 yards. Jim Kelly threw a touchdown to Andre Reed. Thurman Thomas ran for 92 yards. The Bengals improved to 14-4 and advanced to Super Bowl XXIII.[1][2]

Columnist recap
AI summary based on verified facts

Boomer Esiason threw two short touchdowns to Cris Collinsworth and Tim McGee, Ickey Woods ran in a 1-yard touchdown, and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Buffalo Bills 21-10 to win the AFC Championship. The Bengals move to 14-4 and advance to Super Bowl XXIII against the 49ers.

Esiason finished 11 of 16 for 94 yards with two touchdowns (Cris Collinsworth 10, Tim McGee 17). Ickey Woods ran 29 for 102 with the 1-yard touchdown. James Brooks added 11 carries for 31. Cris Collinsworth caught three for 30 with the touchdown.

Jim Kelly finished 14 of 30 for 163 with one touchdown to Andre Reed (9 yards) and one interception. Thurman Thomas ran 25 for 92. Andre Reed caught five for 60 with the touchdown. The Bills' offense produced one touchdown drive plus a Scott Norwood 39-yard field goal. The Bengals' defensive front produced one sack of Kelly.

By the numbers
AI summary based on verified facts

Bengals 21, Bills 10. Margin: plus 11. AFC Championship.

  • Esiason (CIN): 11 of 16, 94, 2 TDs (Collinsworth 10, McGee 17), 0 INTs.
  • Ickey Woods (CIN): 29 carries for 102, 1 rushing TD (1y).
  • James Brooks (CIN): 11 carries for 31.
  • Cris Collinsworth (CIN): 3 catches for 30, 1 TD.
  • Tim McGee (CIN): 2 catches for 26, 1 TD.
  • Jim Breech (CIN): no FGs.
  • Kelly (BUF): 14 of 30, 163, 1 TD (Reed 9), 1 INT.
  • Andre Reed (BUF): 5 catches for 60, 1 TD.
  • James Lofton (BUF): 2 catches for 31.
  • Thurman Thomas (BUF): 25 carries for 92.
  • Norwood (BUF): 1 FG (39).
  • Bengals 14-4; Bills out. Bengals advance to Super Bowl XXIII.
Film room
AI summary based on verified facts

A 21-10 AFC Championship home win for the Cincinnati Bengals over the Buffalo Bills at Riverfront Stadium. The Bengals advance to Super Bowl XXIII against the 49ers.

How it unfolded

Ickey Woods' 1-yard rush opened the scoring. Scott Norwood kicked a 39-yarder. Cris Collinsworth caught a 10-yard touchdown for 14-3. Andre Reed caught a 9-yarder to cut it to 14-10. Tim McGee caught a 17-yarder for the final 21-10.

The turning point

The McGee 17-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. With the Bills having cut a 14-3 deficit to 14-10 and the Bengals' offense looking to close out the game, Esiason's third-quarter pass to McGee on a slant produced the touchdown that gave Cincinnati a 21-10 lead Buffalo did not close.

By the numbers

Esiason 11 of 16 for 94 (5.9 ypa) with the two touchdowns. Ickey Woods 102 on 29 (3.5 ypc) with the touchdown. The Bengals' three-touchdown performance was the kind of MVP-winning offense the wire copy would write about for two weeks.

What it means

14-4. Super Bowl XXIII against the 49ers at Joe Robbie Stadium. The Bengals' second Super Bowl appearance in seven years (49ers also won 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI).

Box score

BillsBengals
Team totals
First Downs1023
Total Yards181249
Turnovers32
Passing
Comp/Att14/3011/20
Pass yards16394
Pass TD11
Interceptions32
Sacks taken33
Sack yards lost2720
Net pass yards13674
Rushing
Rushes1750
Rush yards45175
Rush TD02
Discipline
Fumbles02
Fumbles lost00
Penalties54
Penalty yards5045

Passing

PlayerC/AYdsTDIntRate
BUF
Jim Kelly14/301631335.1
CIN
Boomer Esiason11/20941244.6

Rushing

PlayerAttYdsTDLong
BUF
Jamie Mueller821013
Jim Kelly21005
Thurman Thomas4602
Robb Riddick1404
Carl Byrum1303
Ronnie Harmon1101
CIN
Ickey Woods29102216
Stanley Wilson52909
Boomer Esiason726029
Stanford Jennings21208
James Brooks7605

Receiving

PlayerRecYdsTDLong
BUF
Andre Reed555118
Trumaine Johnson248026
Robb Riddick328014
Ronnie Harmon31809
Pete Metzelaars114014
CIN
Rodney Holman438021
James Brooks221111
Jim Riggs216013
Tim McGee21408
Cris Collinsworth1505

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