Jaworski Guides Eagles to 21-17 Comeback Win

Ron Jaworski searched his memory but couldn’t recall the Philadelphia Eagles having a better comeback in his 13 years as quarterback.

With the Eagles trailing, 17-0, Jaworski threw three fourth-period touchdown passes, the last a 32-yard game-winner to wide receiver Mike Quick, as the Eagles beat the Buffalo Bills, 21-17, Sunday.

Quick, who caught the ball between safety Steve Freeman and cornerback Derrick Burroughs with 1:55 left to play, said the pass was perfect.

“All I had to do was catch it,” said Quick, a Pro Bowl selection the last two years. Quick had eight catches for 117 yards, his best performance of the year and his first 100-yard game.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of room to get it in there,” Jaworski said of his game-winning pass. “But it was probably my best throw of the game. To do what we did you have to be a little lucky.

“I certainly have no recollection of coming back (before) from 17 points to win.”

Buffalo Coach Hank Bullough said the Bills “had a chance to do the job and didn’t.

“We played well for three quarters, but you have to play 60 minutes. Give credit to the Eagles. They could have laid down.”

Jaworski said the Eagles’ first priority on the game-winning drive was a game-tying field goal.

“During the two-minute warning we knew we were within field-goal range. But we decided to be aggressive,” Jaworski said. “We didn’t want to be timid or tentative.”

The Eagles trailed, 17-0, after three quarters before their offense came to life.

They drove 77 yards on 11 plays with Jaworski, unable to find a receiver, running three yards for a touchdown that made it 17-7 with 12:10 left in the game.

Three plays from scrimmage later, Eagle safety Wes Hopkins intercepted a pass by quarterback Vince Ferragamo and returned the ball 24 yards for a touchdown that made it 17-14 with 4:40 to go.

The pass was tipped into Hopkins’ hands by defensive end Reggie White.

Buffalo again was unable to move the ball, and with five minutes left punted to the Eagles’ 13.

Jaworski passed 23 yards to Quick for a first down at the Eagle 36 and connected with back Mike Haddix for six to the 42. On fourth and two, he completed an eight-yard pass to Herman Hunter for a first down at the Bills’ 48.

Jaworski, who completed 21 of 42 passes for 258 yards, then threw to Haddix for 16 yards and a first down at the 32. He followed with the game-winner to Quick.

Buffalo, which last week won its first game of the season after six losses, dropped to 1-7. The Eagles are 4-4.

The Bills, who lost their 13th straight game on the road, built their 17-0 lead on a first-period, 14-yard run by rookie wide receiver Andre Reed, Scott Norwood’s second-period, 26-yard field goal and a seven-yard, third-quarter touchdown pass from Ferragamo to Reed.