Buffalo Wins AFC East Crown : A Wild Celebration After Bills Get First Title Since 1980

The goalposts were passed like yardsticks through Rich Stadium Sunday afternoon. The Buffalo Bills, the team by which the National Football League measured ineptitude 3 seasons ago, were standing tall as AFC East champions.

Scott Norwood’s 30-yard field goal 3:47 into overtime gave the Bills a 9-6 victory over the New York Jets Sunday and touched off a frenzied celebration as Bills’ fans enjoyed clinching their first division title since 1980.

“It was scary out there,” said defensive end Art Still, referring to the raucous postgame scene which saw fans parading pieces of the goalposts around the field and up into the stands toward team owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr.’s box. “I was getting hit in the head trying to get off the field.”

Wilson, whose team recorded consecutive 2-14 seasons in 1984 and 1985, said, “It was worth waiting for. In some ways, it was more rewarding than in 1980 because this team has never let down.”

This is the earliest that a team has clinched a division title since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978.

Pat Leahy’s 23-yard field goal gave the Jets the first half’s only points before the Bills defense, top-ranked in the AFC, combined with Buffalo’s grueling ground game to give the Bills (11-1) their seventh straight win.

Robb Riddick’s 103 yards in 18 carries highlighted a 229-yard rushing effort for the Bills, who needed the ground game because of the steady rain that fell during the game.

The Jets, who missed a chance to win at the end of regulation when Leahy’s 40-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Fred Smerlas, dropped to 5-6-1 and have lost 3 straight. But they saw some positives.

“If we play like this every week, we’ll be competitive with anybody,” Wesley Walker said. “I know we can do this if we all play together.”

Norwood’s 30-yard kick was set up by a fumble by New York’s Roger Vick. Derrick Burroughs forced Vick’s fumble at the Jets’ 32 and the Bills ran 4 plays before calling on Norwood to win the game before Buffalo’s seventh sellout crowd of the season.

Pat Ryan, subbing for benched Ken O’Brien, led the Jets to 259 total yards on offense against the AFC’s top-ranked defense. Rookie Thurman Thomas had 88 yards in 17 carries for Buffalo.