Saturday showdown
Jets visit Bills with plenty on the line
Posted: Saturday December 19, 1998 02:07 AM
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Their respective NFL careers once left for dead, the Bills' Doug Flutie (left) and the Jets' Vinny Testaverde (right) are both Pro Bowl bound AP |
ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- The last time out, at the Meadowlands, Vinny and the
Jets were too much for the Buffalo Bills to handle.
Saturday, the two teams go at it again. Only this time, it's different.
This time, the game's in Buffalo, where Bills quarterback Doug Flutie has never been
beaten.
This time, the AFC East title, there for the Jets with a win, will be on
the line.
And this time, you can expect the Bills (9-5) -- who have a bead on a wild
card spot but still have not given up hope of snatching the East title away
from the Jets in the final two weeks of the season -- to give the Jets all
they can handle. | Away and home |
| Here's a look at how Vinny Testaverde has fared
on the road this season, and how Doug Flutie's looked at home: |
| | Testaverde |
Flutie |
Record
Comp. pct.
TD/Int
Rating
| 4-1
58.0
9/3
93.3
| 5-0
57.1
9/3
90.7
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"I'm still thinking [we can win] the AFC East. Until that's a dead issue
and out of the picture, we believe and I believe we can do that," said
Flutie. "I'll take my chances, if we were to win the game and New England
has a shot at beating the Jets (next week). I'm sure the Jets [will be]
favored, playing at home and all that. But there's a chance of that
happening."
The Jets (10-4), almost assured of a playoff spot already, are trying to
pin down their first AFC East title since the AFC-NFC merger 28 years ago.
They, too, know Saturday's game won't be easy.
"Anytime you have something that hasn't been accomplished for a long time,
it makes you desire it," running back Curtis Martin said. "It's
gonna be a dogfight. We have to play tough to beat Buffalo. It's gonna be a
hard-fought game." | Flutie at home |
Here's a look at how Doug Flutie
has fared at home during his
career. | | League | Seasons |
Record |
Boston Coll.
USFL
CFL
NFL
| 1981-84
1985
1990-97
86-89,
98
| 17-4
7-0
52-9
11-0
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That would be a change from the last time out, when Pro Bowl quarterback
Vinny Testaverde threw for three touchdowns as the Jets clobbered the Bills
on November 8, 34-12.
Flutie, named as a Pro Bowl backup this week, had one of his worst days of
the season that day. He threw for only 154 yards, had no touchdown passes
and was intercepted twice.
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