The conditions for the first Rozelle Bowl were terrible as a chill 21 mile per hour wind swept crosswise at Wrigley Field. The Vikings first break came when they won the toss and elected to receive. Bill Brown carried the opening kick to the 28 and from there Fran Tarkenton moved the Vikings down the field, mixing pass and run and taking full advantage of what would turn out to be a penalty ridden day for the Buffalo Bills. After ten plays, Tark found Michigan State alum Gene Washington in the endzone for a 6 yard touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead
The Bills came back with their own 11 play drive, including 10 runs and one incomplete pass. The drive stalled at the four yard line and Steve Christie cut the lead to 7-3.
After the Vikings went three and out, the Bills mounted another11 play drive
that featured 8 runs and three more incomplete passes, ending on the Vikngs 12 yard line, when Jim Kelly finally completed his first pass of the game, a 12 yard scoring strike to Andre Reed. The Bills then lead 10-7.
The two teams traded punts until the Bills ended up with ball on their own 7 yard line with 2:10 left in the half. Two plays moved the ball to the 28. Then Kelly hit Reed on a quick toss. Reed spun away from corner Bobby Bryant and outran the rest of the Viking secondary for a 78 catch and run. The Bills took a 17-7 lead into the halftime locker room.
With the temperature at 17 degrees and the wind chill nearing -10 degrees, the halftime show was a disaster as Kenny G's lips froze to the clarinet and four Kilgore College Rangerettes suffered frostbite of the knees.
At the start of the second half, Bills coach Bill Keller threw out his original game plan and had Thurman Thomas run the ball at the Vikings. 9 straight runs put the ball at the Minnesota 7 where Christie pushed the lead out to 20-7.
The two teams continued to trade punts until with 10:58 remaining, the Vikings got the ball at their own 15. Now it was Vikings' coach Tom Davis' turn to throw out his game plan. In a drive that featured all pass calls (one 14 yard scramble by Tarkenton being the only ground gain), the Vikings moved slowly down the field for four minutes until Tark found future Hill street Blues and Blue Montain State star Ed Marinaro for a three yard touchdown pass.
The Bills went three and out but Bills punter Chris Mohr launched a punt into
the teeth of the wind for 52 yards, pinning the Vikes on their own 25. The Vikings could only manage one first down and punted it back to the Bills who took over on their own 39. Coach Keller tried to cross up the Vikings and called a pass. But the ball bounced off the hands of Pete Metzelaars and into the arms of Bobby Bryant at the 37. Bryant thought he would redeem his earlier missed tackle on Reed with a pick six. Unfortunately, he started his celebration too soon and raised the ball over his head as he crossed the ten yard line. It was Metzelaars turn to redeem himself as he knocked the ball out of Bryant's hand and fell on it on the six. The maddened Viking defense stiffened and the Bills faced a third and two. Again, the Bills tried to misdirect the Vikings and Kelly went to a play action pas but Jim "Wrongway" Marshall burst threw the line and sacked Kelly for a seven yard loss. Mohr's punt was fair caught by Bryant at the Bills 43.
With 2:43 left on the clock and only one time out left, Tarkenton again went to work. Toss to John Gilliam for six yards,, toss to Oscar Reed, incomplete, to Marinaro for 2 yards. On 4th and 2, a toss to John Beasley for two yards. The chains came out and the Vikings still had life. Gilliam again for 6. The Buffalo jumped offsides and the Vikings had a first down on the 22. 15 yards to Gilliam and a first and goal at the 7. But two incomplete passes and a draw to Marinaro and it was 4th and goal at the 6. A pass to Gilliam was knocked away but the 14th yellow hanky against the Bills, this time pass interference in the end zone, gave the Vikings a first and goal at the 1. With 1:09 left on the clock, Tark the Shark found John Henderson in the end zone. Frd Cox added the extra point and the Vilings led 21-20. The Bills managed to run 7 plays in the time remaining but could only reach the Vikings 48 where the game ended when Kelly's hail mary fell to the ground.
The Bills controlled the ball for 34:46 and outgained the Vikings 374 to 240,
though each team ran 61 plays. But the Bills were penalized 14 times for 88 yards while the Vikings only had 4 penalties for 40 yards.
Tarkenton was 24 of 43 for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Jim Kelly only threw 17 times but completed 11 for 138 yards and 2 tds. The Vikings only ran the ball 18 times for 57 yards while the Bills ran 42 times for 248 yards including 29 carries for 173 yards Thurman Thomas. andre Reed led all receivers with 6 catches for 115 yards.
--submitted by Tom “Crash” Davis--
