ORCHARD PARK — It was arguably the worst weather in the 45-year history of the Bills home stadium.
They were down to their third-string quarterback.
But, for once, they finally got a game-result-affecting officiating call to go their way.
When it was over, Buffalo owned a 13-7 overtime victory against Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon before 60,222 thoroughly-chilled, snow-covered fans at New Life Field.
The Bills were a mere field-goal favorite over the AFC’s second-worst team and Indianapolis (3-10) showed why.
Buffalo (7-6) remained squarely alive in the conference playoff race, though Tennessee (8-5) and Baltimore (7-6) are currently in the wild-card spots. But the Bills are on the brink with Kansas City and the L.A. Chargers, two other 7-6 teams, though one of them figures to win the AFC West.
Critical for Buffalo was the fact it prevailed on a day when the weather was a great equalizer, even for a Colts team that plays its home games in a dome.
The weather was considerably worse than predictions as some six inches of snow fell before and during the game with persistent 15 mph winds that made it feel like 16 degrees.
Grounds crew workers cleared yard lines and hash marks during every stoppage in play but the lake-effect snow and windy conditions often reduced visibility to under 50 yards.
It was a day for the running games as Buffalo feature back, LeSean McCoy, ran a career-high 31 times for 156 yards, including a 21-yard cutback for the winning touchdown with 1:33 to play in OT.
In all, the Bills totaled 227 rushing yards on a season-high 51 carries.
Indy totaled 163 ground yards on 46 tries, 130 by 34-year-old veteran Frank Gore on 36 carries, the most of his career … by FIVE.
It wasn’t a day for kicking as the Colts Adam Vinatieri, one of the best in NFL history, missed field goals of 33 and 43 yards from both sides, but made a clutch 43-yard extra point to produce overtime.
More on that later.
And Buffalo’s Stephen Hauschka’s conversion kept alive, barely, his streak of scoring in 107 straight games, saecond-most among active NFL kickers.
Oddly, in a game for the running attacks, though McCoy’s rush won it, the first two TDs were via throws.
The Bills struck first, as wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin scored his first TD for Buffalo, catching an 8-yard throw from quarterback Nathan Peterman, the rookie who got the call when nominal starter Tyrod Taylor was declared inactive with a knee injury, barely an hour before the game.
Indy’s score was a 3-yard connection with tight end Jack Doyle from Colts’ QB Jacoby Brissett, acquired in a trade with New England when it became likely that franchise quarterback Andrew Luck wouldn’t play this season with a shoulder injury.
Buffalo vainly argued that Doyle scored on an illegal pick play (knocking a defending off coverage of the receiver).
That score, on a 19-play, 77-yard drive came with 1:16 to play in regulation, set up a Bills break.
Indy coach Chuck Pagano opted to go for the 2-point conversion and a likely victory.
The Colts then went to a wide-open Doyle on the side opposite his TD catch, but a flag for offensive interference (a pick play) nullified the try and Vinatieri, with the 10-yard penalty, was forced to kick a 43-yard extra point.
His knuckleball boot just cleared the crossbar and sent the game to overtime at 7-7.
BUT THE Bills had issues of their own.
With 5½ minutes left in the third quarter, Peterman left the game with a head injury and, with Taylor inactive, veteran Joe Webb, the third stringer, came in … with third-string tight end Logan Thomas in the wings as desperation QB, if necessary.
And it was Webb, who quarterbacked the last six series, including two turnovers — a fumble by reserve running back Mike Tolbert and an interception of his own — and McCoy’s game-winning run.
Afterward, taking the podium, Webb admitted, “This is the last place I thought I’d be standing … but it feels good.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound, 30-year-old veteran from Alabama-Birmingham has stayed in the NFL for eight seasons mostly because of his special teams acumen.
And now, with Taylor still healing and Peterman in concussion protocol, Webb could get his fifth career start next Sunday at New Era Field against Miami.
He admitted, of the interception, “In this league you don’t get second chances a lot. For me to have a second chance, that was a blessing.
“It was a great job by the defense getting the ball back to us.”
Webb added of the game-winning possession, “I told (the offense), we have to end it right here … we might not have a chance again. And (McCoy) has been in that position before, so it’s nothing new for him.”
But, McDermott admitted he was fortunate to win a game with his third-string quarterback.
“I was there in Carolina with Joe, so I knew (him) a little bit there. We’re down to our third-string quarterback and what a gutsy performance,” he said.
“He had some key third-down conversions (five carries for 27 yards) with his feet and a couple with his arm (two completions, including a 34-yarder to Deonte Thompson to set up the winning score). It was a big-time performance.”
And Webb, who was a member of Carolina’s Super Bowl team two years ago, concluded, “It was a much-needed win for us … just to boost our confidence, build our momentum and show these guys we can do this.
“A lot of guys (on the Bills roster) haven’t made the playoffs. Me, Kelvin (Benjamin) and Tolbert went to the playoffs in Carolina. Even coach McDermott has been to the playoffs … we know what it takes.”
But can the Bills do it with a third-string quarterback and only three games remaining, two on the road at New England (10-2) and Miami (5-7)?
