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NFL
National Football League

Byrd's 2 INTs help Bills drop Cardinals in OT

Sal Maiorana, Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle
  • Jairus Byrd's second interception set up Buffalo's game-winning field goal
  • Arizona tied the game with 1:09 left on Jay Feely's franchise-record 61-yard field goal
  • The Cardinals lost their second in a row after a 4-0 start

GLENDALE, Ariz. β€” In a game that featured as many twists and turns in the final few minutes of regulation and overtime as a slalom course, the Bills pulled out a much-needed 19-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals Sunday afternoon.

Jairus Byrd had two interceptions to help the Bills snap a two-game skid.

The Bills watched in horror as Arizona's Jay Feely kicked a game-tying 61-yard field goal with 1:09 remaining in regulation, then jumped for joy when he shanked a potential game-winner off the left upright as time expired, forcing overtime.

And then in overtime, after their first offensive possession resulted in a punt into the end zone, Jairus Byrd intercepted a John Skelton pass and returned it inside the 10-yard line to set up Rian Lindell's game-winning 25-yard field goal.

The Bills could have put the game away long before the bizarre ending. Leading 16-13 and driving, coach Chan Gailey called an ill-advised wildcat pass by Brad Smith that was picked off in the end zone by Patrick Peterson. That allowed Arizona the possession that led to Feely's monstrous field goal, the longest of his career by six yards.

The Bills got off to a terrible start as Fred Jackson fumbled on the first play of the game and William Gay recovered for Arizona at the Bills 33. The defense held, and Feely's 49-yard field goal gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead after just 70 seconds.

The Bills pulled within 3-2 when Chris Kelsay sacked Kevin Kolb in the end zone for a safety, and after Leodis McKelvin's 33-yard return of the free kick to the Arizona 49, the Bills drove to a go-ahead touchdown. They converted three third downs along the way before C.J. Spiller danced his way to a 10-yard touchdown.

Arizona regained the lead with a 67-yard drive to Kolb's TD pass over the middle to Larry Fitzgerald, a play where the Bills seemed to be confused because linebacker Nick Barnett was covering the Cardinals superstar.

Just when the Cardinals seemed to be taking control as Feely made another 49-yard field goal to cap a long six-minutes-plus drive, the Bills offense came alive after a lengthy slumber. Spiller broke a 33-yard run, Brad Smith ripped off a 16-yarder out of the wildcat, and Fred Jackson finished it with a one-yard plunge to take a 16-13 lead with 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

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