Bills Bounce Back With Big Plays

CINCINNATI —  From the first play of the game, Doug Flutie and Eric Moulds gave Cincinnati fans plenty of chances to vent their anger.

Flutie and Moulds opened the game with a 55-yard completion and made one big play after another Sunday, keeping the Buffalo Bills in the playoff race with a 33-20 victory over the Bengals.

Flutie and Moulds combined for two touchdowns, including a quick slant pass that turned into 70-yard play, as the Bills (8-5) picked apart the NFL’s lowest-rated defense in front of thousands of disgruntled fans.

The victory wiped away the sting of a controversial loss to the New England Patriots a week earlier and kept the Bills in the thick of the AFC East race with eight victories in their last 10 games.

The Bengals (2-11) lost their eighth in a row--their longest losing streak since 1994 .

“We’re trying to stay focused. It’s just been one of those seasons where we don’t make the plays and the other teams do,” said cornerback Ashley Ambrose, beaten on the game-opening play.

Flutie directed an offense that scored in every quarter and piled up a season-high 448 yards. Hecompleted 18 of 30 for 319 yards--his second consecutive 300-yard game.

Flutie and Moulds set the tone on the first play, when the third-year receiver ran past Ambrose and caught the pass in stride for the long gain that set up Antowain Smith’s one-yard touchdown run.

Moulds finished with six catches for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns. In the 25-21 loss to New England, he had a career-high eight catches for 177 yards.

Neil O’Donnell, starting for the first time in three games, stunned the Bills by throwing two touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Bengals their first lead in 17 quarters. It didn’t even survive the half.

Flutie and Moulds beat a blitz and turned the game with the 70-yard touchdown with 1:41 left.

O’Donnell left early in the fourth quarter with a broken hand.