When Jim Met Steve: Your Bills-49ers Open Thread

While waiting for Buffalo and San Francisco to kick off in the dreaded late-game slot, let us travel back 20 years and then some, to an afternoon when the Bills and 49ers put on one of the most brilliant offensive displays in NFL history.

The Bills had been to two straight Super Bowls. The 49ers were starting their second full season with Steve Young at quarterback. They met in the second week of the 1992 season, with each coming off an impressive win in their respective openers.

It is remembered mostly as the "no-punt" game, the only time in league history that neither team kicked it away to the other on fourth down. Other numbers and notes from Buffalo's 34-31 win:

The teams combined for 1,086 total yards, 598 by the 49ers.

Young and Jim Kelly put on a show, each throwing for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns. Besides throwing for 449 yards, Young ran for another 50 to finish a single yard short of 500 all by himself.

The lack of punts was not due purely to offensive efficiency. Both quarterbacks threw an interception and each time lost two fumbles, with San Francisco kicker Mike Cofer missing a pair of field goals.

Pete Metzelaars had the game of his career. The traditionall lumbering tight end turned deep threat for a day, catching four passes for 113 yards and two scores, 53- and 24-yarders in the third quarter that wiped out an 11-point halftime deficit.

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, as well as rather lax enforcement of copyright laws, and someone who had too much time on his or her hands, you can watch the whole game, as broadcast on NBC, on YouTube.

This is also the Open Thread for today's Bills-49ers game, which is unlikely to be remotely as interesting, or wind up nearly as well for Buffalo.

San Francisco comes off a 34-0 battering of the New York Jets, on the road, no less. The 49ers rely heavily on Frank Gore to let them control the ball and keep their extremely physical defense rested. But they have started letting Alex Smith run a big-boy offense this season. If the Bills play the sort of highly flawed football they displayed against those same Jets in the opener or while getting pancaked by New England a week ago, it will be over quickly. At least you can go back to watching Kelly and Young shoot it out on your computer or mobile device.

But don't let all that discourage you. Share your pre-game thoughts, or memories of this 20-year-old shootout, in the comments below.