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The Greatest In-Season NFL Turnaround For All 32 Teams

By Erik Lambert

HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: Whitney Mercilus #59 of the Houston Texans congratulates J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans after a tackle in the third quarter at NRG Stadium on December 2, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 02: Whitney Mercilus #59 of the Houston Texans congratulates J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans after a tackle in the third quarter at NRG Stadium on December 2, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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18 Oct 1998: Quarterback Doug Flutie #7 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 17-16.
18 Oct 1998: Quarterback Doug Flutie #7 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Rich Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 17-16. /

Buffalo Bills:  1998

The city of Buffalo was in mourning by the late 1990s. Their once great Bills team that had gone to four-straight Super Bowl was all but gone. No bigger loss was felt than that of Jim Kelly. The Hall of Fame quarterback had retired in 1997, which led to the offense’s first finish outside the top 15 in 10 years and their worst record in 11.

Optimism wasn’t high for 1998 either as their options at quarterback were either former backup Rob Johnson or former NFL washout-turned-CFL great Doug Flutie. Buffalo decided to go with Johnson as the starter given they’d just traded for him. Flutie was little more than competition and a nice option at backup. They promptly started 0-3 with Johnson looking erratic and taking a ton of hits.

Finally he was knocked out of the game against Indianapolis in week six. Flutie came in and led the team to a big 31-24 victory. That led to his getting the nod as the starter moving forward. Buffalo won seven of their next eight games and cruised into the playoffs at 10-6. Flutie went to the Pro Bowl, becoming one of the greatest comeback stories in NFL history.

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