Holmes, Thomas Finally Give Bills That Familiar Look

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. —  The Washington Redskins have been winning with a strong running game all season. The Buffalo Bills showed them how much it stings to be on the other end.

Thurman Thomas and backup Darick Holmes combined for 229 yards rushing and four touchdowns Sunday in Buffalo’s 38-13 victory over Washington, snapping the Redskins’ seven-game winning streak.

The Bills, running from the K-Gun offense, looked like their teams of old rather than an old team. Buffalo rushed for 266 yards and held Washington to 75 on the ground in the Bills’ best performance this season.

“All year, the offense has been waiting for a day like this,” Holmes said. “It finally happened today. We put it all together.”

Holmes actually had a bigger day than Thomas. He finished with 122 yards in 22 carries and three touchdowns, the second of which gave Buffalo a 24-7 lead with 8:40 left in the third quarter. He added a 13-yard touchdown run with 8:22 left in the game.

Thomas finished with 107 yards in 23 carries and scored Buffalo’s first touchdown. It marked the first time the Bills had two backs top the 100-yard mark in the same game since 1992, when Thomas and Kenneth Davis accomplished the feat.

“When we run the ball well and see some gaps in the defense, we can exploit that,” Thomas said. “We wanted to go right at them and see what we could do every time Jim got the chance.”

Jim Kelly played his best game of the season in Buffalo’s mostly conservative passing game. He completed 19 of 23 for 206 yards and--most importantly--no interceptions.

Even slow-footed Kelly rushed for a touchdown when he plunged through the middle for four yards to make it 31-7 with 1:08 left in the third period. Afterward, he heaved the ball into the crowd before reaching the sideline.

“I don’t want to make a living out of it,” Kelly said. “I was so excited, not only for myself, but for our entire offense. I was pumped up. It felt good.”

Terry Allen was held to 49 yards in 15 carries, his worst performance of the year, but had two touchdowns for the Redskins (7-2).