CLEVELAND -- A season that started with great expectations ended with great disappointment for the Buffalo Bills Saturday when Jim Kelly threw an interception at the Cleveland 2 with :003 left.
The interception by Clay Matthews was the third Bills' mistake in the final 4:00 of a 34-30 loss to the Browns in the AFC playoffs. Scott Norwood missed an extra point with 4:00 left that would have moved Buffalo within a field goal, then Ronnie Harmon dropped Kelly's pass in the end zone one play before the final interception.
Matthews intercepted a pass for running back Thurman Thomas, who caught seven for 63 yards on Buffalo's last two possessions.
'It seemed like I was going to be open,' Thomas said. 'But Clay Matthews made a great play.'
Considering Buffalo finished with four losses in five games, the Bills veterans wonder who will be back next year.
'I think there will be a lot of changes,' said nose tackle Fred Smerlas, an 11-year veteran.
Buffalo was an overwhelming pick to win the shaky AFC East after advancing to the conference title game last year. But they lost three of their last four and barely finished first at 9-7.
The season was rocky on the field and off, with players bickering and two coaches fighting at one meeting. Kelly had been criticized during the Bills slump, and the critics included teammate Thomas. There were calls for his benching in favor of Frank Reich, who was 3-0 while Kelly nursed an early-season injury.
'He did not have to prove anything to me,' Buffalo Coach Marv Levy said of Kelly's play. 'Jim Kelly, to me, is an outstanding quarterback with a big heart, a good competitor, and he is not going to succeed in every single pass every time he throws. ... I thought he peformed extremely well.'
Kelly completed 28 of 54 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, and had at least six passes dropped. He also threw two interceptions.
He continued his silence Saturday that began after his blowup with Thomas late in the season.
Thomas, despite saying Kelly had a 'great day,' was critical of the Bills quarterback for not looking away from primary receivers earlier to throw to him and Harmon.
And when the question of his relationship with Kelly came up, Thomas made no effort to smooth things over.
'I want to talk about football,' Thomas said.
He decided, instead, to talk about how the team can build on this season.
'We had ups and downs all year long, but to go out this way -- we had an opportunity to win the ballgame -- it helps us going into next season,' Thomas said. 'I think this team really grew up today and grew as a team.'
Kelly pointed his share of fingers this season. He and wide receiver Chris Burkett bickered early in the season and Burkett was sent to the Jets. Then Kelly blamed offensive tackle Howard Ballard for missing a block that led to his shoulder injury.
Assisant coaches Tom Bresnahan and Nick Nicolau fought each other, and Thomas publicly criticized the play of Kelly.
And there were key injuries. Star linebackers Cornelius Bennett and Shane Conlan played together only two games during the regular season.
But the team pulled together to stand 8-4 with a month left but lost its next three before routing the New York Jets 37-0 on the final game to win the division title.
