Though he's been on the shelf of late due to injury, eight-year veteran Terrence McGee has had his fair share of outstanding performances in his Bills career. But few if any have matched the day he had almost five seasons ago against this Sunday's opponent, the last time the Bills made the trip to Cincinnati.
On Christmas Eve 2005, the Bills upset a heavily favored Bengals team that few gave Buffalo a shot at beating. McGee was an instrumental factor in the outcome of the game.
"I was able to return a kick back and an interception back," said McGee. "The best thing out of that game was that we got the win. It felt good to go get a win in Cincinnati."
McGee made a key play when the Bills were down 17-13 after a Cincinnati field goal. The speedy corner brought back a 99-yard kick return to give the Bills the lead late in the third quarter.
McGee remembers that play well and to this day gives credit to his teammates.
"It was a left return," he said. "Our guys blocked for me great that game and I was able to hit that sideline and take it all the way."
Even if you were to take that huge return away, McGee still had great success returning kicks, averaging over thirty yards (30.2) on the other four returns.
"The guys blocked for me great that game," he said. "I was feeling confident too. I remember those returns and it felt good."
His biggest play of the game came after Rian Lindell made a field goal to put the Bills up 30-27 with one minute to play in the final quarter. With Cincinnati near midfield with an opportunity to tie or win the game, the young corner intercepted Carson Palmer on a 2nd-and-8 play on a pass intended for Kevin Walter and took it 46-yards to the end zone to seal the win with under a minute remaining.
"I remember we were in a cover two," said McGee. "The pressure was coming from the opposite side of the field. He was just really trying to get away from the pressure and he did not see me sitting over there. I was praying that he didn't see me and he didn't and as soon as he let it go, I just broke in front of the receiver and I was able to catch the ball and take it in."
Being a veteran now, McGee appreciates games like that more knowing how rare it is for a cornerback to have that kind of an impact.
"It just feels good as a cornerback to score," said McGee. "Anytime you score on defense that is an amazing feeling. Being in the NFL, I never had a game like that. Being able to score twice on special teams and on defense it was definitely special."
With Sunday being the first time playing in Cincinnati since that performance, McGee admits he'll reminisce a bit prior to the opening kickoff.
"I definitely remember that," he said. "I know we haven't been back since then but that will be something that will never leave my memory bank. Hopefully there will still be some kind of magic there and something can be pulled off and I can maybe have a great game. As long as we can get the win."
McGee and the Bills secondary will face a tough test against a Cincinnati Bengals offense that features weapons such as Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. Along with quarterback Carson Palmer, the Bengals rank ninth in passing offense.
Look for a lot of passing from the Bengals as they struggle to produce offense running the ball ranking 26th. It will be interesting to see if McGee can have another fantastic game in just his second game back from his leg injury.
