Team mixed sports metaphors with a miracle play that continues to resonate 10 years later

Miracles do happen. We learned that on Jan. 8, 2000, when the Music City Miracle unfolded at what was then known as Adelphia Coliseum — when, miraculously, the Tennessee Titans won a playoff game they should have lost.The 10th anniversary of the event is not for a few weeks, but anniversary or not, the play has never really left the consciousness of Nashville or the NFL. In fact, the play officially known as "Home Run Throwback," has made the Top 10 greatest moments in sports on several well-publicized lists, including earning the No. 4 spot on Fox Sports Network's list.

But the Titans' 22-16 AFC Wild-Card playoff victory made losers of the Buffalo Bills — the same Bills that are coming back to Nashville Sunday, the same Bills that have had a history of heartbreaking post-season defeats, the same Bills that will be wearing, if you can believe the timing of this, "throwback" jerseys.

In light of the match-up, the Scene decided to run down Memory Lane with some of key contributors to the play that made them part of Pro Football lore.

There's Frank Wycheck, who threw the pass across the field, and now does radio for the team and co-hosts a local morning show. There's Kevin Dyson, who caught Wycheck's toss and ran untouched from 75 yards out for the score, who is athletic director at Williamson County's Independence High and does radio and TV sports commentary.

There's special teams coach Alan Lowry, who designed the kickoff play, and Coach Jeff Fisher who weighs in on what was arguably his greatest coaching victory to date.

Finally, there's Titans announcer Mike Keith, whose call of, "It's a miracle. There are no flags on the play," coupled with Pat Ryan's repeated cries of "He's got something," has become a part of the legend as well.

So, turn back the clock — Buffalo's Steve Christie had just kicked a 41-yard field goal to give the Bills a 16-15 lead with 16 seconds to play, setting the stage for the most memorable play in Titans history — and hang on.

Mike Keith: I was just sick that we had lost that ballgame, because that game was over. You give up a field goal with 16 seconds to go, you're beat.

I don't know that I've ever seen a game before or since, maybe one somewhere, where you have something like that happen. It just doesn't happen. The percentages are so miniscule.

It had been such a great year.... I'm thinking we've lost this game today, but sound positive. You're the team's announcer, sound positive because it's been a great year. That's what I'm thinking. I'm just trying to sound positive because I'm as sick as anybody else.

Frank Wycheck: It was kind of deflating, just because we thought we had the game, and they did a good job of driving down the field.

(On the sideline, Lowry and Fisher are getting ready to unleash the play that had been practiced many times, but never used.)

Alan Lowry: I'd had it a long time before it was even used at all. As soon as that ball went through the uprights, and I turned and walked down the sideline, and Coach Fisher was right there. He looked at me and I looked at him and we knew exactly what we were gonna do.

Jeff Fisher: First off, I turned to Alan, and we simultaneously said, "Home Run Throwback."

(There was one problem. Derrick Mason was supposed to run the play as the trail man. But he was out with a concussion. And to make matters worse, backup returner Anthony Dorsett had left the game with cramps. The Titans then turned to Dyson, who originally thought it was a mistake when the coaches were yelling for him to be on the field.)

Kevin Dyson: I heard Jeff and Coach Lowry calling my name. The only special teams unit I played on was the "hands" team, so I thought maybe they were confused.

(While Lowry instructed the other 10 Titans on the play, Fisher took Dyson aside and gave him a crash course in how things were supposed to work.)

Fisher: I went to talk to [Mason], and Mase was out with a concussion. Then we went to Anthony Dorsett, his backup, and he was cramping up and couldn't play. And I went to Kevin and basically went through it real quick with Kevin on what to do.

Kevin admitted he hadn't paid attention in practice on Saturdays, so I told him to stay five yards behind the ball and stay outside the numbers.

Dyson: They called me over and started explaining the gist of the play to me. Ike Byrd told me about it too. I'd seen it run in practice, so I knew basically how it was supposed to work.

(The play actually was supposed to involve Byrd, but he was taken out of the mix when he fell trying to catch the ball that was fielded by fullback Lorenzo Neal. Even that part was a bit of an adventure as Neal didn't possess the surest hands on the field. But he got the ball into Wycheck's hands as Wycheck and several blockers were running to the right side of the field.)