Brooks Steps Up to Help Bills Win, 27-21 : AFC: Backup receiver, filling in for Reed, catches two touchdown passes against Seahawks.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bill Brooks replaced injured Andre Reed and showed why the Buffalo Bills have the best bargain in the league.

Brooks, who took a $1 million pay cut when he was released by Buffalo in April and re-signed in June, caught six passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns and lifted the Bills to a 27-21 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

“You just want to go out and do your job,” Brooks said. “Thank God I had an opportunity to play football, something I love to do.”

The Bills were certainly happy to have him this year after Reed suffered a severely pulled hamstring last week. Brooks, who earns $200,000, responded with his biggest day since he joined the Bills three seasons ago.

“You don’t replace Andre Reed,” Buffalo Coach Marv Levy said. “There’s no magic. Bill Brooks is a consummate professional, and he should be commended for the way he played.”

Jim Kelly completed 21 of 36 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns in 30 m.p.h. winds that swirled around Rich Stadium. Steve Christie kicked field goals of 43 and 26 yards for Buffalo (5-1), which won its fifth in a row.

Seattle (2-4) had a chance to win the game after driving to the Buffalo 40. After three incompletions in a row, Rick Mirer’s desperation pass into the end zone was intercepted on the last play of the game.

Mirer completed 15 of 34 passes for 218 yards, three interceptions and one touchdown.

“We hung in there,” said Seahawk receiver Joey Galloway, who had a 54-yard touchdown catch. “We had a chance, but it’s hard to come back against a team like this.”

Brooks’ second touchdown catch was as pretty as they come, and it gave Buffalo a 24-7 lead in the third quarter.

The Bills had a third and 10 when Kelly threw a high pass near the goal line. Brooks, who was told by Kelly to change his route as they came out of the huddle, outleaped Carlton Gray and came down with a one-handed grab as he fell into the end zone.

“Jim put it out there,” Brooks said. “I stuck my hand out there, and it hit it.”

Seattle drew within 24-14 on its next possession when Mirer connected with Joey Galloway on a 54-yard touchdown pass play.

After Christie put Buffalo ahead, 27-14, with a 26-yard field goal, Seattle came within 27-21 after Galloway caught an 18-yard pass on fourth down to set up Chris Warren’s second touchdown, a three-yard run.

The Seahawks drove to the Buffalo 40 on their last possession but Thomas Smith stepped in front of a Mirer’s deep pass and gave the Bills the victory.