The Buffalo Bills scraped out a 31-21 win against the Miami Dolphins Thursday night at Orchard Park, but it wasn’t the blowout many expected. What looked like a mismatch on paper turned into a grinding divisional slugfest, with Miami refusing to roll over despite entering as heavy underdogs.
Late-Game Defense Puts Bills Over the Top
With under five minutes left and Miami driving deep into Buffalo territory, the game hung in the balance. The Dolphins had clawed back to within a touchdown at 28-21 and were knocking on the door again. That’s when linebacker Terrel Bernard stepped up in a big way.
Defensive tackle Deone Walker got good pressure on Tua Tagovailoa, forcing an off-target throw toward Jaylen Waddle. Bernard was in perfect position, picking off the pass and racing 24 yards before being brought down. The turnover set up a field goal that essentially put the game away.
The interception kept alive Buffalo’s remarkable streak of 25 straight games without losing the turnover battle – an NFL record that includes playoff contests. At home against division rivals, the Bills have now won 11 consecutive games, a level of dominance reminiscent of New England’s 17-game home division winning streak from 2009-2014.
Allen’s Milestone Night Comes with Some Limitations
Quarterback Josh Allen reached a career milestone, throwing his 200th touchdown pass while keeping the ball secure all night. Three scoring throws helped Buffalo pull away, but Miami’s defense managed to bottle up the Bills’ vertical passing attack in unexpected ways.
For the first time in Allen’s career when attempting at least 10 passes, he failed to complete a single throw beyond 10 yards downfield. The Dolphins’ secondary deserves credit for taking away Buffalo’s preferred explosive plays and forcing more methodical drives.
Buffalo’s third-down defense became an issue as the game wore on. Miami converted 10 of their 15 third-down tries, including several tough long-distance situations and even a successful fourth-down conversion. Those sustained drives kept the Dolphins in striking distance throughout.
A crucial sequence came with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. A roughing the kicker penalty against Miami gave Buffalo new life on what appeared to be a stalled drive. Allen made the most of the second chance, finding Khalil Shakir for a 15-yard touchdown that put the Bills back in front for good.
Buffalo heads to New Orleans next week to face the Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Dolphins Show Fight Despite Long Odds
Coming off three straight losses and facing questions about coach Mike McDaniel’s job security, Miami could have folded early as 12.5-point road underdogs. Instead, they scrapped and clawed their way to respectability, even if the final result didn’t change.
Tagovailoa played it smart for most of the evening, engineering a masterful 16-play scoring drive just before halftime to knot things up. His timing on the second touchdown to Tyreek Hill was exceptional – putting the ball exactly where it needed to be before Hill had even completed his break. While not without some shaky moments, Tua protected the football against a Bills defense that had feasted on Miami turnovers in previous meetings.
The ground game showed real promise for Miami. Rookie Ollie Gordon II, who impressed in preseason but saw limited action early in the year, carried the ball four times on the opening drive and matched starter De’Von Achane’s workload. The Dolphins rushed for 116 yards – their best total of the season. Gordon’s power complemented Achane’s speed nicely, and this two-back approach might be worth exploring further.
Miami’s defense, which had been carved up repeatedly in recent weeks, managed three consecutive stops during the second half. They’d allowed touchdowns on 13 of 15 possessions coming into Thursday night, so any signs of resistance were encouraging. Bradley Chubb continues his strong comeback from missing all of last season, recording sacks in three straight games.
The Dolphins travel to face the New York Jets on Monday Night Football (7:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). That result could go a long way toward determining McDaniel’s future and Miami’s slim playoff hopes in a crowded AFC wildcard picture.
