Josh Allen leads the Bills to a 21-14 victory over the Dolphins, securing Buffalo’s No. 2 AFC seed.
With three mistakes in Miami territory, Allen complicated matters for the Bills, but in the end, he delivered to help Buffalo secure the No. 2 spot in the conference. The Bills, who needed Tennessee’s victory over Jacksonville earlier on Sunday to secure a postseason place, will play home to seventh-seeded Pittsburgh in the wild-card round on Sunday.
When Buffalo was 5-5 at the middle of November, they had a long shot at making the playoffs, but they won five out of seven games and six of seven games to secure a spot with plenty of momentum. After defeating Dallas in Week 16, Miami was ranked sixth and advanced to the postseason. This Saturday, they will take on AFC West champion Kansas City.
Before Deonte Harty returned a punt 96 yards for a score early in the fourth quarter, Buffalo was behind 14-7 despite the Bills controlling time of possession and outgaining Miami by nearly 200 yards.
With 7:16 remaining, Allen led an eight-play, 74-yard drive that culminated in a 5-yard pass to Knox after Buffalo forced a three-and-out.With 1:13 remaining, Miami had one final opportunity, but Taylor Rapp intercepted Tua Tagovailoa on a ball meant for Chase Claypool.
Allen completed 30 of 38 for 2 touchdowns and 359 yards. He lost another opportunity to score when he delivered a throw to Ty Johnson short of the goal line at the end of the first half, enabling time to elapse. He was intercepted on back-to-back drives to start the game.
Christian Wilkins strip-sacked Allen in the third quarter, ending a strong Buffalo drive.
With two interceptions, Tagovailoa completed 17 of 27 for 173 yards. Tyreek Hill was the recipient of a 3-yard touchdown pass from him in the second quarter. Ultimately, he passed for an NFL-high 4,624 yards. Miami led 7-0 in the second quarter thanks to a shrewd 25-yard touchdown from rookie running back De’Von Achane.
Hill ended with seven receptions for eighty-two yards, giving him the league lead with 1,799. Four days after firefighters put out a fire at his South Florida house, he celebrated his 13th touchdown of the season in the end zone with a back flip.
In the first minutes of this crucial game, both teams played carelessly.ย To finish Miami’s opening drive, Christian Benford, a safety for Buffalo, cut off Tagovailoa’s pass intended for Hill. Then, on Buffalo’s opening play, Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple intercepted Allen in the end zone, stopping a 12-play, 79-yard drive.
With 14 interceptions, Allen was among the most turnover-prone quarterbacks in the league going into the contest. On Buffalo’s second drive, he had another one on a fourth-down heave across his body. DeShon Elliott, a safety for the Dolphins, went down with it.
However, Buffalo forced four Dolphins punts and a turnover in the final minutes, putting an end to Miami’s momentum that it had created with its two first-half touchdowns. After losing their final two games of the season, the Dolphins will now take against the Chiefs, who defeated them 21-14 in Germany during Week 9.
PERSONAL HARM
Bills: Wide receiver Gabe Davis exited the game in the second quarter, seemingly suffering a non-contact injury to his left knee, and he did not come back. LB In the second quarter, CB Rasul Douglas (knee) departed the game, and RB Tyrel Dodson left with a shoulder injury. Ty Johnson had a concussion at halftime and was unable to return.
Dolphins: Elliott injured his calf during warm-ups before the game, but he continued to play. LB In the third quarter, Andrew Van Ginkel exited with a foot injury and did not come back. Early in the fourth quarter, backup linebacker Cameron Goode was carried off the field due to a leg injury.