Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins’ offense were close to tying the score again Thursday night at Highmark Stadium.
They had converted on third down for the 10th time against the Buffalo Bills, and they had reached the Bills’ 21-yard line on eight plays.
The Bills couldn’t get off the field. Tagovailoa threw quick, short passes toward the sideline to pick up chunks of yards and stop the clock. As the sold-out crowd was preparing for another completion, the Bills’ defense made another game-changing play to turn a mistake-filled performance into another signature win.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard, the Bills’ defensive captain, intercepted Tagovailoa, prompting an eruption of relief from a nervous home crowd, and Josh Allen helped the Bills hold on for a 31-21 victory to improve to 3-0 for the second year in a row.
The Dolphins could have gotten the ball back sooner with more time and another opportunity to drive downfield, but they committed another undisciplined penalty that gave the ball back to the reigning NFL MVP.
Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler ran into Cameron Johnston after the Bills’ punter launched the ball to Miami with the score tied 21-21 and 10:20 left in the fourth quarter. Seiler was called for roughing the kicker, a 15-yard penalty that gave the ball back to Allen and Buffalo’s offense at the Dolphins’ 36-yard line.
Five plays later, Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir caught a pass in the left flat and ran for a 15-yard touchdown.
Buffalo’s defense gave up two third-down conversions on the ensuing drive, but rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker pressured Tagovailoa and Bernard returned his interception 21 yards. Elijah Moore’s 30-yard reception on second-and-16 ensured that Buffalo improved to 16-2 against Miami under coach Sean McDermott.
Allen completed 22 of 28 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns, two of which were in the first half. Bills running back James Cook rushed for 108 yards on 19 carries and tied the franchise record by rushing for a touchdown in a seventh consecutive regular-season game. Matt Prater made a 48-yard field goal with 27 seconds remaining.
The score shouldn’t have been close in the second half.
The Bills were leading 14-7 in the second quarter when Cook sliced through the Dolphins’ defense for a 26-yard gain and Allen’s play-action pass to receiver Tyrell Shavers went for 17 yards.
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Miami lost two cornerbacks, Jack Jones and Jason Marshall Jr., to injuries. Three other members of their secondary, including starting cornerback Storm Duck, missed the game because of injury. The pass rushers appeared frustrated and dejected as the Bills had the ball at the Dolphins’ 13-yard line.
Cook was tackled for no gain on second-and-8, Miami edge rusher Bradley Chubb sacked Allen on third down and Prater badly missed a 39-yard field goal. A third consecutive three-and-out from their defense would have given Allen time to add to the lead before halftime, but the Bills couldn’t the stop they needed.
Tagovailoa led the Dolphins on a 16-play, 71-yard drive that ended with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle’s game-tying 3-yard touchdown reception and featured five third-down conversions, including catches of 19 and 13 yards by Tyreek Hill.
Getting off the field on third down was a point of emphasis for the Bills throughout the spring and training camp. After they ranked 29th in the NFL last season, general manager Brandon Beane revamped Buffalo’s pass rush and cornerback room.
The Bills held the Jets to 0 for 11 in their 30-10 win last Sunday, but the Ravens and Dolphins converted a combined 16 of 26 between Weeks 1 and 3, including 10 of 15 against Miami. Tagovailoa wasn’t sacked Thursday night, and he was hit only once as the Dolphins’ embattled coach, Mike McDaniel, called plays to help his quarterback quickly get rid of the ball.
The Bills gained 358 yards on offense and converted 6 of 10 third downs.
Overall, it wasn’t a poor performance from their defense. Miami had 133 passing yards and averaged 4.4 yards per play despite Buffalo not having injured defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano.
Tre’Davious White was excellent in coverage early on, tackling Waddle for a 4-yard loss on first down of Miami’s third three-and-out of the game.
Bernard tackled Dolphins running back De’Von Achane with White on the second play of Miami’s second drive and Bills nickel cornerback Taron Johnson had a pass breakup on third down to force them to punt.
But there were too many missed tackles when the Dolphins got the ball to Achane, Hill and backup running back Ollie Gordon.
The offense will have as many corrections to make as the defense. Buffalo drove 69 yards in eight plays, capped by Cook’s 2-yard touchdown run, to take a 21-14 lead early in the third quarter, but it punted on each of its next two drives.
Keon Coleman, who’s supposed to be Allen’s top receiver, dropped a pass on second-and-10. Joshua Palmer, the receiver signed by the Bills in free agency, did not have a target until 7:57 left in the fourth quarter. Most of their receivers struggled to get open against a secondary that’s considered one of the worst in the AFC.
It’s no secret why the Dolphins are 0-3, though.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks’ unsportsmanlike conduct penalty erased a tackle for a loss on the goal line, which gave the Bills another chance to score, and Cook capitalized for the 21-14 lead. Buffalo won the turnover margin for a 25th consecutive game, the longest such streak in NFL history, and their best players came through when the game was on the line.
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Lance Lysowski
News Sports Reporter
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