The Buffalo Bills have defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-21, fighting off a team that converted a parade of third downs and was poised to tie the score in the fourth quarter until Terrel Bernard’s timely interception turned the tide, allowing Josh Allen and the offense to finally put the game away.
The Bills improve to 3-0 for the fourth time under ninth-year coach Sean McDermott and will have the weekend off before they prepare for the 0-2 New Orleans Saints on Sept. 28 in Highmark Stadium.
The Bills have scored 30 points in all three games but somehow leave this game with plenty to improve upon. This time, it’s third-down defense, as the Dolphins converted on 10 of 15 third downs, and tightening up in the secondary, among other things.
Fourth quarter, :22 remaining
The Buffalo Bills will escape with another win.
Matt Prater drilled a 49-yard field goal to cap a drive that started after linebacker Terrel Bernard picked off Tua Tagovailoa and took it the other way, giving Josh Allen a chance to seal a hard-earned victory.
Bills 31, Dolphins 21.
Fourth quarter, 7:17
Zach Sieler and the Miami Dolphins made a costly mistake. Josh Allen and the Bills made them pay for it.
The Dolphins had forced Buffalo to punt, and they were about to give the ball back to a hot Miami offense – but Sieler, who steamrolled Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson, crashed into the plant leg of punter Cam Johnston, an automatic roughing-the-punter penalty.
With another chance to cash in, Allen led the Bills into the end zone, throwing a 15-yard swing pass to Khalil Shakir out of the backfield, putting the Bills back out in front.
Bills 28, Dolphins 21.
Fourth quarter, 12:18
Back come the Miami Dolphins.
The Buffalo Bills hold a 271-207 advantage in yards from scrimmage and have controlled much of this game Thursday night in Orchard Park – but two long Dolphins drives have not only kept them in the game but brought them into a 21-21 tie.
The latest touchdown march included a fourth-and-4 conversion and covered 67 yards in nine plays, and it ended with a looping 5-yard throw from Tua Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill in the back of the end zone.
Bills get the ball back.
Bills 21, Dolphins 21.
Third quarter, 10:23
The Bills opened the third quarter with a statement of their own, retaking the lead with a dominant drive that ended with James Cook’s 2-yard dive through the middle of the defense into the end zone, putting Buffalo back in front, 21-14.
The Bills had four plays of 8 or more yards, in addition to a 10-yard Dolphins penalty and another flag that gave the Bills a fresh first-and-goal. Josh Allen scrambled for 19 yards, then threw to Dalton Kincaid for 19 more to the 1-yard line on the next play.
This series opened the second half and was a strong answer to the Dolphins’ impressive scoring drive that ended the first half, tying the game at 14.
Bills 21, Dolphins 14.
The Buffalo Bills missed an opportunity, the Miami Dolphins answered, and this game is tied at halftime in Orchard Park.
Tua Tagovailoa’s 3-yard slant pass to Jaylen Waddle capped a stellar 16-play drive that drained the clock and gave Josh Allen no chance to steal a field goal or touchdown before the break.
Tyreek Hill had three third-down conversions on the drive and Tagovailoa had a key scramble on another, and Miami went 5 for 5 on third down on the 71-yard drive overall.
The game-tying drive came after the Dolphins had gone three-and-out on back-to-back possessions and the Bills looked like they were in control.
Buffalo had a 14-7 lead when its drive stalled at the 21-yard line with a third-down sack, and Matt Prater’s 39-yard field-goal attempt sailed waaaaay left.
Bills 14, Dolphins 14.
Miami is 8 of 10 on third down. Buffalo gets the ball to start the second half.
Second quarter, 6:03 remaining
The Bills offense has come up empty for the first time tonight, and Matt Prater has his first miss of the season.
Prater duck-hooked a 39-yard field-goal attempt after a promising drive ended with a Miami sack of Josh Allen on third down at the 29-yard line.
The Bills’ lead remains 14-7.
Second quarter, 11:54 remaining
The Bills have their first lead of the night.
Using nearly all their weapons as they moved methodically down the field, the Bills finished off their second series when Josh Allen, moving to his left on a run-pass bootleg, delivered what amounted to a one-handed chest pass to No. 3 tight end Jackson Hawes for the rookie’s first pro touchdown, giving the Bills a 14-7 lead.
Hawes, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, James Cook, Dalton Kincaid and Elijah Moore all touched the football on the Bills’ 10-play drive.
Bills 14, Dolphins 7.
First quarter, 4:04 remaining
The Buffalo Bills have punched back.
Using everything from a three-tight-end formation to an empty backfield, the Bills needed just seven plays to answer the Miami Dolphins, and they finished off their opening possession with a 20-yard throw from Josh Allen to tight end Dalton Kincaid, who found an open spot between the shallow and deep spots in the Dolphins’ zone defense.
Allen was 3 for 3 passing on the drive, and James Cook broke loose for 30 yards rushing.
Game on. Bills 7, Dolphins 7.
First quarter, 8:31 remaining
The Miami Dolphins have come out swinging.
The Dolphins opened their Thursday night game at Highmark Stadium with a statement, getting a big kickoff return to start the game and finishing a 10-play drive with a powerful run by rookie Ollie Gordon to take an early 7-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills.
Miami, an 0-2 squad which came into this game as an 11½-point underdog, got a 54-yard return on the opening kick from Dee Eskridge. The Dolphins then converted three third downs on their 47-yard possession, and maligned quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 4 of 4 short passes to get his team going.
Dolphins 7, Bills 0.
The Buffalo Bills (2-0) return home to face the struggling division-rival Miami Dolphins (0-2) for a “Thursday Night Football” game at Highmark Stadium. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. Stay here for our live updates throughout the game.
Take a look at these photos from the pregame tailgate.
Check out photos of Bills players arriving before the game.
Here’s a look at players who are inactive for the game.
Here are some stories to get you caught up:
Bills Mailbag: After his latest injury, what’s Matt Milano’s future with the team look like?Bills-Dolphins numbers to know: These 4 stats could shape Buffalo’s game against MiamiNFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Chargers move into top 5; Bills stay put at No. 2Fans will need to pay hefty prices for Bills tickets during final season at stadiumBills rule out linebacker Matt Milano, defensive tackle Ed Oliver for Week 3PlayAction podcast: A bloody nose, a short week for the Bills and a mess in Miami
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