Bills clinch AFC East with comeback win over Dolphins
Josh Allen passed for 359 yards and two touchdowns as the Buffalo Bills notched a 21-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night at Miami Gardens, Fla., to win the AFC East for the fourth straight season.
Allen tossed the go-ahead touchdown to Dawson Knox midway through the final quarter as Buffalo (11-6) won its fifth straight contest. Taylor Rapp sealed the victory with an interception with 1:13 remaining.
Trent Sherfield also caught a touchdown pass and Khalil Shakir had 105 receiving yards for the second-seeded Bills, who will host the seventh-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers in next Sunday’s playoff contest.
Allen rushed for 67 yards and also completed 30 of 38 passes with two interceptions. He improved to 11-2 as a starter against Miami (including last season’s playoff victory) and has thrown 36 touchdown passes in those 13 games.
Tua Tagovailoa completed 17 of 27 passes for 173 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Dolphins (11-6). Tyreek Hill caught seven passes for 82 yards and a touchdown and De’Von Achane added a rushing score.
Miami lost for the third time in five games while playing without running back Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle) and receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) for the second consecutive game. The sixth-seeded Dolphins will visit the third-seeded Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night.
The Bills outgained Miami 473-275.
Buffalo’s only offensive touchdown in the second half was the decisive score to cap an eight-play, 74-yard drive. Allen connected with Knox on a 5-yard throw to give the Bills a 21-14 lead with 7:16 remaining.
The Dolphins went three-and-out on their next possession and didn’t see the ball again until 1:53 remained. But Rapp’s pick 40 seconds later ended any suspense.
Buffalo tied the score at 14 on Deonte Hardy’s franchise-record-setting 96-yard punt return with 13:42 left in the contest. Hardy’s return broke the old team mark of 91 yards by Keith Moody against the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 23, 1977.
Hardy caught the ball at his own 4-yard line and exploded up the middle and moved into the clear as Miami players Cameron Goode and Alec Engold got tangled up. Hardy navigated to his left and raced down the sideline without any Dolphins in his vicinity.
The Dolphins struck first when Achane broke a 25-yard TD run with 8:51 left in the first half.
Buffalo tied the game when Sherfield caught a 6-yard scoring pass with 4:31 remaining in the half. Allen’s throw hit the helmet of Miami’s Andrew Van Ginkel and ricocheted high in the air and Sherfield was able to grab it in the back of the end zone while getting both feet down.
Miami took a 14-7 lead when Tagovailoa threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Hill with 1:43 to go before halftime.
–Field Level Media
