Buffalo 42, Miami 17
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 30, 2018
Where: New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York
Temperature:
33°
Head Official:
John Hussey
Attendance:
67420
By Field Level Media
Josh Allen passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more as the Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins 42-17 on Sunday afternoon in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Zay Jones caught two touchdowns from Allen, who completed 17 of 26 passes for 224 yards with an interception. Allen also ran nine times for 95 yards. Buffalo forced four turnovers and enjoyed its highest-scoring game of the season.
The game was the season finale for two teams out of playoff contention. Buffalo (6-10) finished 4-3 in its final seven games. Miami (7-9) concluded its season on a three-game losing streak, dropping nine of its final 13.
Despite little at stake, things got heated in the third quarter when Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso hit a sliding Allen. Alonso was ejected, as were Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn and Bills offensive tackle Jordan Mills, who got into a brawl following the play.
Sunday was emotional for another reason, as it was the final NFL game for five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kyle Williams, who played his entire 13-year career in Buffalo. With four minutes left in the game, he was used as a fullback and made his first career reception, gaining 9 yards.
Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is 0-5 in his career at Buffalo, completed 18 of 31 passes for 147 yards. He was sacked four times and intercepted twice.
Tannehill, who entered college as a wide receiver, also caught his first career touchdown pass on a second-quarter trick play to get the Dolphins back into a game the Bills dominated early.
Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first two possessions -- a 1-yard sneak by Allen and an 18-yard pass to Jones.
The first TD was set up by Allen scrambling on third-and-16 before hitting Chris Ivory for a 46-yard gain to the Miami 1. The second score was set up by rookie middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who dropped into coverage and made a left-handed interception of Tannehill, returning it to the Miami 18.
Miami tied the score 14-14 with two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half. Wide receiver Kenny Stills took an end-around handoff and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Tannehill. Twenty-one seconds later, safety Reshad Jones nabbed an Allen pass and returned it 29 yards for a score.
Buffalo re-established control in the third quarter, taking a 28-14 lead.
First, on third-and-goal, Allen hit Robert Foster on a 5-yard, back-shoulder TD throw. Allen also ran for a first down on a fourth-and-1 on that drive.
On the Bills' next drive, LeSean McCoy ran 9 yards for a touchdown. That score was set up by Shaq Lawson's strip-sack, with the fumble recovered by former Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.
Miami cut its deficit to 28-17 on Jason Sanders' 29-yard field goal with 1:31 left in the third.
However, Buffalo put the game away in the fourth with a 30-yard TD run by Allen and his 26-yard scoring pass to Jones. The latter followed a Kalen Ballage fumble.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Rushing
| Miami |
|
Buffalo |
|
Kalen Ballage
|
Player |
Josh Allen
|
|
12 |
Attempts |
9 |
|
47 |
Yards |
95 |
|
3.9 |
Avg Yards |
10.6 |
|
0 |
Touchdowns |
2 |
|
16 |
Long |
35 |
Receiving
| Miami |
|
Buffalo |
|
Kenyan Drake
|
Player |
Zay Jones
|
|
5 |
Receptions |
6 |
|
52 |
Yards |
93 |
|
10.4 |
Avg Yards |
15.5 |
|
0 |
Touchdowns |
2 |
|
19 |
Long |
26 |
Team Stats Summary
| |
Yards |
Scoring |
Defense |
| Team |
Tot |
Rus |
Pas |
TD |
FG |
INT |
Sck |
FF |
| Miami
|
225 |
99 |
126 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1.0 |
0 |
| Buffalo
|
381 |
166 |
215 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
4.0 |
2 |
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