Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills moved to 7-2 on the 2024 season with a dramatic 30-27 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.
Here are my Arrows Up and Down from the game, starting Up for the fourth-straight week:
ARROW UP:
Tyler Bass’ field goals and 61-yarder!
Bass nailed the game-winning kick from a franchise-record 61 yards out with just five seconds remaining in regulation.
For a kicker who has struggled this season, and even in this particular game, it was a massive kick for him and his team.
He also made field goal from 49 and 40 yards out. He was excellent from distance.
Sean McDermott choosing to kick that field goal
Attempting the 61-yard field goal was a bit of a risk by the Bills head coach. A miss would mean the Dolphins would get the ball on the Bills' side of the field with five seconds left and two timeouts. They'd have a chance for one quick play, and then a field goal attempt of their own.
However, he gave his team and kicker a chance to win it, and it paid off.
Josh Allen’s second half
There wasn’t much happening on offense in the first half, but Allen and the passing game got things going after halftime.
Just through the last 30 minutes of the game, Allen completed 13-of-20 passes (65%) for 156 yards and three touchdowns.
RB - Ray Davis
Davis had the play of the game that changed things in the third quarter. After catching an Allen pass, he rumbled 63 yards for a touchdown.
Davis also ran four times for 20 yards, and totaled 90 yards of offense on the day.
Quintin Morris staying available
On a critical 2nd-and-goal with the game tied at 20-20, Allen kept the play alive as long as he could. But then with two Dolphins defenders pulling him down, he somehow got the ball out to his tight end, who improvised to become available and come down with it for the touchdown.
WR - Mack Hollins
Hollins caught a crucial fourth down for a touchdown, then came up with two big catches on the final offensive drive to keep the chains moving, and help set Bass up for his game-winner.
Hollins finished with five catches - on all five targets thrown his way - for 50 yards and the touchdown.
Taron Johnson's punch-out
On the first series of the second half, with the Dolphins leading 10-6 and with the ball, they had already gained 18 yards on just two plays.
But on the third play, Johnson had a text book punch-out of the ball from Raheem Mostert's arm. Fellow cornerback Kaiir Elam fell on it, and the Bills scored later that drive to take their first lead of the game.
Running game
The Bills totaled 94 yards rushing on just 19 carries, averaging 4.9 yards a run.
Sam Martin's one punt
Sam Martin punted on the first series of the game after the Bills went three-and-out. He booted it 49 yards, and Cam Lewis made a tackle for a one-yard loss on the return, keeping the Dolphins at their own 17-yard line.
They then punted on their first series, and Martin didn't punt the rest of the game.
Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown
After only kicking two field goals in the first half, the Bills scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions of the second half.
DE - Greg Rousseau
Rousseau was credited with a sack after a botched shotgun snap, but he also had three tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.
PR - Brandon Codrington
Codrington took the first and only punt of the day by Jake Bailey on the run and raced 29 yards from the Bills' 34-yard line to the Dolphins' 37-yard line.
That set up a field goal at the end of the drive.
ARROW DOWN:
Tyler Bass’ extra points
The Bills scored a touchdown and looked to take a three-point lead midway through the third quarter. However, Bass missed the extra point, only giving Buffalo a two-point lead.
He also booted another extra point off the upright, but that ended up bouncing through.
Keon Coleman's drop
Coleman had a touchdown right in his hands that would have given the Bills the lead in the first quarter.
Not only did he drop the pass from Allen, it landed in the hands of Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Miami ended up scoring a touchdown on the following drive.
James Cook’s drop
As the Bills were driving late in the second quarter, Allen hit Cook for a pass that could’ve gone a long way. However, Cook turned his head before he caught it and dropped it.
Critical penalties
The Bills really hurt themselves with penalties late in the second quarter, including one that took an Allen touchdown run off the board, and another right before that pushed them back from the Miami 11-yard line to their 21-yard line.
Offensive slow start
Once again, the Bills offense started slow, scoring only three points in the first quarter and six in the first half. They began the game with a three-and-out for their only punt on the day.
Run defense
Once again, the Bills run defense had trouble. Miami ran the ball 31 times for 149 yards for a 4.9 yards per-carry average.
Sean McDermott's challenge
Early in the fourth quarter, facing a 4th-and-4, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ran and dove forward for a first down.
McDermott ended up challenging the spot, even after it looked very tough to be able to overturn. He lost that challenge, and the Bills lost a crucial timeout late in the game.
Red zone offense
Buffalo was inside the Miami 20-yard line five times, but was only able to come away with two touchdowns (40%).
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