Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - Let me first say how much I love watching the Buffalo Bills beating the Miami Dolphins.
I started getting into the NFL in the 1970s when the Dolphins had terrific teams, and I quickly got tired of them winning all the time (yes, I know the Bills lost 20-straight games to Miami).
I first started covering the Bills in 1989, so I was able to experience Jim Kelly vs. Dan Marino, and the AFC East coming down to the Bills and Dolphins every year.
No matter what the records are, when the Bills beat Miami, it is a great day. That is what Sunday turned out to be in Orchard Park.
Although it was quite stressful, and there were plenty of curse words flying out of my mouth while hunkered down in my basement.
I'll take care of the big picture first.
It sure feels like the Bills have clinched a fifth-straight AFC East title after beating Miami for the 13th time in the last 14 meetings, but obviously that isn't the case. Dolphins players and coaches had to be sitting in the visiting locker room wondering when, or if they would ever beat the Bills.
Sean McDermott's team has built themselves quite the cushion. The Bills are four games up on the New York Jets, and have the tiebreaker thanks to a Week 6 win on "Monday Night Football" in the Meadowlands.
Miami is now four-and-a-half games back after losing a ninth-straight trip to Orchard Park, and the Bills clinched the tiebreaker over their rivals from South Florida thanks to a two-game series sweep.
By the way, the Bills are now 24-5 against Miami, the Jets and New England Patriots since the start of the 2020 season. That includes 2-0 in the playoffs.
The Bills did not play their best game on Sunday, but they still found a way to win.
The offense moved the ball in the first half, but were their own worst enemy, going 0-for-3 in the red zone and managed just a pair of field goals.
In the second half, though, Josh Allen and company were literally unstoppable. Four second-half drives produced three touchdowns and that amazing, franchise-record 61-yard, game-winning field goal from Tyler Bass.
Bass, who looked like he might be kicking himself out of a job a few weeks ago, more than made up for a missed extra point earlier in the game. He broke Steve Christie's record for the longest field goal made in Bills history (59 yards), and his game-winning kick was dead center and absolutely crushed.
It was certainly a no-doubter.
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The offense, once again, got clutch catches from wide receiver Khalil Shakir. He caught six of his seven targets, and his catch rate for the season is an eye-popping 93.3%.
Rookie running back Ray Davis had the most explosive play of the day, turning a catch around the line of scrimmage into a 63-yard touchdown that gave the Bills a 20-13 lead in the second half.
Allen had one of those "Josh Allen moments" in the fourth quarter. As he was being tackled while attempting a pass from the Dolphins' two-yard line, Allen was able to get the ball out. His pass fluttered, but it ended up in the hands of tight end Quintin Morris for a touchdown, which put the Bills up 27-20.
Now for the defense.
It was a rough day for that group. Three different times, the Bills offense scored and turned a lead over to the defense in the second half. All three times, the defense failed to get a stop.
The defense couldn't get to Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 25-of-28 passes for 231 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Miami's offensive line pushed the Bills around most of the day, and the Dolphins ended up with 149 yards rushing on 31 carries.
Give Miami credit for not folding. They kept coming back, and had tied the game with 1:38 left at 27-27.
However, Bass and the Bills broke their hearts. As Jerry Seinfeld would say while eating his popcorn, "That's a shame."
Miami scored points on five of their seven full drives. But at the end of the day, it wasn't enough, and the Dolphins dropped to 2-6.
Meanwhile, the Bills are now 7-2 for the second time under McDermott. They won seven of their first nine games in 2020 as well.
McDermott improved to 15-2 against Miami, and 6-1 against Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
Allen is now 13-2 against the Dolphins with 37 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, and the Bills have scored, at least, 30 points in 12 of those 15 games.
