The Buffalo Bills are 7-3 for the first time since 1999, getting there in convincing fashion after a 37-20 win over the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. The win for the Bills gives them the season sweep of their division rival, while also putting up a season high in points.
Josh Allen would shine against the Dolphins once again, throwing for 256 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to wide receiver John Brown, who reeled in nine catches and 137 yards on the day. Devin Singletary led all players with 75 rushing yards on 15 carries.
The Bills defense flexed its muscles as well, sacking Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick seven times, while allowing just 23 yards rushing in the entire game.
The game started off slowly for both teams, as the only points came off of the foot of Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka, who drilled a 51-yard and 34-yard field goal to give Buffalo a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
As slow as the game started, the second quarter turned into a back-and-forth affair with 31 combined points between the two teams.
Buffalo found the end zone first on a play that players, coaches and fans alike were yearning for: the big pass play. Allen connected with Brown for a 40-yard touchdown to extend Buffalo's lead to 13-0.
After another Hauschka field goal to bump the lead to 16-0, Miami responded with a touchdown drive of their own. The Dolphins got a big play 50-yard catch-and-run from wide receiver DeVante Parker, who became the first opposing receiver this season to surpass 100 yards receiving against the Bills. Miami capped off that drive with a three-yard touchdown run from Kalen Ballage to cut into Buffalo's lead, 16-7.
Miami wound up attempting and recovering a surprise onside kick after their touchdown, but the Bills wound up getting the ball back after Jordan Poyer recovered a Allen Hurns fumble on the very next play.
Buffalo took advantage of the turnover, with Allen finding tight end Dawson Knox for a 23-yard touchdown pass to bump the lead to 23-7.
However, that lead didn't even last a single play as Jakeem Grant took the ensuing kickoff 101 yards the other way for a touchdown, allowing Miami to crawl back to 23-14.
The third quarter saw the game slow down a bit more as the Bills scored the only points of the quarter, courtesy of a Josh Allen eight-yard touchdown run to give the Bills a 30-14 lead. It was Allen's seventh rushing touchdown this season and 15th of his career.
Both teams exchanged touchdowns in the fourth quarter as Miami got another touchdown from Grant, this time in a Wildcat formation, but the Dolphins failed at the two-point conversion in an attempt to pull within a one score game.
With the score at 30-20, Buffalo put the foot down to win comfortably as Allen found Brown for the second time in the game. That nine-yard touchdown pass was Allen's third of the game, ending the scoring at 37-20.
- 3-0 BILLS - Bills field goal (12:04) - Stephen Hauschka's 51-yard field goal attempt is good.
- Drive info: 7 plays, 42 yards, 2:56
- 6-0 BILLS - Bills field goal (4:29) - Stephen Hauschka's 34-yard field goal attempt is good.
- Drive info: 12 plays, 27 yards, 5:17
Second Quarter:
- 13-0 BILLS - Bills touchdown (13:09) - Josh Allen strikes a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Brown (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 5 plays, 81 yards, 2:12
- 16-0 BILLS - Bills field goal (7:41) - Stephen Hauschka's 21-yard field goal attempt is good.
- Drive info: 7 plays, 62 yards, 3:16
- 16-7 BILLS - Dolphins touchdown (3:39) - Kalen Ballage punches in a three-yard touchdown run (Jason Sanders' extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 5 plays, 68 yards, 1:57
- 16-7 BILLS - Dolphins onside kick (3:39) - The Dolphins spring a surprise onside kick and recover to retain possession at the Dolphins' 47-yard line.
- 16-7 BILLS - Bills fumble recovery (3:39) - Jordan Poyer recovers a fumble from Dolphins receiver Allen Hurns at the Buffalo 25-yard line.
- 23-7 BILLS - Bills touchdown (1:23) - Josh Allen connects on a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:10
- 23-14 BILLS - Dolphins touchdown (1:09) - Jakeem Grant returns a 102-yard kickoff for a touchdown (Jason Sanders' extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 1 play, 102 yards, 0:14
Third Quarter:
- 30-14 BILLS - Bills touchdown (6:55) - Josh Allen rolls out for an eigth-yard touchdown run (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 9 plays, 53 yards, 4:53
Fourth Quarter:
- 30-20 BILLS - Dolphins touchdown (14:35) - Jakeem Grant scampers for a seven-yard touchdown run (two-point conversion attempt is unsuccessful).
- Drive info: 7 plays, 65 yards, 3:46
- 37-20 BILLS - Bills touchdown (10:38) - Josh Allen fires a nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver John Brown (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 8 plays, 62 yards, 3:57
LoTempio Complete Stats of the Game
Josh Allen - 21-of-33, 256 yards, 3 TDs
Ryan Fitzpatrick - 32-of-45, 323 yards
Devin Singletary - 15 carries, 75 yards
Josh Allen - 7 carries, 56 yards, 1 TD
Frank Gore - 11 carries, 27 yards
Isaiah McKenzie - 1 carry, 10 yards
Kalen Ballage - 9 carries, 9 yards, 1 TD
Jakeem Grant - 1 carry, 7 yards, 1 TD
Patrick Laird - 1 carry, 7 yards
Myles Gaskin - 1 carry, 0 yards
Ryan Fitzpatrick - 1 carry, 0 yards
John Brown - 9 receptions, 137 yards, 2 TDs
Cole Beasley - 4 receptions, 38 yards
Dawson Knox - 2 receptions, 32 yards, 1 TD
Isaiah McKenzie - 3 receptions, 21 yards
Frank Gore - 1 reception, 18 yards
Tyler Kroft - 1 reception, 6 yards
Devin Singletary - 1 reception, 4 yards
DeVante Parker - 7 receptions, 135 yards
Allen Hurns - 4 receptions, 53 yards
Patrick Laird - 6 receptions, 51 yards
Jakeem Grant - 3 receptions, 32 yards
Albert Wilson - 3 receptions, 26 yards
Mike Gesicki - 4 receptions, 18 yards
Kalen Ballage - 5 receptions, 8 yards
Tremaine Edmunds - 12 tackles, 0.5 sacks
Matt Milano - 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks
Jordan Poyer - 6 tackles, 1 fumble recovery
Star Lotulelei - 3 tackles, 1 sack
Ed Oliver - 3 tackles, 1 sack
Jordan Phillips - 2 tackles, 1 sack
Shaq Lawson - 2 tackles, 1 sack
Jerry Hughes - 1 tackle, 1 sack
Corey Liuget - 1 tackle, 1 sack
Jerome Baker - 12 tackles
Jomal Wiltz - 10 tackles
Nik Needham - 6 tackles
Rashad Jones - 6 tackles
BUF: 424MIA: 303
BUF: 256MIA: 280
BUF: 168MIA: 23
BUF: 22MIA: 19
BUF: 5 for 50 yardsMIA: 6 for 44 yards
BUF: 30:09MIA: 29:51
The Bills return home to host the Denver Broncos (3-7) next Sunday at New Era Field. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on WGR with John Murphy, Eric Wood and Sal Capaccio on the call.