Bills vs. Dolphins Sunday Night Football
highlights: Buffalo clinches AFC East division title
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Josh Allen the Buffalo Bills were 5-5 in mid-November and fired their offensive coordinator, as one of the NFL’s biggest Super Bowl windows appeared as open as a door peephole.
Look how much has changed: Buffalo’s window is wide open again after one of the most resilient finishes in the league this season. And that could be bad news for the rest of the league as the playoffs begin next week.
Allen threw two touchdowns and overcame three turnovers to help the Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins, 21-14, at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday night to win the AFC East for the fourth straight season.
The Bills are the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, and will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET inside Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins are the No. 6 seed and travel to face Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
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The Dolphins had a three-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East on Dec. 3, when Miami improved to 9-3 while Buffalo stood at 6-6.
But Miami suffered losses to the Titans and Ravens in December, while the Bills finished this season 5-0 to set up a winner-take-all AFC East title game on Sunday night.
The Bills trailed 14-7 after halftime and the third quarter, but Deonte Harty’s 96-yard punt return tied the game with 13:42 left to play. Allen’s second touchdown to Dawson Knox with 7:16 left gave Buffalo the lead they would not relinquish.
The Dolphins had no response offensively, including Tua Tagovailoa’s interception with 1:13 left in the game on Miami’s final drive with star receiver Tyreek Hill hobbled on the sideline.
Miami had a chance to win their first AFC East title since 2008, and end Buffalo’s reign.
Instead, the Bills are still the team to beat in the AFC East. And with the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, Buffalo is in position for a playoff run that could last until February. — Safid Deen
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WINNERS
Bills: Buffalo’s win clinched the franchise its fourth-straight AFC East title and earned the Bills the AFC’s No. 2 seed. Buffalo also swept the season series over Miami.
The Bills are entering the postseason with a five-game winning streak. It’s the longest active winning streak in the NFL.
The Bills host Pittsburgh in the wild-card round.
