Bills vs. Dolphins Sunday Night Football highlights: Buffalo clinches AFC East division title

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Bills vs. Dolphins Sunday Night Football highlights: Buffalo clinches AFC East division title

Safid Deen and Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Jan 8, 2024 ·

20 min read

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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.

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

NFL PLAYOFF PICTURE: Where field stands after Week 18

Winners and losers from Bills' AFC East title-winning victory over Dolphins

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 .

Josh Allen:Allen has been boom or bust for the Bills this season, and it carried into Sunday night.

Allen had two bad interceptions in the first half and inexplicably threw a pass short of the end zone to end the first half when the Bills had no timeouts. He also lost a fumble to start the third quarter.

However, Allen led the Bills on a go-ahead touchdown drive that proved to be the game-winning score.

Allen completed 30 of 38 passes for 359 yards to go with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the Bills with 67 rushing yards. It wasn't a clean performance from Allen, but he made plays when the game was in the balance.

Deonte Harty takes punt the distance:Harty's game-breaking punt return swung momentum.

With Buffalo down 14-7, Harty retrieved a punt on Miami's 4-yard line, weaved by a couple Dolphins special teamers and raced down the field for a 96-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 in the fourth quarter.

Harty's 96-yard punt return touchdown was the longest in Bills franchise history.

LOSERS

Tua Tagovailoa throws back-breaking INT:With the AFC East on the line, Tagovailoa tossed an errant pass to Chase Claypool that was picked off by Bills safety Taylor Rapp with 1:17 left in the game. Tagovailoa's interception slammed the door shut on Miami's AFC East title hopes, plus clinched the division and game for the Bills.

Tagovailoa was held to 173 yards and one touchdown in the loss, plus he had two interceptions. He finished with a poor 62.7 passer rating.

Dolphins' special teams:Miami's special teams unit gave up a 96-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. The touchdown shifted momentum in the game.

Dolphins:Once upon a time, the Dolphins had a multi-game lead in the AFC East. But the Dolphins saw their AFC East title hopes fall by the wayside and now enter the playoffs as a wild-card team.

Miami's inability to beat teams above .500 ultimately cost them. The Dolphins only defeated one team above .500 during the regular season. The Dolphins enter the postseason on a two-game losing streak.

The Dolphins now have a date in Kansas City against the defending Super Bowl champions in the wild-card round. — Tyler Dragon

Bills vs. Dolphins highlights

Josh Allen threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Dawson Knox midway through the fourth quarter, and the Bills won their fourth straight AFC East title, rallying past the Dolphins.

Tua Tagovailoa interception ends Dolphins' AFC East hopes

With the AFC East on the line, Tua Tagovailoa tossed an errant pass to Chase Claypool that was picked off by Bills safety Taylor Rapp with 1:17 left in the game. Tagovailoa's interception slammed the door shut on Miami's comeback bid, and clinched the AFC East title for the Bills.

The Bills also swept the season series over Miami. — Tyler Dragon

Dolphins stop Bills, have one last chance

The Dolphins defense waited patiently as the referees measured the spot.

The Dolphins defense stood pat. And the Bills defense is back on the field.

Buffalo was stopped short on fourth and 1, and it's Miami's ball with 1:53 left in this game. — Safid Deen

Bills 21, Dolphins 14: Josh Allen-to- Dalton Kincaid TD gives Buffalo the lead

The Bills have their first lead of the game.

Josh Allen and Bills tight ends were clicking during Buffalo's eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. Allen completed a deep pass to Dalton Kincaid for 26 yards to put the Bills in scoring position. A few plays later, Allen found tight end Dawson Knox in the flats for a 5-yard touchdown with 7:16 left in the final quarter.

Allen now has 344 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the contest. — Tyler Dragon

Bills 14, Dolphins 14: Deonte Harty returns punt for touchdown

We have a tie ballgame.

Bills return man Deonte Harty fielded a Miami punt on the 4-yard line. After retrieving the punt, Harty accelerated 96 yards down the field for a touchdown .

Harty was hardly touched as he weaved by Dolphins special teamers on the way for to a pay dirt.

Harty's touchdown tied the score at 14-14 with 13:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The 96-yard punt return touchdown was the longest in Bills franchise history. — Tyler Dragon

Christian Wilkins forces Josh Allen fumble in third quarter

Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has been a thorn in Josh Allen's side for all the years they've played against each other.

And Wilkins might have had one of the best plays of his career on Allen as the third quarter winded down.

Wilkins sacked and forced Allen to fumble , causing a Bills turnover just outside the red zone. It's Allen's third turnover of the game.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed a 15-yard pass to Tyreek Hill on what was Miami's fourth offensive play of the third quarter as it came to an end.

The Dolphins have ruled out outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel with a foot injury. — Safid Deen

Bills punt on first drive of second half

The Buffalo Bills couldn't cross midfield on their first drive of the second half. But they were close. Buffalo's offense started with some momentum with two 7-yard plays, a catch by Stefon Diggs and a run by James Cook .

But the Dolphins defense made its presence felt in Buffalo's backfield with outside linebacker Melvin Ingram 's sack ending the Bills' drive.

Important to note: Dolphins outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel left the game with a foot injury and he's questionable to return. — Safid Deen

Wild-card playoff round schedule released

The schedule for the first round of the NFL playoffs was unveiled during halftime of the "Sunday Night Football" game. Two AFC matchups for Super Wild Card Weekend will be decided after Sunday night's Bills-Dolphins game . — Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz

Gabe Davis ruled out

Bills WR Gabe Davis has been ruled out of the game due to a knee injury, the team announced. Davis was injured during the first half. He had no catches and one target at the time of his injury. — Tyler Dragon

Dolphins hold touchdown advantage at halftime

The Dolphins have a 14-7 lead at halftime in a game that they haven't trailed.

Bills QB Josh Allen threw interceptions on Buffalo's first two possessions in what's been a rocky first half for the quarterback. Allen also inexplicably threw a pass short of the goal line with no timeouts to end the half in what was bad mismanagement of the game clock.

Wideout Stefon Diggs produced five catches for a game-high 75 yards in the first half.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa tossed an interception on Miami's opening series, but he rebounded after the pick. Tagovailoa led the Dolphins on consecutive touchdown drives to end the first half. The Dolphins QB has 123 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception at halftime.

Tyreek Hill has a team-high five catches, 60 yards and a touchdown for the Dolphins.

Dolphins corner Eli Apple and safety DeShon Elliott each have an interception.

Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard has eight tackles. — Tyler Dragon

Heartbreak for Buffalo to end the half

The Bills squandered another opportunity in the red zone.

At Miami's 11-yard line with no timeouts and 11 seconds left in the first half, Josh Allen made a costly mistake and it backfired. Allen passed short of the goal line to Ty Johnson . Johnson caught the pass but was stopped short of the goal line by the Dolphins' Eli Apple and Jerome Baker as the first half clock expired.

The Dolphins are 1-3 in the red zone at the half. — Safid Deen

Dolphins 14, Bills 7: Tyreek Hill gives Miami the lead before halftime

Dolphins star Tyreek Hill didn't need to trek too far into the end zone. A quick cut and turn, and Tua Tagovailoa delivered a 3-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter. The Dolphins have scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions, and there's 1:43 left in the first half for the Bills to respond.

Hill has 13 touchdowns this season, and is tied with Mike Evans for the NFL lead in the category. — Safid Deen

Injury update: Two Bills questionable to return

Wide receiver Gabe Davis and linebacker Tyrel Dodson are both injured and questionable to return for Buffalo Bills.

Davis was targeted on both of Allen's interceptions. — Safid Deen

Bills 7, Dolphins 7: Trent Sherfield scores highlight-reel TD off deflected pass

And just like that, we've got a tied game in Miami.

Josh Allen connected on a 36-yard pass deep to Stefon Diggs at the 7-yard line, and two plays later, Allen's pass deflected off a helmet and into the hands of second-year receiver Trent Sherfield to tie the game at 7.

Sherfield, who spent his rookie season with the Dolphins, but was no re-signed. Now, he's the catalyst to a tied game with 4:31 left until halftime. — Safid Deen

Dolphins 7, Bills 0: De'Von Achane gives Miami the lead

The Dolphins are on the board.

Rookie running back De'Von Achane scored on a 25-yard touchdown run to give Miami a 7-0 lead with 8:51 left in the first half.

The Dolphins went 11 plays for 80 yards, with Tyreek Hill catching a 23-yard pass and Tua Tagovailoa scrambling for a first down to extend the drive. — Safid Deen

Tyreek Hill is NFL's receiving yards leader

Tyreek Hill climbed the ladder to make a 23-yard catch from Tua Tagovailoa, becoming the NFL's receiving leader this season.

Hill entered the game needing 33 yards to surpass Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb for the receiving yards lead.

Hill has 49 yards early in the second quarter. He needs one touchdown to tie Mike Evans, who has 13, this season. — Safid Deen

Josh Allen throws another interception in end zone

Josh Allen has thrown interceptions on Buffalo's first two possessions.

On fourth-and-2 from Miami's 35-yard line, Allen couldn't find an open wide receiver. Instead of trying to run for a first down, Allen tossed a desperation pass to wideout Gabe Davis that was picked off in the end zone by Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott.

Allen's interception ended a promising drive for Buffalo. The Bills quarterback now has 18 interceptions this season, the most in the AFC. — Tyler Dragon

Dolphins' second drive ends with punt

Two turnovers, and both teams have spoiled their opportunities to cash in.

After Josh Allen's interception, the Dolphins barely crossed midfield.

Tua Tagovailoa's pass to the right side led Tyreek Hill out of bounds, and the Dolphins punted with 2:29 left in the first quarter.

Buffalo's second possession coming up. — Safid Deen

Bills' promising opening drive also ends with interception

The Bills and Dolphins traded back-to-back turnovers .

Following Tua Tagovailoa opening drive interception, Josh Allen tossed an interception in the red zone.

Allen led the Bills on a 79-yard drive but forced a pass in the end zone that resulted in a bad interception. Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple recorded the pick in the end zone and returned it to Buffalo's 3-yard line.

Allen's now thrown 17 interceptions this season. — Tyler Dragon

Dolphins' opening drive ends with interception

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was picked off by Bills CB Christian Benford on a deep shot that was underthrown to wide receiver Tyreek Hill to end Miami's first drive of the game.

The Dolphins had early success running behind rookie running back De'Von Achane, and took a deep shot down the field on third and 7.

While it looked like Benford gave Hill a slight shove in the back, Benford came down with the interception and turnover for the Bills. — Safid Deen

What time is Bills vs. Dolphins?

Start time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Bills vs. Dolphins "SNF" matchup is set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday night. The game will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

How can I watch Bills vs. Dolphins?

TV channel: NBC

NBC is the broadcast home of "Sunday Night Football." Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth will be on the call, with Melissa Stark providing updates from the sideline. The game will be streamed via Peacock and is also available to stream for free on Fubo .

Bills vs. Dolphins: Predictions, picks and odds

The Bills are favorites to defeat the Dolphins, according to BetMGM NFL odds .

Spread: Bills (-3)
Moneyline: Bills (-165); Dolphins (+150)
Over/under: 50

USA TODAY Sports' staff picks for this game :

Lorenzo Reyes: Dolphins 23, Bills 21— Miami has lost 10 of its last 11 against the Bills. The Dolphins are super banged up. The Bills are surging with plenty of momentum. Why do I have a feeling that the Dolphins are due to buck the narrative that they're incapable of beating good teams? Suddenly, the pressure is gone and no one is expecting them to win, at home, in the battle for the AFC East crown. I understand this pick may seem illogical, but if Miami plays loose — something it hasn't done recently — and if the Bills continue to turn the ball over, the Dolphins could pull off the upset here.
Tyler Dragon: Bills 26, Dolphins 24— These two teams are going in opposite directions. The Bills have won four in a row and can steal the AFC East title from the Dolphins with a win. The Dolphins got beat up in a 56-19 loss in Baltimore . Miami is dealing with multiple injuries. The Bills need a win to ensure a playoff berth.
Safid Deen: Bills 34, Dolphins 28— Josh Allen has struggled a bit offensively in his last four games, but there's something about the Miami Dolphins that turns him into Superman. Allen is 9-2 and accounted for 36 touchdowns in his career against Miami. With a shot at the AFC East and the No. 2 seed, Buffalo sends Miami on the road to begin the postseason amid an epic collapse.
Victoria Hernandez: Dolphins 24, Bills 20— The Dolphins have been inconsistent this season, but have had moments of greatness. Yes, they're banged up, but the Bills have also been inconsistent. No better time to shine than when it matters most.
Jordan Mendoza: Dolphins 34, Bills 31— This is such a tough position for the Bills, as it could either be the No. 2 seed in the AFC or miss out on the playoffs altogether. With the stakes high, Josh Allen makes too many mistakes that Miami takes advantage of and wins the AFC East for the first time since 2008, while Buffalo can only hope results before the game work in its favor.

NFL Week 18 playoff picture: Bills, Dolphins scenarios

The Jaguars' loss to the Titans clinched a playoff berth for the Bills , who still can win the AFC East division title with a win over the Dolphins on Sunday night. The Dolphins — once in the race for the AFC's top playoff seed — now are playing for a home playoff game. — Nate Davi s

Bills vs. Dolphins inactives: Jaylen Waddle , Raheem Mostert out

The injury-riddled Dolphins will be without a number of key players in what is their most important game of the season. Running back Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (ankle) will not play Sunday night. Neither will cornerback Xavien Howard (foot), who already had been ruled out prior to Sunday. Mostert and Waddle had been listed as questionable on the team's most recent injury report .

Bills' inactive players:

S Damar Hamlin
CB Kaiir Elam
RB Latavius Murray
DE Kingsley Jonathan
OT Alec Anderson
DT Linval Joseph

Dolphins' inactive players:

QB Skylar Thompson (third QB)
WR Jaylen Waddle
CB Xavien Howard
RB Raheem Mostert
CB Ethan Bonner
OT Kion Smith
TE Tyler Kroft

For the Bills, edge rusher Von Miller — who was a healthy scratch last week — is active for Sunday night's game. — Jim Reineking

Bills-Dolphins odds

Highlighting Sunday Night Football odds , the Miami Dolphins are among the best bets for NFL Week 18 as home underdogs against the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins are getting 3 points at home in a game that will decide the AFC East, according to the BetMGM NFL odds . Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023 .

According to the top NFL betting apps , Bills quarterback Josh Allen (+3000) boasts some of the best NFL MVP betting odds in 2023. The Bills (+800) have some of the best Super Bowl betting odds .

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds , Monday Night Football odds and more.

If you're new to sports betting, don't worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online . And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with these online sportsbooks and sports betting sites . — Richard Morin

Josh Allen could set rushing TD record for QBs

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts each entered Week 18 with 15 rushing touchdowns, tied for the most by a quarterback in a single season.

Hurts did not score a rushing touchdown in the Eagles' 27-10 loss to the Giants, which means Allen can own the record for himself with a rushing score against the Dolphins. Allen enters Sunday night's game having rushed for a touchdown in five consecutive games.

Allen ranks second all-time among quarterbacks with 53 rushing touchdowns, training Cam Newton's 75 career rushing touchdowns. — Jim Reineking

Tyreek Hill can reach receiving yardage milestone

It's highly unlikely that Tyreek Hill will attain his stated offseason goal of reaching 2,000 receiving yards , but he could reach rarified air for wide receivers.

Hill entered Week 18 leading the NFL with a career-high 1,717 yards receiving, becoming the first player to record at least two 1,700-yard receiving seasons.

With 118 yards on Sunday night against the Bills, Hill can surpass Antonio Brown (1,834 yards in 2015) for the fifth-most receiving yards in a single season. With 83 yards, Hill will become the seventh player ever to reach 1,800 receiving yards in a season.

Players with the most receiving yards in a season in NFL history:

Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (2012): 1,964 yards
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (2021): 1,947 yards
Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons (2015): 1,871 yards
Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers (1995): 1,848 yards
Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (2015): 1,834 yards
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (2022): 1,809 yards
Isaac Bruce, St. Louis Rams (1995): 1,781 yards
Charley Hennigan, Houston Oilers (1961): 1,746 yards
Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (2019): 1,725 yards
Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis Colts (2002): 1,722 yards
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (2023): 1,717 yards
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (2022): 1,710 yards

Entering Week 18 , Hill ranked second in the NFL with 12 touchdown receptions; teammate Raheem Mostert led all players with 18 rushing touchdowns. — Jim Reineking

Stefon Diggs' drop in production is a concern for Bills

No one is disputing Stefon Diggs' status as the Buffalo' Bills top playmaker. And quarterback Josh Allen once again insisted Wednesday it's important to get Diggs more involved in the offense.But all the talk lauding the receiver's ability doesn't match the sudden drop in his production over the past six weeks.

So what gives? — Associated Press

NFL Pro Bowl Games roster

The Dolphins had seven players and the Bills had two players selected for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games .

Complete AFC and NFC rosters

Fire engulfs Tyreek Hill's home

The Dolphins' best player saw his home engulfed in flames four days before the biggest game of the season. Tyreek Hill had to leave Wednesday's practice to see his South Florida home engulfed in flames . Hill's family was safe, no injuries were reported and the fire was ruled "accidental." — Safid Deen

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bills-Dolphins score: Sunday Night Football highlights, top plays

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