Miami Dolphins (11-6) – Buffalo Bills (11-6): 14-21
The Bills trailed 14-7 entering the final quarter. Josh Allen (30/38, 359 yards, 2 TDs, 2 ints) increased the number of ball losses. Miami had chances to close. But the Dolphins continue to tremble against the bigs. And Buffalo came back like a cannonball.
Deonte Harty sounded the revolt with a 96-yard punt return for the equalizer. The Buffalo defense then stopped Tua Tagovailoa (17/27, 173 yards, 1 TD, 2 int) and his gang, leaving them with only a small yard on three attempts. And Josh Allen led his attack for almost five minutes until finding Dawson Knox (2 rec, 22 yards, 1 TD) for the decisive touchdown.
There is then a little more than 7 minutes left to play. The Dolphins can still do it. But they don't. A new punt. Then an interception by Tagovailoa on their last offensive ends up killing their hopes.
It is Buffalo which clinches the AFC East title with this victory.
The Bills drowned in errors
If the game starts with an interception by Tua Tagovailoa, the Bills have the bad idea of going up. Josh Allen is intercepted on his first two possessions. De'Von Achane (10 races, 56 yards, 1 TD) opens the scoring, but Trent Sherfield responds immediately. The match seems to be on, since Tyreek Hill (7 rec, 82 yards, 1 TD) scores immediately. Miami leads 14-7 at the break.
Except that returning from the locker room is laborious. Buffalo keeps the ball for more than five minutes but ends up punting. Same result for Miami. The Bills building an offense over 7 minutes? This time Josh Allen loses the ball on a sack and Miami recovers.
A festival of errors finally interrupted by Harty's winning return and the Bills' good end to the match.
Buffalo ends the regular season with four consecutive victories, ideally launching towards the playoffs. They will face the Steelers in the first round.
Opposite dynamic for Miami, after two setbacks, it will be necessary to go to Kansas City.
