Dolphins end seven-game losing streak against Bills with 30-13 win

After the Dolphins beat Buffalo 30-13 to snap a seven-game losing streak against their division rivals, Tagovailoa could tell how much the win meant to his team.

“Every time you can get a win in the NFL, that's special," he said. "But given the times we've played Buffalo in the past and have gotten close, and then have gotten blown out, I think this one definitely makes it that much more special that it was against Buffalo. They've had our number for years.”

Tagovailoa threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns and De'Von Achane added a pair of rushing scores and against the Bills (6-3), who had not lost to Miami (3-7) since Week 3 of the 2022 season.

Achane finished with 225 scrimmage yards and fourth-quarter touchdowns of 59 and 35 yards. Tagovailoa completed 15 of 21 passes with two interceptions to give him a league-leading 12 picks this season.

It was also the most dominant performance of the season for Miami's defense, which had three takeaways and three sacks.

“I think it's pretty obvious from the play they didn't believe that their season was over,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “That's difficult to do when everyone's talking to you about the season being over.”

Josh Allen threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception and fumble, but was replaced by Mitchell Trubisky after Achane's second TD put the Dolphins up by 17 with three minutes left.

“They wanted it obviously a little bit more than us,” Allen said. "I’ve got to be better. We’ve got to be better in the protection game, in the pass game, in the run game, all of it. Anytime you turn it over three times ... that’s a recipe for disaster.

The Bills trailed 16-0 at the start of the fourth when Allen tossed a 35-yard touchdown to Keon Coleman to cap a 98-yard scoring drive, but it remained a two-score game after Minkah Fitzpatrick tackled receiver Khalil Shakir just short of the goal line on the 2-point try.

Buffalo's high-scoring offense didn’t convert a first down until the third, when Allen weaved around Dolphins pass rushers to extend the play and find a wide-open Curtis Samuel for a 21-yard pickup on third-and-16.

It was an MVP-like play from Allen, who completed 28 of 40 passes, and appeared to be just what the Bills needed to gain some momentum. But after moving the ball to the Miami 5, Allen was picked off by safety Ifeatu Melifonwu in the end zone.

“He’s the MVP for a reason,” said Miami edge rusher Bradley Chubb. "We know he’s going to make the plays. It’s just about how we respond to it. Not getting too down on ourselves. Like I said, he’s an MVP-caliber player. It’s just about responding, and I feel like we did that."

Tagovailoa's lone blemish of the first half came on the Dolphins' opening drive, when a pass he lofted into double coverage toward receiver Jaylen Waddle was intercepted by Cole Bishop.

The Dolphins quickly regrouped afterward, outgaining Buffalo 221 to 90 in the first half.

Tagovailoa completed his next nine passes and led two touchdown drives to put Miami up 13-0 — its largest lead against Buffalo since 2016 — with a 9-yard touchdown catch by Malik Washington and a 38-yard score from Waddle.

Allen guided the Bills down the field to the Miami 39 on their most promising drive of the opening half. But after Miami defensive tackle Benito Jones jumped into the neutral zone on a Buffalo fourth-and-1, running back James Cook had the ball punched out by cornerback Jack Jones, and it was recovered by JuJu Brents.

Riley Patterson's 46-yard field goal gave the Dolphins a 16-0 lead, which was Buffalo's largest first-half deficit since trailing Baltimore 21-3 at the half in Week 4 of last season in an eventual 35-10 loss.

Injuries

Bills: Rookie DE Landon Jackson injured his knee in the first quarter and did not return. ... TE Dalton Kincaid left in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

Dolphins: Starting CB Rasul Douglas (foot/ankle), S Ashtyn Davis (quad) and LB Chop Robinson (concussion) were inactive.

Up next

Bills host Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Dolphins play Washington in Madrid, Spain, next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL