Game Recap

Bills 30, Dolphins 27 | Final score, stats to know + game highlights

Nov 03, 2024 at 04:06 PM

Dorian Alerte

Contributing Correspondent

Location: Highmark Stadium

Tickets Distributed: 70,862

Final score: Bills 30, Dolphins 27

Records: Bills (7-2), Dolphins (2-6)

Next opponent: Bills at Colts on Sunday, November 10 at 1 pm ET

Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins, Regular Season, November 03, 2024 at Highmark Stadium.

In a back and forth thriller, the Bills extended their winning streak to four games with a 30-27 victory over the Miami Dolphins. The Bills improved to 3-0 in the AFC East after this win.

Tyler Bass kicked career-long and franchise record 61-yard field goal for the win.

QB Josh Allen picked the Dolphins defense apart, throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns. RB James Cook led the ground game with 44 yards, while rookie RB Ray Davis led the running backs with 70 yards through the air, including a long of 63 yards.

On defense, LB Dorian Williams led the way again with 12 total tackles. DE Greg Rousseau also had 1.0 sacks and 5 tackles. CB Taron Johnson had four tackles and a forced fumble while CB Kaiir Elam had five tackles and the fumble recovery.

Other notes from the win:

Bills are 7-2 and remain in first place in the AFC East
Bills are 7-2 or better for the second time since 2017 (2020)
Bills have won six consecutive games against Miami (including playoffs)
Bills are 9-0 at home vs. Miami (including playoffs) since 2017
Bills are 15-2 vs. Miami since 2017 (including playoffs)
Bills are 31-7 at home since 2020 – NFL's best record in that span
Bills are 18-3 in home games since 2022
Bills are 24-5 vs. AFC East since 2020 – NFL's best winning percentage vs. own division

👏1. Sean McDermott secures his 80^th career win

Head coach Sean McDermott secured his 80^th career win. With the win, he became the 13^th head coach to win 80 games in his first eight seasons and is also the fifth active coach to reach the mark in his first eight seasons. McDermott also tied Jimmy Johnson, Brian Billick and Bruce Arians for 60^th on the NFL's all-time wins list.

🦵2. Field goal for field goal

Both offenses moved the ball out the gate following both of their first drives. The Bills struck first after CB Brandon Codrington took a friendly bounce on the Miami punt 29 yards and set the offense up at the Dolphins' 37-yard line.

After picking up one first down, QB Josh Allen was taken down for a loss of seven yards and the offense settled for a K Tyler Bass 40-yard field goal.

The Dolphins matched, marching down the field, aided by an unnecessary roughness flag and K Jason Sanders made a 39-yard field goal.

📉3. Momentum stalled

As the second quarter started, the Bills offense continued to move the ball as Allen found his weapons. On second-and-six from his own 49-yard line, Allen ran to his right, pump faked three times and found TE Dalton Kincaid for 15 yards on the sideline.

The Bills ended up in the red zone at the Dolphins' 11. Allen then looked in the direction of WR Keon Coleman, but the ball bounced off him and CB Jalen Ramsey caught the ball for Allen's second interception of the season.

🏈4. Getting points before half

Following Allen's interception, the Dolphins produced a long scoring drive, using 8:21 of the clock in the second quarter. Tagovailoa found RB De'Von Achane for a 14-yard touchdown, giving the Dolphins their first lead of the game.

The Bills looked to produce points of their own before the end of the half. Facing a third-and-12, Allen scrambled to his right and found positive yardage, rushing for 14 yards and getting the first down again in the red zone.

The offense then found themselves in a first-and-30 situation, after two holding calls, including a touchdown called back due to the second of the calls. The Bills kicked the 49-yard field goal to shrink the Dolphins' lead to only four right before half.

👊5. Punch it out

Coming out of half, the Dolphins started with possession. RB Raheem Mostert was doing the work, taking a rush for seven yards and picking up a first down on a 15-yard catch and run from Tagovailoa. On the next play, he continued to take the ball into Buffalo territory, but CB Taron Johnson punched the ball out and CB Kaiir Elam recovered, giving the offense possession.

🙌6. Taking the lead

The ensuing drive by the Bills resulted in points and giving them the lead 12-10. The Bills continued their perfect start of the season on fourth down when Allen connected with WR Mack Hollins in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Bass missed the extra point and the Bills' lead remained at two.

💨7. Rookies come up big

The Dolphins took a 13-12 lead after driving down the field. Tagovailoa connected with WR Tyreek Hill on a 28-yard pass that set up the field goal attempt.

The Bills responded immediately with a two-play drive. Rookie RB Ray Davis exploded up the sideline after catching a short pass from Allen. He then broke a tackle and saw nothing but green as he found his way into the end zone. The offense stayed on the field for the two-point attempt and succeeded as Allen threw a side arm pass to Coleman giving the Bills back the one touchdown lead.

👔8. Tied Up

The Dolphins matched the Bills' touchdown with one of their own. Tagovailoa connected with Hill for another long gain that gave the Dolphins momentum. On fourth-down-and-three, Tagovailoa scrambled up the middle for four yards, that the Bills challenged. The Bills lost the challenge after the ruling on the field was confirmed.

Two plays after the fourth down was picked up, Achane ran into the end zone and tied the game at 20 all.

🎩9. Big plays >>>

The Bills strong offensive second half continued. Out the gate, Allen found RB James Cook for an 11-yard gain and followed that up with a 21-yard completion and a 14-yard completion. Eight plays later, Allen was sandwiched between two defenders but still connected with TE Quintin Morris for a two-yard touchdown, retaking the lead.

🦵10. Bass at the buzzer

The Dolphins scored the tying touchdown with 1:38 left in the game and the Bills received the ball with an opportunity to put the game away.

On third-and-nine, Allen targeted Coleman and who drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense giving the offense a fresh set of downs. After several more plays, Bass lined up for a 61-yard field goal that he nailed up the middle, ending the game at 30-27.

Lineup Notes: EDGE Von Miller returned to the lineup after his four-game suspension; LB Edefuan Ulofoshio made his Bills debut; WR Amari Cooper (wrist) was inactive; CB Christian Benford (wrist) was inactive; FB Reggie Gilliam (hip) was inactive; LB Terrel Bernard made his return to the lineup after missing one game due to an ankle injury; WR Curtis Samuel made his return to the lineup after missing one game due to a pectoral injury; WR Keon Coleman made the start; CB Kaiir Elam started his first game of the season.

Tyler Bass today:

🏈 Hit a franchise-record 61 yard game winning field goal.
🏈 Improved to 9-for-9 in his career in the last minute of the 4th quarter & overtime.
🏈 Made his fifth career game winning FG in the final minute of a game.

More stats from the Bills win ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YaWXZbr9c6
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) November 3, 2024

🔑Key Stats and Facts:

Josh Allen passed Joe Ferguson (181) for second place on Buffalo's all-time touchdown pass list. Allen now has 182 touchdown passes.
Ray Davis' TD was the longest TD reception by a Buffalo running back since C.J. Spiller had a 66 yarder on Dec. 30, 2012 (Week 17).
Dalton Kincaid has reached 1,000 career receiving yards. He has reached the feat in the fewest games (25) by a Bills tight end in franchise history (previous record 31 games – Ernie Warlick and Paul Costa)

🏈Scoring Plays:

6:34 1Q | BUF 3 MIA 0 | Tyler Bass 40-yard field goal is GOOD.

1:23 1Q | BUF 3 MIA 3 | Jason Sanders 39-yard field goal is GOOD.

3:26 2Q | BUF 3 MIA 10 | Tua Tagovailoa pass short left to De'Von Achane for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

0:12 2Q | BUF 6 MIA 10 | Tyler Bass 49-yard field goal is GOOD.

7:20 3Q | BUF 12 MIA 10 | Josh Allen pass short left to Mack Hollins for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Tyler Bass extra point is No Good, Wide Left.

3:02 3Q | BUF 12 MIA 13 | Jason Sanders 23-yard field goal is GOOD.

2:17 3Q | BUF 20 MIA 13 | Josh Allen pass short right to Ray Davis for 63 yards, TOUCHDOWN. TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. Josh Allen pass to Keon Coleman is complete. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.

12:20 4Q | BUF 20 MIA 20 | De'Von Achane right end for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

6:24 4Q | BUF 27 MIA 20 | Josh Allen pass short right to Quintin Morris for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

1:45 4Q | BUF 27 MIA 27 | Tua Tagovailoa pass short right to Jaylen Waddle for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

0:10 BUF 30 MIA 27 | Tyler Bass 61-yard field goal is GOOD.