ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins virtually proved the naysayers erroneous towards the Buffalo Payments but eventually came up brief, losing 34-31 Sunday in a activity that was considerably nearer than predicted.
Taking part in in Buffalo, Miami was not able to defeat a 3-issue deficit following they experienced exhausted their time outs.
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Jeffrey T. Barnes / AP
Josh Allen shrugged off a a few-turnover outing by throwing two touchdown passes 3:11 apart in the 3rd quarter, and rallying the Buffalo Charges to the win around the harm-depleted Miami Dolphins in an AFC wild-card matchup.
Cole Beasley scored the go-forward landing with a 6-yard capture, and Gabe Davis prolonged the direct to 34-24 with a 23-lawn TD reception in a sport the place Buffalo squandered an early 17- guide.
The Payments defense, which pressured 6 punts and two turnovers, then held on to safe the gain when Miami turned the ball over on downs on its final possession.
Rookie Skylar Thompson’s move on fourth-and-6 went just off the fingertips of restricted stop Mike Gesicki with 2:22 remaining.
Buffalo was able to run out the clock when Devin Singletary bulled his way for a 7-yard achieve to convert a 3rd-and-7.
It was a sloppy game played concerning two division rivals, and the result fitting soon after Miami and Buffalo break up their frequent-period sequence in games resolved by a merged 5 details. The Dolphins defeat Buffalo 21-19 at Miami in September, with the Expenses rallying to beat Miami 32-29 past thirty day period.
Allen concluded 23 of 39 for 352 yards and a few TDs, but also threw two interceptions, which resulted in the Dolphins scoring 10 points. He also lost a fumble whilst staying sacked by Eric Rowe, with Zach Sieler recovering the ball and returning it 5 yards for a touchdown to place Miami ahead 24-20, just 61 seconds into the 3rd quarter.
“It is really a 1-7 days season, that’s it,” Allen explained. “All that issues is surviving and advancing.”
As the AFC’s next seed, Buffalo innovations to host either the third-seeded Cincinnati Bengals or fourth-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars in the divisional spherical. Their matchup will be decided right after the Bengals host Baltimore on Sunday evening.
A Expenditures-Bengals matchup would come two weeks after their recreation was canceled when Buffalo protection Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and necessary to be resuscitated on the discipline.
Hamlin was with the staff in spirit, whilst reside-tweeting for the duration of the game from property, the place he proceeds to get well. A information Hamlin posted on his Twitter account about an hour in advance of kickoff go through: “My coronary heart is with my fellas as they compete nowadays! … Very little I want more than to be out there with them.”
The 24-year-previous Hamlin was released from a Buffalo clinic on Wednesday and frequented with his teammates at the Bills facility on Saturday.
UP Next
Dolphins: offseason.
Expenses: Host either Cincinnati Bengals or Jacksonville Jaguars in AFC divisional playoff following weekend.
The Bills are seriously favored – by 13 1/2 factors on FanDuel Sportsbook – with Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa presently ruled out owing to the aftereffects of a concussion sustained 3 months in the past, and backup Teddy Bridgewater nursing a broken pinky finger.
The Expenditures also have momentum on their aspect in closing the season on a 7- operate, which bundled a 32-29 win more than Miami four weeks ago. And Buffalo is a extra playoff-tested crew in earning its fourth consecutive postseason overall look.
The Dolphins, by comparison, stumbled down the stretch in shedding 5 straight in advance of clinching their 1st playoff berth considering that 2016 with an 11-6 gain about the New York Jets previous weekend – and only right after New England was eliminated next a 35-23 loss at Buffalo.
To start with-12 months coach Mike McDaniel stays upbeat though knowledge the problem forward.
“I know we have a committed, hungry football staff which is excited to participate in a recreation they gained to perform in,” McDaniel mentioned.
Fairly than watch the Dolphins’ late-period skid as a unfavorable, the coach attempted to turn it into a constructive by informing his players they are a single of 5 NFL teams to lose five straight and continue to qualify for the playoffs.
