Khalil Shakir caught one of Josh Allen's three touchdown passes for the Bills in Thursday's win over Miami in Orchard Park, N.Y.
The Buffalo Bills were expected to cruise past the struggling Miami Dolphins on Thursday night. Instead, the Dolphins nearly pulled off one of the NFL’s biggest early-season shocks. Costly errors in the fourth quarter doomed Miami, allowing Buffalo to escape with a 31-21 win.
Dolphins Push Buffalo Bills to the Limit
Few fans expected drama when the Bills faced the winless Dolphins. Yet Miami refused to roll over. The game began with a 54-yard kickoff return that set up a 10-play drive. Running back Ollie Gordon II finished it with a two-yard touchdown, giving Miami a 7-0 lead.
Buffalo answered quickly. Josh Allen threw a short touchdown to Dalton Kincaid and followed it up with a creative flip pass to Jackson Hawes. The Bills missed a field goal on their third drive, but Miami took advantage. Jaylen Waddle scored just before halftime, tying the game at 14-14.
By the break, the Dolphins had proved they weren’t an easy matchup. Despite being heavy underdogs, they went toe-to-toe with a Super Bowl contender.
Buffalo’s Offense Keeps Rolling
The Bills came out firing in the second half. James Cook capped an eight-play, 61-yard drive with a rushing touchdown. Buffalo once again looked in control, moving the ball at will.
But Miami’s defense finally responded. For the first time all season, the Dolphins forced two consecutive punts. Riding that momentum, Tagovailoa connected with Waddle on a key fourth-and-4 conversion. Tyreek Hill then caught a five-yard touchdown, tying the game at 21-21 with 12 minutes left.
The upset seemed possible. The Dolphins had the Bills on the ropes.
Costly Mistakes Crush Dolphins’ Chances
Then came the turning point. Miami appeared to force another punt, but defensive lineman Zach Sieler was flagged for roughing the punter. Instead of getting the ball back, the Dolphins gave Buffalo new life. Josh Allen made them pay, finding Khalil Shakir for a 15-yard touchdown.
Still, Miami wasn’t done. With just over three minutes left, the Dolphins drove to Buffalo’s 21-yard line, trailing by seven. But Tua Tagovailoa’s pass to Waddle was intercepted by linebacker Terrel Bernard. Buffalo drained the clock and sealed the win with a late field goal.
Bills Move to 3-0, Dolphins Still Searching
The Bills avoided what could have been a shocking loss. Josh Allen finished with three touchdowns, including the fourth-quarter dagger. Buffalo improved to 3-0, solidifying its spot among the AFC’s early leaders.
Miami, however, dropped to 0-3. Despite showing fight, the Dolphins made the kind of mistakes struggling teams can’t afford. The roughing-the-punter penalty and late interception erased any chance of a statement win.
A Night of Lessons
For Buffalo, the victory was less about dominance and more about resilience. The Dolphins exposed cracks in the Bills’ defense but couldn’t finish the job.
Miami, meanwhile, showed flashes of competitiveness but left empty-handed. In the NFL, moral victories mean little. The Dolphins had their chance at an upset but let it slip away.
