The heat won the day in Miami, but the Dolphins survived on the scoreboard. Miami beat the Bills 21-19.
The Dolphins hadn’t beaten the Bills since Dec. 2, 2018, with Buffalo winning seven in a row. The victory left the Dolphins as the only unbeaten team in the AFC, and, as such at 3-0, atop the AFC East.
The Bills ran 90 plays to the Dolphins’ 39, but came away with only three points on drives that ended at the Miami 34, 11, 20 and 2. Josh Allen had a wide-open Isaiah McKenzie in the end zone on fourth-and-two at the Miami 2 with 1:46 left.
He had his hand examined on the sideline afterward.
That left the Bills trailing 21-17.
The Bills burned their final two timeouts but stopped the Dolphins for a 1-yard loss on Miami’s three ensuing plays. The Dolphins threw on third down, and the incompletion stopped the clock with 1:37 left.
Thomas Morstead’s punt went off the back of his protector, Trent Sherfield, and out of the back of the end zone. The Butt Punt, as it’s already been nicknamed on social media, gave the Bills a safety and within a field goal of escaping with a win.
Morstead bombed the free kick 74 yards, though, and the Bills started at their own 23 with no timeouts. They got to the Miami 41 but couldn’t get the clock stopped for a field goal try.
Allen went 42-of-63 for 400 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for 47 yards on eight carries. He lost a fumble that led to a Dolphins’ touchdown, one of three fumbles he had though the only one he lost.
The Bills, though, were hit hard by the heat, especially in the offensive line.
Tua Tagovailoa, who left late in the first half to be examined for a concussion but returned after halftime, went 13-of-18 for 186 yards and a touchdown. Jaylen Waddle had four catches for 102 yards.
