BILLS-DOLPHINS QUARTER BY QUARTER
FIRST QUARTER
Theme: Josh Allen shows great touch. Allen hit 6 of 8 passes on the Bills’ 97-yard TD drive, highlighted by a 26-yard touch throw to Cole Beasley.
Good feet: Preston Williams caught a 26-yard pass vs. Tre’Davious White to the Bills’ 2 and nicely got both feet down. It was a slant and go down the right sideline.
Good timing: The Dolphins paid for their man coverage across the board when Allen took off on a designed quarterback draw for 16 yards to Miami’s 40-yard line.
Key injury: Miami cornerback Byron Jones, signed to an $82.5 million contract in March, was lost for the game after suffering an apparent groin injury on the Bills’ third play.
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Nearly gone: Allen’s first third-down pass went just off the hands of Stefon Diggs on a cross to the right side of the field. It would have been a gain of 25 or more yards but Diggs had to take his eye off the ball to avoid Cole Beasley just before reaching up for it.
Homecoming: Seven Bills are from South Florida. They are John Brown, Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, Isaiah McKenzie, Jaquan Johnson, Bryan Cox Jr. and Jon Feliciano.
SECOND QUARTER
Theme: Blackout can’t stop Bills offense.
La machine: A week after rolling up 31 first downs and 404 yards, the Bills’ offense churned its way to 16 first downs and 342 yards in the first 30 minutes:
Blackout: The Bills’ second touchdown drive was not seen in Buffalo due to CBS technical difficulties.
Key gain: Allen hit Isaiah McKenzie on a 46-yard catch and run to set up Stefon Diggs’ first touchdown as a Bill, a 22-yarder.
Zebra report: Isaiah McKenzie flattened Noah Igbinoghene with a block on an 11-yard Zack Moss run to the Miami 17. But McKenzie was called for an illegal crackback block. However, McKenzie’s shoulders were pointed upfield when he made the hit at the Miami 25. It was a dubious call.
Near TO: Early in the quarter, Jerry Hughes saw an overthrown screen pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick slip right through his arms at the Miami 25. It could have been a huge takeaway.
Honoring The Jaw: It was Miami’s first home game since the death of Hall-of-Fame coach Don Shula. The Dolphins are wearing a patch with Shula’s win total (347) on it.
THIRD QUARTER
Theme: Goal-line stand. The Bills maintained a 17-13 lead thanks to stopping Miami on four plays from inside the 2-yard line.
Key plays: On third down, Micah Hyde batted away a fade pass in the end zone intended for tight end Mike Gesicki. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s fourth-down pass from the 1 was a tad behind Preston Williams, and he couldn’t hang on.
Key penalty: A good defensive play by Jordan Poyer allowed the Bills to thwart a promising Miami drive to start the quarter. Miami faced a second-and-1 situation at the Bills’ 19 when Poyer drew a block in the back penalty on a run play. Miami settled for a field goal.
Burned time out: The Bills’ defense was forced to call a time out with 4:47 left when the players weren’t clear on a second-and-10 play call.
Ball control: Miami held the ball for 10:23 to just 4:37 for the Bills. Buffalo ran just eight plays to Miami’s 20.
Rare miss: Josh Allen led Stefon Diggs too far on a shallow crossing route on third-and-2 from the Bills’ 46. The incompletion forced a punt.
FOURTH QUARTER
Theme: Big-time offensive football is back in Buffalo.
400-plus: Josh Allen’s 417-yard passing day was the fifth 400-yard day by a Bills QB in team history and the first by a Bills quarterback in 18 years, since Drew Bledsoe threw for 417 in 2002. The only bigger passing days were by Bledsoe (463) and Joe Ferguson (419), but no other Bills QB had hit 400 yards with four TDs and no interceptions.
Great hands: It was a tough call which was a better catch, Gabe Davis’ 6-yard TD grab or Stefon Diggs’ 22-yarder on the final TD drive.
Fightin’ Fitz: Ryan Fitzpatrick’s two fourth-quarter TD passes gave him 212 for his career, tying him for 36th most all-time with Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw and Matt Hasselbeck.
Gamesmanship: Sean McDermott called time out just before Miami’s onside kick to see where the kick would go. But Brian Flores likely anticipated it and had the kicker boot it up the middle. Micah Hyde fielded the re-kick.
Series: The Bills are 51-61-1 vs. the Dolphins. However, since the Jim Kelly era, the Bills are 44-27 vs. Miami. Buffalo has beaten Miami four straight and six of the last seven.
