Dolphins Torched By Allen In 31-28 Loss To Bills
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla (AP) — Josh Allen threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns, both career highs, and the Buffalo Bills beat AFC East rival Miami for the fourth consecutive time Sunday, 31-28.
Allen reached a career high in yards passing for the second week in a row, and became the first Buffalo quarterback to have back-to-back 300-yard games since Drew Bledsoe in 2002.
Trailing 20-17, the Bills (2-0) reclaimed the lead with 5:55 left on a 6-yard pass from Allen to rookie Gabriel Davis, who made a diving catch in the end zone. Allen's 46-yard pass to John Brown stretched the lead to 31-20 with 3:09 left. The Bills totaled 524 yards, with 342 in the first half, the most by the team since 2000.
The Dolphins closed to 31-28 on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Mike Gesicki and a successful 2-point conversion with 49 seconds left.
The onside kick was recovered by the Bills' Micah Hyde.
Allen threw touchdown passes to four receivers and Stefon Diggs led the Bills with eight catches for 153 yards.
PIX: Miami Dolphins Vs. Buffalo Bills
The Dolphins had a first down at the Buffalo 1 late in the third quarter but failed to score, with Preston Williams dropping a fourth-down pass.
Fitzpatrick went 31 for 47 for 328 yards and two TDs.
With the Bills leading 17-10, the game was suspended for 36 minutes in the third quarter due to lightning in the area.
After the delay, the Dolphins offense got a spark and scored 10 consecutive points to take a 20-17 lead. A third-quarter field goal by Jason Sanders was followed by a 2-yard touchdown run by Jordan Howard.
The Bills had scoring drives of 97 yards, 84 yards, and 73 yards in the first half. But a 27-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to Mike Gesicki set up a 52-yard field goal by Sanders on the final play of the half to close the Dolphins within 17-10 at halftime.
The Bills took a 7-0 lead on a 97-yard drive that culminated with a 1-yard pass to Reggie Gilliam. It was the first NFL touchdown reception for Gilliam, an undrafted free agent out of Toledo.
SPECTATORS ALLOWED
Masked fans were scattered throughout the stadium, and the announced crowd of 11,075 was smaller than the maximum of 13,000 being allowed to attend the home opener. Almost half of the spectators wore Bills colors.
Groups of spectators were required to space at least 6 feet apart in both the lower bowl and upper deck. The crowd was less than 20% of the stadium's capacity.
ANTHEM
Both teams stayed in the locker room for the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
INJURIES
Dolphins CB Byron Jones left in the first quarter with a groin injury and did not return. Bills TE Dawson Knox left in the third quarter with a concussion.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: play Thursday night at Jacksonville for the first time since 2015.
Bills: host the Rams next Sunday. The teams last met in 2016.
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