Selected things have been going in favor of the Buffalo Bills. The injuries started to stack up into the fourth quarter, red zone issues were also a constant, and chances to take the lead on the Miami Dolphins in a game for the AFC East title were washed.
But this team has had close games and has the experience they need. All the six losses of the Bills this season were in one-score games, like the last one, an additional defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 12th Week.
After the bye of week 13th, the Bills were 6-6 and had a 20% chance to qualify for the playoffs and only a 5%chance to win the division, according to ESPN Analytics.
But the luck in the close games changed after the bye week, with three of the past four victories entering Sunday with a score outing.
Bills got the spark at the time of need
Naturally, with the Number 2 seed on the stake, the Bills found a way to win a close game when it mattered most, defeating the Dolphins 21-14 after giving up just seven points in the first three quarters. As the Bills won the AFC East for the fourth consecutive year, the 4% became 100%.
Quarterback Josh Allen’s Comment
Allen said that, 6–6. They had several internal conversations and understood what was ahead of them. They had faith in each other in the locker room. He said that they were sure that the Bills would win the division.
Ultimately, this is exciting and enjoyable, and he would never turn down the chance to win a division. However, it only guarantees a home game and one more game. Therefore, it is meaningless if they show up for work the next week and fail to perform.
The turning point
With little over 14 minutes left, wide receiver Deonte Harty collected a punt deep in Bills territory, squirmed through a sea of defenders, and bounced outside to the left, turning the tide of the game.
He darted into the end zone and was off to the races. The Bills’ longest-ever punt return was 96 yards, and it was Harty’s first for a touchdown since 2019.
The extra point and that touchdown knotted the game at 14. Less than seven minutes later, the Bills’ offense pulled together an eight-play, 74-yard touchdown drive on a 5-yard throw from Allen to tight end Dawson Knox after the Buffalo defense forced a three-and-out.
With a drive that lasted more than four minutes, the Bills gained huge ground on the Dolphins, but with less than two minutes left, they gave it back. To close out the game, safety Taylor Rapp picked off Tua Tagovailoa.
The defense was the main plot
Miami only had the ball for seven minutes in the latter two quarters, as Bill’s defense held the Dolphins to four plays or fewer on each of their five second-half possessions. The Dolphins’ second-half net yard total of 57 was the fewest the Bills have given up since Week 18 of the 2021 campaign.
On Sunday, Tagovailoa was blitzed on just 3.6% of his dropbacks, which is the lowest percentage of blitzes he has ever encountered. Against the blitz this season, he has completed an NFL-best 70% of his throws, with 0 interceptions and 10 touchdowns.
The Offense also played its part
The Bills’ late offensive success was achieved despite their inability to capitalize on early red zone opportunities.
With three Allen blunders—two interceptions and a fumble—and the clock running out after the first half after Johnson was unable to cross the goal line after a reception, Buffalo was only able to convert five trips within the Dolphins’ 35-yard line into seven points.
The three red zone drives that the Bills ended without scoring equaled a record for most by any side in a game this season and matched Buffalo’s record for the most in a game during the previous 20 years.
Allen completed the game with two touchdowns and two interceptions on 30-of-38 passing for 359 yards. In addition to setting a new record for the most straight games with two or more throwing touchdowns against a single opponent, he ran for 67 yards on 15 carries.
