The Miami Dolphins finally broke through against a longtime nemesis, cruising to a 30-13 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday to snap a seven-game losing streak to their division rivals. For quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and several of his teammates, the win carried significant weight, as many had yet to experience a triumph over Buffalo in their careers.
Tagovailoa threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns while De’Von Achane exploded for a pair of rushing scores, finishing with 225 scrimmage yards and fourth-quarter touchdown runs of 59 and 35 yards. Achane’s dominant performance helped seal the game and showcased the Dolphins’ offensive versatility.
Miami (3-7) jumped out to a 16-0 lead entering the fourth quarter, frustrating a Bills offense (6-3) that had not lost to Miami since Week 3 of 2022. Buffalo’s quarterback Josh Allen threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns, but he also turned the ball over twice — one interception and a fumble — and was replaced by Mitchell Trubisky late in the game after Achane’s second TD put Miami ahead by 17 points with three minutes left.
Allen led a late fourth-quarter drive, connecting with Keon Coleman for a 35-yard touchdown that capped a 98-yard march down the field. However, the Bills remained down by two scores when Minkah Fitzpatrick tackled Khalil Shakir short of the goal line on a two-point try, underscoring Miami’s defensive dominance.
The Dolphins’ defense set the tone early, recording three takeaways and three sacks. Buffalo’s high-powered offense struggled against Miami’s pass rush, failing to convert a first down until the third series. Allen’s 21-yard scramble to Curtis Samuel on third-and-16 looked like a potential momentum-shifter, but Miami’s Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepted Allen at the 5-yard line, keeping the Bills from closing the gap.
Tagovailoa’s only early misstep came on Miami’s opening drive when his pass toward Jaylen Waddle was intercepted by Cole Bishop. Miami quickly recovered, outgaining Buffalo 221 to 90 in the first half and putting together two touchdown drives to take a 13-0 lead. Malik Washington caught a 9-yard touchdown, followed by a 38-yard score from Waddle — Miami’s largest lead against Buffalo since 2016.
Buffalo had another scoring opportunity late in the first half, but a defensive stand led by Benito Jones, Jack Jones, and JuJu Brents stifled the Bills’ push, and Riley Patterson’s 46-yard field goal gave Miami a 16-0 advantage at the break — Buffalo’s largest first-half deficit since Week 4 of last season.
With the win, the Dolphins are now (3-7) while the Bills fall to 6-3. Miami will travel overseas to face Washington in Madrid, Spain, next Sunday, while Buffalo returns home to host Tampa Bay.
