MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were close to beating the Buffalo Bills and ending a six-game losing streak against their division rivals when the two teams met in September.
The Dolphins had battled the five-time AFC East champions into the fourth quarter in Week 3 when, down a touchdown with three minutes left, Miami unraveled.
“On a game-winning drive, can’t throw an interception," Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said Wednesday,
referring to the pick he threw on Miami's penultimate drive that sealed a 31-21 loss.
“Just got to find a way to finish better," Tagovailoa added, "and place our team in a better position than that."
That's the way the season has gone for the Miami Dolphins (2-7), who have squandered numerous chances to close out games because of mistakes. They have a chance to avenge those miscues Sunday when they host the Bills, who Mike McDaniel has only beaten once in eight tries as Miami's coach.
“There’s been a couple of one-score games as of late that they’ve won and we’ve lost,” McDaniel said. “What’s critical is that you don’t have your ‘wish you could have them back’ plays in the fourth quarter, anticipating that regardless of how well you play or whatever they do, they generally do a great job of keeping the game, at least worst-case scenario, within reach. A lot of times they have leads, but you know you’re not winning this game until the fourth quarter is over.”
Kansas City learned that lesson against the Bills last week, when after leading 21-13 at the half, Buffalo hung on for a 28-21 win.
Buffalo's passing attack has been scrutinized, with receivers often having difficulty separating in coverage, but the Bills played with near-perfect balance against the Chiefs, with James Cook’s 114 yards rushing and Josh Allen setting a team record for completion percentage.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” coach Sean McDermott said. “We are, and I applaud the staff and the coaches for it. They’ve done a really good job. Players have recalibrated a little bit and done everything that we’ve asked them to do. And it just takes some time to sometimes get there. And now we’ve got to continue to go because we’re not where we need to be. This is a big divisional game down there away, and so we’ve got to put a good week of preparation in.”
McDaniel emphasized the importance of not harping on past games in the series, but the Bills' recent success against the Dolphins has been glaring:
Since 2017, McDermott’s first year in Buffalo, the Bills have averaged 31.5 points against Miami, which is the second-highest points-per-game average any team has against any division opponent in that span.
Allen is 14-2 in 16 career starts against the Dolphins (including playoffs). His 43 touchdowns thrown against Miami are the most by any quarterback versus a single opponent since the start of the 2018 season.
Try as he might, Bills GM Brandon Beane was left on the outside looking in by failing to improve his injury-depleted roster at the trade deadline on Tuesday.
“When you go home last night, like, damn, that was a waste of time,” Beane said Wednesday. He said the players Buffalo expressed most interest in were not being moved, while noting the team was also hard-pressed to make a deal because of limited salary cap space.
Ultimately, he said, it takes two to make a trade. “It’s not a store where you can just go in and say, `Hey, I’ll pay $20 and take this player,’” Beane said.
Safety Jordan Poyer’s return to Buffalo is paying off in two big ways. The 14-year player not only has his old starting job back, Poyer’s getting credit for tutoring Cole Bishop, a first-time starter in his second season.
Cut by Buffalo following the 2023 season for salary cap reasons, Poyer spent last year in Miami before signing to the Bills practice squad in August. A season-ending knee injury to starter Taylor Rapp led to Poyer being signed to the active roster last week. The 34-year-old previously established himself during seven seasons in Buffalo, where he and Micah Hyde formed the team’s starting tandem.
Miami's offense enters Week 10 ranked seventh in the NFL in short-yardage third down conversions, while the defense is ranked 10th in the red zone. Miami is one of only four teams in the league this year with a 100% goal-to-go efficiency rate, finding the end zone in all 12 of its goal-to-go situations
Allen has not committed a turnover in his past two games after combining for four interceptions and a lost fumble over a three-game span. Allen is 5-0 this season and 37-7 overall when not committing a turnover. He’s 45-29 when he does throw an interception or lose a fumble.
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AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Orchard Park, New York, contributed to this report.
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