By JOHN WAWROW (AP Sports Writer)
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills opened the season with Super Bowl aspirations.
One week into the playoffs, their goal stays in sight — however barely.
Allen shrugged off a three-turnover outing, and the three-time defending AFC East champion Bills averted a serious collapse by rallying for a 34-31 victory over the AFC’s seventh-seeded and injury-depleted Miami Dolphins in a wild-card playoff sport on Sunday.
In acknowledging he was hardly at his greatest, Allen stated all that mattered was the ultimate rating.
“One-week seasons, man, that’s it,” he stated. “All that matters is surviving and advancing. Doesn’t matter how we win, it’s if we win.”
The “if” a part of the equation hung within the steadiness till the ultimate minutes of a sport wherein the Bills squandered a 17-0 lead towards an opponent that limped into the playoffs by dropping 5 of its last six and was right down to its third-string quarterback, rookie Skylar Thompson.
It wasn’t till Allen’s fumble was returned 5 yards for a landing by Zach Sieler 61 seconds into the third quarter to place the Dolphins up 24-20 that the Bills’ offense lastly reawakened.
Allen threw two landing passes over a span of three:11, with Cole Beasley scoring the go-ahead TD with a 6-yard catch, earlier than Gabe Davis prolonged the result in 34-24 with a 23-yard TD reception.
“That’s just playoff football for the most part. All the games I’ve played in the playoffs, I don’t even know if we’ve had a blowout,” Beasley stated. “The thing is you’ve got to keep your foot on the gas. You can’t ever get complacent. You gotta play consistent. We were a little inconsistent tonight. We can’t do that going forward.”
The sport wasn’t determined till Buffalo’s protection, which pressured six punts and two turnovers, stopped Miami because it turned the ball over on downs on its last possession.
Thompson’s go on fourth-and-6 went simply off the fingertips of tight finish Mike Gesicki with 2:22 remaining.
Buffalo ran out the clock when Devin Singletary bulled his manner for a 7-yard achieve to transform a third-and-7.
It was a sloppy sport and a prolonged saga lasting practically 4 hours between two division rivals, and the result becoming after the 2 groups cut up their regular-season sequence in video games determined by a mixed 5 factors. The Dolphins beat Buffalo 21-19 at Miami in September, with the Bills rallying to beat Miami 32-29 final month.
Allen completed 23 of 39 for 352 yards and three TDs, but additionally threw two interceptions, which resulted within the Dolphins scoring 11 factors.
Buffalo advances to host the third-seeded Cincinnati Bengals subsequent Sunday within the divisional spherical. Three weeks earlier, the Bills’ sport towards the Bengals in Cincinnati was canceled when Buffalo security Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and wanted to be resuscitated on the sector. Hamlin is recovering and watched Sunday’s sport at house.
The Dolphins performed powerful in a sport they entered as 13 1/2-point underdogs, based on FanDuel Sportsbook, with out quite a few offensive starters, together with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who continues to be within the concussion protocol, and backup Teddy Bridgewater who’s coping with a dislocated pinky finger.
“That was the hand that was dealt, and that was part of the story that we were willing to complete,” coach Mike McDaniel stated. “I’m heartbroken for the guys because they didn’t want their season to end and they did everything they could.”
The Dolphins prolonged their run of playoff loses to 5. Miami’s most up-to-date playoff win was a 23-17 additional time victory over Indianapolis on Dec. 30, 2000 within the wild-card spherical.
Miami’s protection and particular groups made up for an offense that managed simply 16 first downs and 231 yards. Jevon Holland and Xavien Howard’s interceptions, together with Cedric Wilson’s 50-yard punt return, led to the Dolphins benefiting from quick fields to tie the sport at 17 on Gesicki’s 7-yard catch late within the second quarter.
Making simply his third profession begin, Thompson completed 18 of 45 for 220 yards with a landing and two interceptions.
“Man, our defense played so good today. That’s tough. Because those guys gave us every chance to win,” Thompson stated. “Feel like that’s a game we definitely had the opportunity to win. I will take (responsibility) for the loss, and shoulder that, and move forward.”
Buffalo didn’t resemble a group that closed the season reeling off seven straight victories.
Instead, the Bills appeared as in the event that they had been operating out of adrenaline after an emotionally draining week, and a season stuffed with disruptions.
Hamlin was with the group in spirit, live-tweeting in the course of the sport from house, the place he continues to get well. A message Hamlin posted on his Twitter account about an hour earlier than kickoff learn: “My heart is with my guys as they compete today! … Nothing I want more than to be out there with them.”
The 24-year-old Hamlin was launched from a Buffalo hospital on Wednesday and visited together with his teammates on the Bills facility on Saturday.
Cornerback Tre’Davious White stated Hamlin’s go to “gave us a lot of juice.” for this sport. “It lifted our spirits for sure,” he added.
NOTABLE OUTINGS
Dolphins: Sieler had two of Miami’s playoff-record seven sacks. Jeff Wilson closed the scoring with a 1-yard run, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive with 10:53 left. Jason Sanders hit all three field-goal makes an attempt, together with a 48-yarder. Tyreek Hill led Miami with seven catches for 69 yards.
Bills: LB Matt Milano, recent off being chosen as an All-Pro, had two sacks. Dawson Knox additionally scored on a 6-yard catch for Buffalo, whereas James Cook scored on 12-yard run. Bass hit each field-goal makes an attempt, together with a 39-yarder. WR Stefon Diggs had seven catches for 114 yards, and Davis completed with six catches for 113.
UP NEXT
Bills: Host Cincinnati subsequent Sunday at 3 p.m. EST.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”