Bills rout Dolphins
Buffalo set to host first playoff game in 24 years
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills were intent on not easing into the playoffs, while ending the Miami Dolphins’ chances.
In a season-ending game in which the Dolphins had far more riding on the outcome, the Bills put an empathic stamp on their breakthrough year with a 56-26 rout on Sunday. In clinching the AFC’S second seed, Buffalo will host its first playoff game in 24 years by facing the the Frank Reich-coached Indianapolis Colts next weekend.
Reich is the former Bills backup who 28 years ago to the day led Buffalo to overcome a 32-point deficit in a 41-38 overtime win over the Houston Oilers in what still stands as the largest comeback in NFL history.
For Miami, the loss left coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins on the outside looking in by squandering an opportunity to clinch just their first postseason berth in 18 years. Rather than taking care of their own business by clinching a playoff berth with a win, the Dolphins’ postseason
ended with the Colts clinching the No. 7 seed by defeating Jacksonville.
After falling behind 3-0 on Jason Sanders’ 49-yard field goal, Buffalo responded by scoring four times in the second quarter to build a 28-6 lead at halftime. And the Bills didn’t let up in the second half.
Rather than rely on Cleveland beating Pittsburgh, Buffalo wrapped up the AFC’S No. 2 playoff seed with the win.
“It just shows that this is a different Buffalo Bills football team. We don’t have to get in on anybody’s back,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “This is all our doing. And it feels good to kick that front door out and sweep the East.”
Allen threw three touch
down passes and Isaiah Mckenzie scored three times, including returning a punt return 84 yards. The defense even got on the scoreboard with Josh Norman returning the first of three Tua Tagovailoa’s interceptions 16 yards for a touchdown.
Allen finished 18 of 25 for 224 yards passing in playing just the first half before being replaced by Matt Barkley. Allen upped his total to 4,544 yards passing, to eclipse the team’s single-season record of 4,359 set by Drew Bledsoe in 2002.
Buffalo matched a franchise record with 13 wins, set in both 1990 and ‘91, while also completing its first season sweep of division rivals.