DOLPHINS RUSH TO VICTORY

Running back Jay Ajayi leads team to 28-25 win over the Bills.

MIAMI GARDENS — Apparently all the Miami Dolphins needed to do this season was give the ball to running back Jay Ajayi and get their offensive line healthy. Ajayi, running behind an intact starting five for the second consecutive week, rushed for a career-best 214 yards Sunday against Buffalo to lead the resurgent Dolphins to a physically punishing 28-25 victory.

Ajayi, who had a then career-best 204 yards rushing against Pittsburgh in last week’s 30-15 victory, became only the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 200 or more yards in consecutive games. Ajayi joins O.J. Simpson (1973 and 1976), Earl Campbell (1980) and Ricky Williams (2002) on that short list.

“It’s an amazing thing, a crazy thing to do,” Ajayi said.

Ajayi’s performance is the thirdbest rushing total in Dolphins history just behind Williams’ 228 yards at Buffalo on Dec. 1, 2002, and Williams’ 216 yards against Chicago on Dec. 9, 2002.

In the process of putting up those attention-grabbing numbers the Dolphins (3-4) have revived their hopes of getting to .500 by midseason, and they’ve begun to establish themselves as a physical team after beating rugged Pittsburgh and Buffalo teams in consecutive weeks.

“We wanted to come out and set a physical tone. ... I think that we hit them in the mouth today,” Ajayi said.

The Dolphins rushed for a season-best 256 yards while holding Buffalo, the NFL rushing leader coming into this week’s games at 166 yards per, to a season-worst 67 yards.

The Dolphins also tallied four sacks against agile Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (14 of 28, 221 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, 88.5 passer rating).

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (15 of 25, 204 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, 99.4 passer rating), who wasn’t sacked last week, was only sacked once by the Bills. That’s because the offensive line of center Mike Pouncey, left guard Laremy Tunsil, right guard Jermon Bushrod, left tackle Branden Albert and right tackle Ja’Wuan James did a good job for the second consecutive game.

“They’ve been really good both in the run and pass game,” Tannehill said.

The Dolphins held the ball for a seasonbest 37 minutes and two seconds because they won the battles on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

And the Dolphins outgained the Bills 454-267.

“They just out-toughed us,” Bills offensive tackle Jordan Mills said.

Buffalo (4-3), which entered on a fourgame win streak, made things interesting late, whittling its deficit to 28-25 with 14 seconds left. Running back Reggie Bush scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 75-yard, 13-play drive that consumed two minutes,10 seconds, and then had a reception on the two-point conversion.

Buffalo’s ensuing onside kick was recovered by Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry to end the comeback threat.

But this game was about Ajayi, who also had a career-best 29 carries, one week after having a then career-best 25 carries.

“Staying with him and getting into a rhythm with him is critical for us,” coach Adam Gase said.

The Dolphins, who trailed, 10-6 at halftime but took the lead for good at 17-14 in the third quarter, entered this game struggling against Buffalo more than any other opponent over the previous four years. The Dolphins were 2-6 (.250) against the Bills since 2012. Meanwhile, the Bills were 23-33 (.411) against the rest of the NFL.

“At some point you’ve got to draw a line in the sand and enough is enough,” defensive end Cameron Wake said.

Sunday’s game marked the third of the four-game homestand. This 44-day homestand, by the way, is the longest in the NFL since the 1970 merger (excluding 1982 work stoppage season).

The Dolphins have a bye next week be- fore hosting the New York Jets on Nov. 6 for the final game of the homestand. A victory against the Jets gets the Dolphins to .500 before going on the road for back-to-back games.

The Dolphins have won their past two games with aggressive, physical performances. And perhaps the team’s search for an identity is concluding.

“I definitely think we’re finding it right now,” Tannehill said.

PHOTOS BY JIM RASSOL / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi (23) scores a touchdown in the third quarter against Buffalo. He rushed for a career-high 214 yards, topping 200 yards for the second straight week.

PHOTOS BY JOE CAVARETTA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Dolphins running back Damien Williams bulls his way into the end zone to score a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave Miami the lead.

Miami wide receiver Kenny Stills breaks free for the clinching fourth-quarter touchdown on Sunday against the Bills.