Diggs Whispers to Josh: '4 More!' Bills Beat Dolphins for 4th Straight AFC East Title; Live Blog
The Buffalo Bills’ playoff destiny? It was in their own hands when they faced the Miami Dolphins on Sunday night in the NFL Week 18 finale. ... and then took it into their hands with a thrilling 21-14 victory that vaults the team right back to where Bills Mafia believes it belongs ...
And right back to where "Four more!'' resonates.
© Sam Navarro, USA TODAY
"Four more! Four more!'' That's what Stefon Diggs said to Josh Allen when they embraced after the win. But before we go down that path ... let's look at the chronological events that got Buffalo here ...
Win, and they’re the AFC East champions, clinch the No. 2 seed and will host the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) in the first round of the playoffs. Lose, and they'll be the No. 7 seed and return to Miami next week.
Regular season games don’t get much bigger than the Bills and Dolphins squaring off on Sunday Night Football at Hard Rock Stadium at 8:20 p.m. ET to determine who wins the division. Miami (11-5) has already clinched a playoff berth and would be the No. 6 seed with a loss and face the Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) in the first round of the playoffs.
The Bills sealed their ticket to the postseason when the Tennessee Titans beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-20 earlier in the day.
The Bills (10-6) put together one of their best performances earlier this season when they beat the Dolphins 48-20 in Week 4 at Highmark Stadium. Josh Allen completed 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards and has five total touchdowns. Receiver Stefon Diggs also had his best performance of the year, with six catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns.
After being 6-6 heading into its bye week, Buffalo has won four straight games to position itself for a chance to win the division. After a 9-3 start to the season, Miami has gone 2-2 and has been battered with injuries.
The Dolphins’ top two pass rushers, Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, who tore his ACL in a Week 17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, are out for the year. They will also be without cornerback Xavier Howard and aren't expected to play running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Jaylen Waddle for the second straight week.
Buffalo is as healthy as it has been in the second half of the season with no player entering the win-or-go-home matchup with an injury designation.
Stay here for live updates throughout the game.
1ST QUARTER:
Miami gets the ball to start the game after Tyler Bass' kickoff goes through the end zone for a touchback.
Tua Tagovailoa is hit as he throws and the pass falls incomplete. Dolphins offensive lineman Robert Hunt is flagged for being an ineligible man downfield, but it's declined. Tua pitches it to De'Von Achane and he runs for 16 yards.
Achane gets it again on a pitch from Tua but is tackled for a 4-yard loss by DaQuan Jones. Tua's pass to Tyreek Hill gains 7 yards. On 3rd and 7, Tua goes deep for Tyreek and is intercepted by Chrisitan Benford at the Bills' 16-yard line.
End of possession
Josh Allen's pass to Stefon Diggs gains 5 yards. James Cook runs for 4 to set up 3rd and 1. Leonard Fournette gets the handoff and runs for 5 yards to move the chains.
Allen and Diggs connect for a 6-yard gain. Allen finds Dalton Kincaid for a 29-yard pass that goes to the Dolphins' 35-yard line.
Cook gives Buffalo another 1st down on a 14-yard run.
Allen dumps it off to Cook for 6 yards. Cook runs for 3 yards to make it 3rd and 1. Allen keeps it and runs for 4 yards to the Dolphins' 8-yard line to make it 1st and goal.
Fournette runs for 3 yards. Allen's pass intended for Dawson Knox is incomplete. On 3rd and goal from the 5-yard line, Allen's pass is intercepted by Eli Apple and he's tackled at the Dolphins' 3-yard line.
End of possession
Achane is tripped up, but Shaq Lawson is flagged for being offsides. On 1st and 5, Achane runs for 5 yards, but Terron Armstead is flagged for holding and that'll move Miami back half the distance to the goal. On 1st and 9, Tua's pass to River Cracraft gains 18 yards.
Tua finds Tyreek for a 19-yard pass and another 1st down.
Achane runs for 14 yards to the Bills' 48-yard line for a third straight 1st down.
Achane is stopped for a 2-yard gain. Tua's pass is incomplete to make it 3rd and 8. Tua's pass intended for Tyreek is incomplete after he can't get both feet in bounds.
Deonte Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills' 11-yard line with 2:29 left in the opening stanza.
End of possession
Allen goes deep for a wide-open Diggs but he's overthrown on what likely would have been a touchdown. A screen pass to Khalil Shakir turns into a huge gain for 46 yards to the Dolphins' 43-yard line.
Ty Johnson runs for 5 yards. Allen's pass intended for Kincaid is incomplete. On 3rd and 5, Allen keeps it and runs for 3 yards and is tripped up by Christian Wilkins. On 4th and 2, Allen rolls right and heaves it into the end zone and he's intercepted by DeShon Elliott.
End of possession
The Dolphins begin the drive at their 20-yard line, and Achane is tripped up for a 6-yard loss on the final play of an eventful but scoreless 1st quarter.
End of the quarter
2ND QUARTER:
On 2nd and 16, Jeff Wilson runs for 10 yards. Tua finds Braxton Berrios just beyond the chains for a 7-yard gain and a first down.
Achane is tackled by Greg Rousseau for a 4-yard loss and then he's stopped for no gain on 2nd and 14. On 3rd and 14, Tua and Tyreek connect for a 23-yard gain to midfield for a 1st down.
Wilson gets another 1st down on a 13-yard run.
Wilson runs for 4 yards, On 2nd and 6, Tua scrambles for 7 yards for a 1st down at the Bills' 26-yard line.
Wilson is stopped for a 1-yard gain. Achane jukes a defender and sprints into the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown.
Jason Sanders' extra point is good with 8:51 left in the 2nd quarter.
Dolphins 7, Bills 0
End of possession
Sanders kicks it through the end zone for a touchback.
Allen finds Kincaid along the sideline for a 17-yard gain.
Knox moves early for a false start to make it 1st and 15. Allen and Kincaid connect again, this time for 7 yards. Allen keeps it and breaks a tackle en route to a 10-yard run for a 1st down at Miami's 46-yard line.
Cook runs for 3 yards. Allen is under siege and goes deep and connects with Diggs this time for a 36-yard bomb to the Dolphins' 7-yard line.
On 1st and goal, Cook runs for 2 yards. Allen's pass is batted into the air and Trent Sherfield catches the deflection and drags both feet in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
Tyler Bass ties it up with the extra point with 4:31 left in the 1st half.
Dolphins 7, Bills 7
End of possession
Bass boots it through the end zone for a touchback.
Tua pitches it to Achane again and he runs it for 9 yards. Rasul Douglas is down on the field with a lower-body injury. Jones jumps offsides to give Miami a first down.
Wilson runs for 4 yards. After a play-fake, Tua finds Durham Smythe for a 14-yard gain to the Bills' 43-yard line.
Wilson runs for 7 yards, and then he's stopped for no gain by linebacker Baylon Spector on 2nd down on the final play before the two-minute warning. On 3rd and 3, Tua goes deep and finds Cedric Wilson Jr. for a 25-yard gain to the Bills' 12-yard line.
Wilson runs for a yard and Buffalo uses its first timeout with 1:49 left in the half. Tua's pass to Tyreek gains 8 yards. The Bills use their second timeout with 1:43 left. On 3rd and 1, Tua finds Tyreek for a 3-yard touchdown.
Sanders' extra point is good with 1:43 left in the half.
Dolphins 14, Bills 7
End of possession
Buffalo begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Allen finds Sherfield for 6 yards. Allen and Diggs connect for an 11-yard gain and he gets out of bounds with 1:16 left in the 1st half.
Allen's pass is incomplete at Kincaid's feet. Allen's pass to Shakir gains 5 yards and Buffalo uses its final timeout with 1:04 left before halftime. On 3rd and 5, Allen scrambles for 13 yards before sliding at the Dolphins' 40-yard line.
Allen's pass is complete to Diggs and he runs for 17 yards.
Allen dumps it off to Kincaid and he gets out of bounds for no gain to stop the clock with 23 seconds left in the 1st half. Kincaid's catch is under review. After the review, the call stands. On 2nd and 10, Cook drops Allen's pass in the end zone. Miami calls its first timeout with 15 seconds left before halftime. On 3rd and 10, Allen dumps it off to Harty and he gains 11 yards for a 1st down before going out of bounds to stop the clock with 11 seconds.
Miami calls its second timeout.
On 1st and 10, Allen's pass to Ty Johnson is complete and he's stopped short of the goal line and that's the final play of the 1st half because Buffalo was out of timeouts.
HALFTIME: Dolphins 14, Bills 7
3RD QUARTER:
Buffalo gets the ball to start the 2nd half after Sanders' touchback.
Allen's pass to Diggs gains 7 yards, and then Cook runs for 2 yards. On 3rd and 1, Allen sneaks for 1 yard to move the chains.
Fournette runs for 5 yards, and then Cook runs for 6 for another first down. Dolphins outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is injured.
Cook is stopped for a 1-yard gain. Allen's pass to Kincaid gains 4 yards. On 3rd and 5, Allen is sacked by Melvin Ingram for an 8-yard loss.
Berrios calls for a fair catch at the Dolphins' 15-yard line.
End of possession
Tua's pass to Achane gains 4 yards. Tua checks it down to Julian Hill and he's blown up by Jordan Poyer after a 2-yard gain. On 3rd and 3, Berrios is stopped just short of a 1st down by Dane Jackson.
Jake Bailey's punt goes out of bounds at the Bills' 24-yard line with 7:42 left in the 3rd quarter.
End of possession
Cook runs for just a yard, and then Allen's pass to Sherfield gains 12 yards on 2nd down to move the chains.
Allen dumps it off to Shakir who runs for 9 yards, but holding on Knox negates the play. On 1st and 20, Allen scrambles for 13 yards. Allen's pass to Shakir gains 4 yards. On 3rd and 3, Allen has time and finds Kincaid for a 12-yard gain to the Dolphins' 44-yard line.
Cook runs for 2 yards. Allen finds Kincaid again, this time for 7 yards, just short of a 1st down. On 3rd and 1, Allen sneaks it for 2 yards.
Fournette runs for 3 yards. Allen's pass to Shakir gains 13 yards to the Dolphins' 18-yard line.
Cook loses 3 yards. Allen scrambles around the pocket and his pass intended for Sherfield is incomplete. On 3rd and 13, Allen is stripped by Wilkins and he recovers it at the Dolphins' 27-yard line.
End of possession
Tua's pass to Tyreek gains 15 yards on the final play of the 3rd quarter.
End of the quarter
4TH QUARTER:
Armstead moves early for a false start. On 1st and 15, Tua finds Tyreek for 14 yards. Bills head coach Sean McDermott is challenging whether Tyreek made a catch. After review the call was overturned to an incomplete pass. Tua goes deep for Cedric Wilson and it's broken up by Benford. A blindside block on Alec Ingold moves Miami back 15 yards and makes it 2nd and 30. Jeff Wilson runs for 7 yards. On 3rd and 23, Tua's pass to Smythe gains 10 yards. An ineligible man downfield on Austin Jackson is declined.
Harty fields the punt at the Bills' 5-yard line and he runs it back for a 95-yard touchdown.
Bass ties it with an extra point with 13:42 left in the game.
Dolphins 14, Bills 14
End of possession
Bass kicks it through the end zone for a touchback.
Achane is stopped for a 1-yard loss by Taron Johnson. Achane runs for 2 yards on 2nd down. On 3rd and 9, Tua's pass intended for Cedric Wilson is broken up by Jackson.
Bailey's punt is downed by Ingold at the Bills' 25-yard line.
End of possession
Allen's pass to Diggs gains 5 yards. Cook runs for 4 yards. On 3rd and 1, runs for 4 yards to extend the drive.
Allen and Kincaid connect for a huge play, gaining 24 yards to the Dolphins' 37-yard line.
Allen checks it down to Cook for 4 yards. Allen fakes it to Diggs and finds Shakir for a 28-yard gain to the Dolphins' 3-yard line.
Cook is stopped for a 1-yard loss on 1st and goal. Allen finds Knox for a 4-yard touchdown to give Buffalo its first lead of the game.
Bass' extra point is good with 7:16 left in the game.
Bills 21, Dolphins 14
End of possession
Miami begins the drive at its 25-yard line after the touchback.
Tua's pass intended for Tyreek is too high and falls incomplete. Tua rolls left and finds Chase Claypool for a 3-yard gain. On 3rd and 7, Tua looks for Tyreek again but it's also incomplete.
Harty calls for a fair catch at the Bills' 25-yard line with 6:14 left in the game.
End of possession
Allen dumps it off to Cook for a 6-yard gain. Buffalo calls its first timeout of the 2nd half with 5:28 left to play. Fournette runs for 3 yards. On 3rd and 1, Allen sneaks it but is seemingly stopped just short of a 1st down. After the measurement, Allen was short.
Buffalo keeps the offense on the field for 4th and 1, and Allen leaps over the pile for a 1st down. Fournette runs for 2 yards, and Miami calls its first timeout with 3:17 left to play. Allen keeps it and slides in bounds for no gain and the Dolphins call their second timeout with 3:12 remaining in the 4th quarter. Before 3rd and 8, Allen is flagged for a delay of game.
On 3rd and 13, Allen keeps it and breaks multiple tackles for a 15-yard run. Defensive holding on Jalen Ramsey adds 5 yards to Allen's run for a 1st down.
Fournette loses a yard and Miami uses its final timeout with 2:59 left in the game. Allen runs for 1 yard and stays in bounds to keep the clock running. On 3rd and 10 at the Dolphins' 46-yard line, Allen's pass to Shakir gains 9 yards and the game has reached the two-minute warning.
On 4th and 1, Allen tries to draw the Dolphins offsides, but they don't jump and Buffalo calls its second timeout. The offense stays on the field, and Allen jumps over the pile and there's going to be a measurement to see if he got a first down. After the measurement, Allen was ruled short for a turnover on downs.
End of possession
Tua's pass to Tyreek gains 7 yards and he gets out of bounds to stop the clock. Tua finds Smythe for 6 yards for a 1st down at midfield.
The pass is dropped by Tyreek, but Jackson is flagged for defensive pass interference to give Miami the ball at the Bills' 40-yard line.
Tua's pass intended for Tyreek is broken up and nearly intercepted by Taylor Rapp. Tua's pass intended for Claypool is intercepted by Rapp and that's the ballgame.
End of possession
Allen takes two knees and Buffalo has won its fourth straight division title and takes the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
FINAL: Bills 21, Dolphins 14
