4 hours ago
7
Image source, Getty Images
Fifth-round draft pick Jackson Hawes scored his first NFL touchdown
ByBen Collins
BBC Sport journalist
NFL 2025 season
Dates: 4 September 2025 - 8 February 2026
BBC coverage: The Whole 10 Yards every Tuesday on the BBC website and iPlayer, live text coverage every Sunday on BBC Sport website and app (from 18:00 BST), and live radio commentary of selected games on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, with Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears this Sunday (21:00)
The Buffalo Bills held on for a 31-21 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday to stretch their winning start to the NFL season to three games.
Buffalo have dominated their divisional rivals over recent years but the Super Bowl favourites never led by more than seven points until Matt Prater's late field goal.
A Tyreek Hill touchdown helped Miami level the score at 21-21 early in the fourth quarter, before Khalil Shakir put the Bills back in front from Josh Allen's third touchdown pass.
Miami looked set to draw level again as they drove to Buffalo's 21-yard line with three minutes remaining.
But Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard stepped in front of Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle to intercept a Tua Tagovailoa pass for the game's only turnover.
The hosts then got within range for Prater to seal victory with 22 seconds left, putting more pressure on Miami's head coach Mike McDaniel.
While the Bills now have a 3-0 record, the Dolphins have made an 0-3 start for the first time since 2019.
"I'm never proud of a loss," said McDaniel. "We came here to win and I refuse to take moral victories as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. It wasn't good enough."
Buffalo have won the AFC East division title in each of the past five seasons and have now won 13 of their past 14 regular-season meetings with Miami.
Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II gave Miami the lead before Buffalo tight end Dalton Kincaid forced the ball in after collecting an Allen pass and last season's Most Valuable Player then made a shovel pass to Jackson Hawes for the rookie tight end to score.
Miami made it 14-14 at half-time as Tagovailoa found Waddle with the first of his two touchdown passes, before James Cook - who finished with 108 rushing yards - matched a team record by making it seven regular-season games with a rushing touchdown.
Miami levelled again as Tagovailoa found receiver Hill in the back of the end zone before they handed Buffalo a reprieve as Zach Sieler was penalised for roughing the punter, giving the Bills a new set of downs.
Five plays later, Shakir got in from a screen pass - the 200th regular-season touchdown pass of Allen's career - before Bernard's interception gave Prater the chance to clinch the win with a 48-yard kick.
"I thought the grit, the mental toughness of our football team was on display throughout the game, particularly in the fourth quarter there," said Buffalo coach Sean McDermott.
The Bills host the New Orleans Saints in week four while Miami welcome another AFC East rival, the New York Jets.
