Bills prevail in close win against Dolphins

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- High expectations were put on the Buffalo Bills coming in to yet another divisional matchup.

But the Miami Dolphins gave the Bills their best shot and kept the double-digit favorites close most of the way.

With just over three minutes remaining in the game and the Bills holding a 28-21 lead, Miami drove downfield to Buffalo's 21-yard line. Then, the Bills' defense did what it does best and came away with an opportune takeaway.

Just as he jumped on a fumble late in the Week 1 win over the Baltimore Ravens, on first-and-10, linebacker Terrel Bernard picked off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on a pass intended for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The stadium erupted as Bernard returned the interception 24 yards, setting up the Bills' offense to close out the game, which it promptly did, ending the ensuing drive with a 48-yard field goal. The Bills beat the Dolphins 31-21 and improved to 3-0.

The win marks the 25th consecutive game for the Bills without losing the turnover battle (including playoffs), the longest streak in NFL history

The Bills now have 11 straight division wins at home -- the longest streak since the New England Patriots won 17 straight from 2009 to 2014.

Here are the most important things to know from Thursday night for both teams:

Buffalo Bills (3-0)

What to make of QB performance: Overall, Allen had a strong day, not turning the ball over and orchestrating impressive drives -- in addition to throwing three touchdown passes to get 200 on his career.

The Dolphins, however, took away the Bills' ability to get the ball downfield. Allen did not complete a pass thrown more than 10 yards downfield (0-1). This is the first time in his career he has failed to complete one in a game (min. 10 total pass attempts), and the lack of downfield passing attack handicapped the offense at times.

Trend to watch: Third-down defense. The Bills finished the first two weeks of the season with the best third-down defense in the league (6-22, 27.3%). That absolutely evaporated vs. the Dolphins.

The Bills struggled to get off the field as Miami converted 10 of 15 third-down opportunities, including a variety of third-and-longs, and one fourth down. It played a large role in the Dolphins staying in the game.

Turning point: The roughing the kicker penalty on the Dolphins with 10:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bills punter Cameron Johnston got ready to punt the ball on what appeared to be a third consecutive drive ending in a punt for the Buffalo offense, but he was hit as he completed the kick by the Dolphins' Zach Sieler (it was actually a good punt that landed at the Miami 2-yard line).

A penalty was called that extended the Bills' posession, and they took the opportunity to put together a touchdown drive and retake the lead on 15-yard pass from Allen to wide receiver Khalil Shakir.

Next game: vs. New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. EST, CBS)

Miami Dolphins (0-3)

This was not a team that's quit on its coach, or its season.

The Miami Dolphins entered Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills on a three-game losing streak dating back to last season, and head coach Mike McDaniel faced intense scrutiny and speculation about his job security throughout the week. Fans won't be any happier after yet another loss to the Bills, but it was a gutsy performance for a Dolphins team that entered the game as 12.5 point underdogs.

There are no moral victories in the NFL, especially not when you're 0-3 with two losses to division opponents. But McDaniel's job is safe for another week -- and it's a big one. A loss to the New York Jets on Monday Night Football could be too much for the Dolphins to overcome in what should be a tight AFC wild card race; it could also mark the end of team owner Stephen Ross' patience with the current regime.

What to make of the QB performance: Tagovailoa played risk-averse football for the most part tonight, but he had his shining moments. He led a 16-play drive to tie the game just before halftime, converting three third downs in the process.

His second touchdown pass was anticipation at its finest, as Tyreek Hill hadn't even broken free before Tagovailoa floated the ball to a spot in the endzone. It wasn't the most aesthetically-pleasing football from a $51 million quarterback but he took care of the ball and didn't give away possessions to a Bills team that made Miami pay for turnovers last season.

Trend to watch: Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II was a training camp darling and the team's clear leading rusher this preseason -- but he only logged three carries in Miami's first two games.

Gordon surpassed that with four carries on the opening drive Thursday night and finished with a comparable workload to starter De'Von Achane. With their newfound thunder to Achane's lightning, the Dolphins rushed for a season-high 116 yards.

Gordon's usage has to become recurring theme for a Dolphins offense that struggled mightily to run the ball in Weeks 1 and 2.

Most surprising performance: The Dolphins defense actually got some stops! They entered Thursday's game having allowed points on 13 of 15 possessions to start the season; Miami nearly surpassed that in the second half, alone.

The Dolphins appeared to record stops on three straight possessions in the third and fourth quarters, but gave the ball right back to Buffalo after a roughing the kicker penalty on the ensuing punt. Bradley Chubb is quietly off to a strong start this season after missing all of 2024 -- he's recorded sacks in three consecutive games.

Next game: vs. New York Jets (Monday, 7:15 p.m. EST, ESPN)