ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Stefon Diggs was so elusive on Sunday, the Bills' star receiver even came away with two full cups of beer while celebrating the second of his three touchdown catches.
“Yeah, I owe somebody $18,” Diggs joked following a 48-20 win in which the Bills brought the Miami Dolphins unbeaten start to an emphatic end.
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As bar tabs go, Diggs’ celebration — in which he sprayed a group of people in the corner of the end zone — was the price both fans and the Dolphins had to pay for running into a Bills juggernaut that scored on eight of its first nine possessions (not including a kneeldown before halftime).
Josh Allen threw four touchdown passes and added another rushing as the Bills served a reminder they know a thing or wo about offense — and defense for that matter — after spending much of the week hearing about the Dolphins producing one of the most impressive offensive performances in NFL history in a 70-20 win over Denver.
“We’re just trying to wake everybody up and make people talk,” defensive tackle Ed Oliver said. “We want everybody to know that this defense is for real. And we got special guys.”
Although the Dolphins finished with 393 yards of offense, Buffalo held Miami to 3 of 10 on third down and 0 for 3 on fourth down. The Bills also forced two turnovers and sacked Tua Tagovailoa four times. The Dolphins had allowed just one sack in their first three games.
The Bills suffered one major setback when cornerback Tre’Davious White was carted off in the third quarter with what the team said was an Achilles tendon injury. White pulled up while covering Tyreek Hill and was unable to put any weight on his right leg.
Coach Sean McDermott grew emotional discussing White’s injury.
“I love him. I mean, to see him on that field, the way he was hurting, is hard. It’s hard to watch,” McDermott said of White, who at one point flung his helmet in frustration. “I know that he will rebound. He’s just too tough.”
Buffalo (3-1) never trailed and finished with 414 yards of offense. The three-time AFC East champion Bills have won three straight since a season-opening loss at the New York Jets.
The Dolphins (3-1) squandered chances to open a season with four wins for the first time since 1995 and to take a two-game lead over Buffalo in the division.
Buffalo won its eighth straight at home over Miami improved to 12-2 in the past 14 meetings, including a 34-31 win in the wild-card round of the playoffs last January.
“First off, I think the Buffalo Bills proved why they are the team our whole division is trying to beat. They’ve won it for how many years in a row now?” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said.
“I would be lying if I was pumped about anything from our team today,” he added. “I think the National Football League is a very humbling game. And if you’re not on your stuff and you are playing a team that is, this will happen.”
The game began as a track meet with the teams scoring touchdowns on each of their first two possessions.
Buffalo made it three straight TD drives on Allen’s 6-yard pass to Diggs five minutes into the second quarter.
After that, the Dolphins finally blinked. Miami closed the half with three punts and running back Raheem Mostert losing a fumble, allowing Buffalo to build a 31-14 lead.
Diggs provided the most electric play of the first half with a 55-yard touchdown. He caught Allen’s pass at Miami’s 40, broke two tackles along the sideline and scampered into the end zone.
Diggs finished with six catches for 120 yards to enjoy his fourth career three-TD game and third with Buffalo. Allen finished 21 of 25 for 320 yards while posting his 10th career outing with four TD passes.
Dolphins rookie running back De’Von Achane had two TDs a week after scoring four times. He became just the fourth NFL rookie to combine for six TDs in consecutive games, and first since Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin in 2012.
Tagovailoa went 25 of 35 for 282 yards with a touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios and an interception.
“It’s tough when you lose, and you lose like this. But we’re not going to blink,” Tagovailoa said. “I can promise you one thing, we will definitely be better from this.”
HAMLIN DEBUT
Bills safety Damar Hamlin appeared in his first game since going into cardiac arrest and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati on Jan. 2. Hamlin was a healthy inactive through the first three weeks of the season, and was mostly limited to special teams against Miami.
INJURIES
Dolphins: LT Terron Armstead did not return after hurting his knee in the second quarter. ... LB Jaelan Phillips (oblique) did not play.
Bills: CB Christian Benford returned, but was limited to special teams coverage, after hurting his right shoulder in in the second quarter. ... S Jordan Poyer (knee) did not play.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Host the New York Giants next Sunday.
Bills: Play a “home” game against Jacksonville at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London next Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl