It took an awful lot of help from the happy-to-assist Miami Dolphins, but the Buffalo Bills picked up their first AFC East win of the season on Sunday, defeating Miami 17-14 on the road.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (16 of 26, 223 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) threw touchdown passes to David Nelson and Stevie Johnson, but it took four missed field goals by Miami kicker Dan Carpenter to secure the win. Carpenter missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with under two minutes remaining in regulation, and while Buffalo's offense couldn't ice the victory, Chad Henne and the sputtering Dolphins offense didn't muster a serious threat when they got the ball back with 40 seconds remaining.
Buffalo led 10-7 at halftime after Fitzpatrick found Nelson on a beautiful 18-yard touchdown hookup in the second quarter. (Ronnie Brown scored from six yards out for Miami.) The Bills then extended that lead to 17-7 during a dominant third quarter performance when Fitzpatrick hit Johnson on a 15-yard slant for six.
George Wilson had a first-half interception for the Bills, and Arthur Moats recorded 1.5 sacks as Buffalo blitzed Henne early and often on the afternoon. Miami figured that pass rush out, however, and Henne hit Brandon Marshall on a nine-yard score with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to give Miami a shot to win. Carpenter, however, sealed Miami's fate with his late miss.
Buffalo is now 4-10 on the season, while Miami falls to 7-7 and is officially out of playoff contention. The Bills host the New England Patriots next weekend at Ralph Wilson Stadium.