Miami Dolphins crumble in second half, lose AFC East to Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: Recap

MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills will face off at Hard Rock Stadium with massive implications for the NFL playoffs. Keep scrolling for the latest updates, and refresh the page to stay up-to-speed.

First place in the AFC East is on the line with Sunday's 8:20 p.m. p.m. kickoff. The Dolphins (11-5) hold a one-game lead atop the division with the Buffalo Bills (10-6) a game back and holding the tiebreaker. The Bills defeated the Dolphins 48-20 on Oct. 1 in Week 4 of the regular season.

The Dolphins can secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC with a victory as well as the right to host a home playoff game at Hard Rock Stadium. A loss will likely send the Dolphins tumbling to the No. 6 seed and a road opener in the playoffs.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa entered the week leading the NFL in passing yards (4,415) and was tied for the fourth-most touchdowns (28) with just 12 interceptions.

Running back Raheem Mostert, who missed last week's loss in Baltimore with knee and ankle injuries, holds the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns (18). He will not play Sunday.

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who dealt with a house fire this week, leads the league with 1,717 receiving yards.

Mostert is one of several Dolphins plagued by injuries entering the regular-season finale.

Star pass rusher Bradley Chubb tore his ACL at the end of the Baltimore loss while defensive back Xavien Howard (ankle), Robert Hunt (hamstring) and Jerome Baker (knee) ended the week uncertain for the Bills game.

Howard will not play against the Bills in the season finale.

Tagovailoa intercepted to end Dolphins AFC East hopes

The Dolphins will not win the AFC East.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted while targeting Chase Claypool on second down in Bills territory.

Buffalo takes over with 1:13 left in the fourth quarter while leading 21-14.

Dolphins stuff Josh Allen on fourth down

The Dolphins have a chance late.

The defensive line stuffed Josh Allen on fourth-and-1 with an attempted quarterback sneak similar to the play run earlier in the Bills drive.

Miami takes over at the 37-yard line with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter.

Josh Allen converts fourth down on QB sneak

The Bills ran more clock with a converted fourth-down quarterback sneak at the 4-minute mark by quarterback Josh Allen, who went up and over the defensive line at the Bills' 35-yard line.

Miami has three timeouts but will be forced to use all of them on this drive to preserve clock, trailing 21-14 late in the fourth quarter.

Buffalo Bills take lead on Josh Allen touchdown pass

It's a Buffalo onslaught in the second half and the Bills have the lead.

Josh Allen hit a long pass to Khalil Shakir then finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown to tight end Dawson Knox.

The Bills lead 21-14 with 7:16 left in the fourth quarter.

Scoring drives: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:52

Deonte Harty 96-yard punt return touchdown

It's a tie game at Hard Rock Stadium.

Buffalo's Deonte Harty returned a punt 96 yards for a stunning touchdown that will level the score after the extra point.

Dolphins linebacker Cameron Goode went down with an injury and is being taken off the field on a cart. Miami players are gathering around Goode after the injury.

The extra point is good. The game is tied 14-14 with 13:42 left in the fourth quarter.

Tua Tagovailoa secures NFL passing lead for 2023

Tagovailoa stands alone atop the NFL in passing yards and alongside Hall of Famer Dan Marino in the franchise record book.

Tagovailoa secured the most NFL passing yards for the 2023 regular season with a five-yard pass to De'Von Achane on the Dolphins' first offensive play of the third quarter in Sunday night's contest against the Buffalo Bills.

He will be the first Dolphins quarterback to finish as the league leader in passing yards since Dan Marino led the NFL with 4,116 passing yards in 1992.

Tagovailoa needed just 125 passing yards entering the game to surpass Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, who closed the year with 4,575 passing yards after the Lions over Minnesota earlier Sunday.

Josh Allen fumbles to spoil Bills' long drives

It's headed to the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium after a fast third quarter that saw just four total drives between both sides.

Josh Allen fumbled just outside of the Dolphins red zone after Christian Wilkins stripped the ball away from the Bills quarterback. It's the third turnover of the game for Allen.

The Dolphins lead 14-7 entering the fourth quarter.

Josh Allen, Bills fail to score before halftime

The Dolphins stopped the Bills at the 2-yard line and the clock ran out before Buffalo could run another play or kick a field goal before halftime.

Jerome Baker and Eli Apple made the hits that prevented Buffalo's player, who caught the ball short of the goal line, from reaching the end zone.

Miami leads Buffalo 14-7 at halftime.

Tua Tagovailoa touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill

The Dolphins' dynamic duo connected for a touchdown inside the 2-minute warning as Tagovailoa hit Hill for a three-yard score.

Miami leads Buffalo 14-7 with 1:43 left in the half.

Tagovailoa is now one yard off the NFL lead for passing in the 2023 NFL regular season.

Bills score touchdown on Trent Sherfield Jr. miraculous catch

Former Dolphins wide receiver Trent Sherfield Jr. caught a miraculous touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to get the Bills on the scoreboard at Hard Rock Stadium.

Sherfield, who signed with the Bills in the offseason, managed to toe-tap in the back of the end zone after the Josh Allen pass hit Andrew Van Ginkel's helmet.

It's 7-7 midway through the second quarter at Hard Rock.

De'Von Achane jukes to opening touchdown

Dolphins running back De'Von Achane left Bills safety Jordan Poyer in his wake with a filthy juke move to score a 25-yard touchdown.

Miami has an opening lead 7-0 after the extra point with 8:51 left in the first half.

DeShon Elliott intercepts Josh Allen in the end zone

The Dolphins have their second interception of the first quarter after DeShon Elliott picked off Josh Allen in the end zone on fourth down.

Allen was chased toward the sideline and heaved it desperately to the end zone on the play. Elliott was tackled for a touchback, resulting in a 15-yard loss of field position for the Dolphins.

The Dolphins and Bills are tied 0-0 after the first quarter.

Eli Apple intercepts Josh Allen in end zone

Eli Apple has bailed out the Miami Dolphins in their own end zone.

Apple intercepted Josh Allen in the Dolphins end zone on a third down pass after Allen and wide receiver Gabe Davis were on the wrong page.

Apple attempted to run out of the end zone with his interception but slipped and was ultimately taken down inside the Dolphins' 5-yard line.

It's 0-0 at Hard Rock Stadium with 5:58 left in the first quarter.

Tua Tagovailoa throws interception on first drive

The Buffalo Bills have grabbed a turnover on the opening drive of the first quarter.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa targeted Tyreek Hill on a deep pass but was intercepted by Christian Benford on a third-down pass. The Bills will take over at their 16-yard line.

De'Von Achane broke a 16-yard rush after the Dolphins were penalized for an illegal man downfield on the opening play of the game.

Dolphins defensive back DeShon Elliott is considered questionable to return with an injury suffered during the pregame warmups.

Buffalo Bills win coin toss, Dolphins to receive

The Buffalo Bills have won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins offense will start the game on offense after a touchback.

Tua Tagovailoa on verge of finishing as NFL passing leader

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has a chance to finish as the NFL passing yards leader on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills.

Tagovailoa needs just 125 passing yards to finish as the NFL leader for passing yards in the 2023 season.

He's currently second with 4,451 passing yards, trailing only Jared Goff of the Lions, who finished with 4,575 passing yards after Detroit's win over Minnesota earlier Sunday.

Raheem Mostert, Jaylen Waddle inactive for Dolphins

The Dolphins will be without two key offensive stars tonight.

Running back Raheem Mostert and receiver Jaylen Waddle have been declared inactive.

So too is cornerback Xavien Howard.

Mostert has knee and ankle injuries. Waddle has an ankle injury and Howard a foot injury.

The Dolphins decided that whatever progress they made in their rehab isn't worth risking for this week and it would be prudent to let them rest one more week before the playoffs begin.

On the flip side, tonight will see the return of linebacker Jerome Baker, who had been on injured reserve with a knee problem, and guard Rob Hunt, who has had hamstring issues.

The Bills' inactives include cornerback Kaiir Elam, from Benjamin, as well as safety Damar Hamlin.

MIAMI DOLPHINS INACTIVES

• #6 QB Skylar Thompson (emergency third quarterback)

• #17 WR Jaylen Waddle

• #25 CB Xavien Howard

• #31 RB Raheem Mostert

• #38 CB Ethan Bonner

• #71 T Kion Smith

• #82 TE Tyler Kroft

• BUFFALO BILLS INACTIVES

• #3 S Damar Hamlin

• #24 CB Kaiir Elam

• #28 RB Latavius Murray

• #59 DE Kingsley Jonathan

• #70 T Alec Anderson

• #93 DT Linval Joseph

What time is the Dolphins game tonight?

• Time: 8:20 p.m.

• Date: Sunday, January 7

Dolphins-Bills is the Sunday Night Football game in NFL Week 18. The game kicks off at 8:20 p.m. Sunday, January 7 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

What channel is Dolphins vs. Bills on tonight?

• TV: NBC

• Streaming: Peacock (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)

Dolphins vs. Bills will be NBC's "Sunday Night Football" game. Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be in the booth with Melissa Stark as sideline reporter.

Streaming options include fuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Dolphins-Bills odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday, January 5.

• Spread: Bills (-2.5)

• Over/under: 48.5 points

• Moneyline: Bills -160, Dolphins +130

Dolphins schedule

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Dolphins vs Bills score, recap for NFL Week 18 Sunday Night Football