Week 15 Game Recap: Miami Dolphins 0, Buffalo Bills 21

What you need to know

Miami Dolphins

Joey Harrington was absolutely awful in this loss to the Buffalo Bills. He completed only five passes out of 17 attempts for 20 yards, and threw two interceptions in the second half. He was pulled out of the game in the fourth quarter and Cleo Lemon saw the field.

Wet and windy weather impacted the beginning of the game and the Dolphins opened the game with a heavy dose of rushing by both Sammy Morris and Travis Minor. Morris found running room and rushed 20 times for 71 yards in the game, but as the Dolphins fell behind the rushing game was abandoned. Minor added an additional 21 yards on his five carries.

During their first two drives, the Dolphins made two fourth down conversion attempts rather than attempt field goals into the wind. Both times, they came up short. After that drive, they were either forced to punt or the drive ended with a Joey Harrington interception. The only time that they were in the red zone came at the end of the game, but after four straight passing attempts by Lemon to Chris Chambers, time ran out and they left Buffalo scoreless.

Buffalo Bills

The Dolphins controlled the clock through the first half, but the Bills were the ones to score. On a drive in the middle of the second quarter, J.P. Losman completed two deep passes, one a 37 yard reception by Lee Evans. The second a 33 yard touchdown pass to TE Robert Royal.

Losman was sharp in the game. He was confident and took advantage of the opportunities given him. He threw three touchdown passes in the game. The aforementioned TD to Robert Royal. And two others to Josh Reed and Lee Evans.

The Bills defensively played a great game, keeping the Dolphins scoreless and intercepting Joey Harrington twice.

What you ought to know

QB Joey Harrington, Pass: 5 - 17 - 20 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0

Harrington was not asked to make many passes due to inclement weather conditions at the start of the game. During the opening drive he only completed one of three passing attempts for two yards. In the second quarter, Harrington dropped what was likely a slippery ball, he was able to fall on it, but it was for a loss of seven yards. Through the first half of the game, Harrington had only completed four of nine passing attempts for 16 yards. Harrington was intercepted on his first passing attempt of the second half. Through the third quarter, Harrington only completed one more passing attempt, some of his passes were batted, but on others he overthrew his receivers. He did run for seven yards and a third down conversion on the last play of the third quarter. But threw an interception on the first play of the fourth quarter. Harrington was pulled out of the game in the fourth quarter.

QB Cleo Lemon, Pass: 9 - 16 - 98 - 0 TD / 0 INT

Lemon came in to play in the fourth quarter, after Joey Harrington’s complete inability to run the Miami offense. He completed his first three passing attempts for 12 yards, though they were check down passes to Sammy Morris and Justin Peelle. Lemon threw a 38 yard pass to Wes Welker right before the two minute warning. It took the ball to the two yard line, but on four straight passing attempts to Chris Chambers, the Dolphins were unable to score.

RB Sammy Morris, Rush: 20 - 71 - 0, Rec: 5 - 12 - 0 (7 targets)

Morris started at running back for the Dolphins. The Dolphins opened the game rushing and Morris gained 18 yards and a first down after three consecutive carries. Morris did find running room, but the rushing game was abandoned as the Bills pulled ahead. Morris was also targeted in the passing game, though dropped one of his targets in the third quarter. His catches were of the short variety and he caught five balls for only 12 yards.

RB Travis Minor, Rush: 5 - 21 - 0

Minor spelled Morris throughout the game, he gained nine yards on his first carry of the game. Minor finished the game with 21 yards on his five rushing attempts.

WR Wes Welker, Rec: 4 - 56 - 0 (5 targets)

Welker made a two yard reception on a fourth and five play during the Dolphins’ opening drive. The Dolphins elected to attempt the fourth down conversion rather a field goal attempt because of the adverse weather conditions. Welker made a four yard reception over the middle in the third quarter. He caught a 38 yard pass near the end of the game from Lemon.

WR Marty Booker, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0

Coming off a number of big games, Booker was simply not a factor in this loss. He gained two yards on an end around carry, and later was shaken up in the third quarter.

WR Chris Chambers, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 (11 targets)

Chambers gained 11 yards on an end around rush during the Dolphins’ opening drive. Chambers was the target on Harrington’s interception in the third quarter, the ball was underthrown. He was targeted deep near the end of the third quarter, but Chambers was covered well by Nate Clements and Harrington overthrew him. Chambers was targeted twice in the end zone by Cleo Lemon as the game came to an end, the first pass was overthrown, and the second Chambers dropped the ball out of bounds when he made the catch. He was targeted two additional times in the end zone as time ran out, but did not score.

WR Derek Hagan (1 targets)

Hagan was targeted incomplete by Cleo Lemon in the fourth quarter.

TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 4 - 41 - 0 (8 targets)

McMichael was targeted on third down at the beginning of the second quarter, but the pass went off his hands. He was targeted twice on third downs in the first half, but both times he came up short of a first down conversion. McMichael made a 22 yard reception in the fourth quarter to the two yard line.

TE Justin Peelle, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets)

Peelle made a nine yard reception in the fourth quarter with Lemon under center.

PK Olindo Mare 0 - 0 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 0 points

The Dolphins were in very long field goal positions twice in the first half, but both times attempted the conversion rather than the field goal. Mare did not have any scoring opportunities in the game.

MIA Rush Defense

The Dolphins sacked J.P. Losman during the opening drive, but Zach Thomas was called for unnecessary roughness. Thomas made up for it by forcing a Willis McGahee fumble on the very next play; the ball was recovered by the Dolphins’ Donnie Spragan. They were able to sack Losman an additional two times in the game. Willis McGahee rushed for 79 yards in the game, the majority of those in the second half with the Bills holding on to a lead.

MIA Pass Defense

The Dolphins kept J.P. Losman under 200 yards passing, but it was his three touchdown passes that were the difference in the game. Jason Taylor forced Losman’s fumble in the third quarter. It was recovered by Kevin Carter.

QB J.P. Losman, Pass: 13 - 19 - 200 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 11 - 0

Losman was nearly intercepted on his opening pass of the game, a deep attempt to Lee Evans. Losman evaded the Dolphins’ defense and a near sack and completed a 28 yard pass to TE Robert Royal. In the second quarter, Losman completed two deep passes, one for 37 yards to Lee Evans, and a second 33 pass to Robert Royal for a touchdown. During the third quarter, Losman was getting ready to throw the ball and had it knocked out of his hand. It was ruled a fumble and the Dolphins recovered. Losman came off the field holding his elbow, but he came back in the next series. Losman gained 11 yards on a rush in the third quarter; he followed that with a 27 yard touchdown pass to Josh Reed. Losman threw a lofting touchdown pass to Lee Evans in the fourth quarter.

RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 28 - 79 - 0 (1 targets)

McGahee fumbled the ball on the Bills’ opening drive; he was hit hard with a helmet to helmet hit with Zach Thomas. He was injured on the play, and sat out for one drive, but was able to return after that. On McGahee’s target, the ball was thrown too high for him, and the ball went off his hands. McGahee had a ten yard rush called back as no play on offsetting penalties. McGahee found running room and was very effective in the third and fourth quarters as the Bills sought to run the clock out.

RB Anthony Thomas, Rush: 6 - 16 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets)

Thomas came in after McGahee was injured and spelled him various times throughout the game. He made a six yard reception on a third and 18 play in the first quarter.

RB Daimon Shelton

Shelton was called for a false start penalty in the second quarter. He was injured on the opening kick of the second half.

WR Josh Reed, Rush: 1 - -6 - 0, Rec: 4 - 50 - 1 (4 targets)

Reed was not targeted in the first half, but he did carry the ball once for a loss of six yards. His first two receptions of the third quarter gained third down conversions for the Bills. He broke a tackle to run in and score from 27 yards out.

WR Lee Evans, Rec: 3 - 67 - 1 (5 targets)

Evans was targeted incomplete on the opening play for the Bills. Evans made a great 37 yard reception on the Bills’ first scoring drive. Evans’ target in the third quarter was overthrown. Evans made a 21 yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

WR Peerless Price, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets)

Price saw his first and only target and reception of six yards to open the second half for the Bills.

TE Robert Royal, Rec: 3 - 62 - 1 (5 targets)

Royal made a 28 yard reception over the middle during the second quarter, he made a one yard reception on that same drive, but was stopped by Zach Thomas and the Bills were forced to punt. Royal made a 33 yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Royal had a target tipped by Jason Taylor in the third quarter and he was unable to make the reception.

TE Brad Cieslak (1 targets)

Cieslak was targeted once in the third quarter.

PK Rian Lindell 0 - 0 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points

Lindell converted all three of his extra point attempts.

BUF Rush Defense

Aaron Schobel sacked Cleo Lemon in the fourth quarter. It was their only sack of the game. The Bills gave up a total of 112 rushing yards in the game, the longest a 17 run by Sammy Morris.

BUF Pass Defense

Nate Clements intercepted Joey Harrington on his first passing attempt of the second half. Keith Ellison intercepted his first passing attempt of the fourth quarter. A defensive holding penalty extended the game for one more play and gave the Dolphins an additional opportunity to score, but the Bills batted the final passing attempt of the game and kept it a scoreless outing by the Dolphins.