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Week 8 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 16, Miami Dolphins 25
What you need to know
| Buffalo Bills |
Buffalo held a 16 -7 lead early in the second half but four fourth quarter turnovers enabled Miami to score 18 unanswered points.
Trent Edwards threw an interception, fumbled trying to sneak for a first down, and fumbled again in the end zone which resulted in a Dolphin safety. He completed 21 of 35 for 227 yards, but failed to throw a TD pass.
Lee Evans continued his outstanding play this season with seven balls for 116 yards, although he was held out of the end zone. Marshawn Lynch carried 13 times for 61 yards and showed great effort when he scored on an eight yard run in the third quarter. He also caught five passes for 34 yards, while Fred Jackson carried ten times for 41 yards.
The Bills defense was able to throttle the Dolphins' rushing attack, but Chad Pennington threw for over 300 yards.
| Miami Dolphins |
Miami scored 18 unanswered second half points to upset the AFC East leading Bills. Their swarming defense did not allow Buffalo to sustain many drives and caused four turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Chad Pennington hit eight different receivers as he completed 22 of 30 for 314 yards. He threw his only touchdown pass on Miami's first drive of the game, a two yard toss to TE Anthony Fassano, but Ted Ginn, Jr. had a career day, catching seven passes for 175 yards. Greg Camarillo chipped in with five balls for 43 yards.
Ronnie Brown ran 14 times for 43 yards, while Ricky Williams added 16 yards on seven carries and scored on a three yard run in the third quarter. The novelty of the single wing formation is wearing thin. The Dolphins only averaged 1.9 yards per carry, although Williams caught two passes for 43 yards.
Joey Porter recovered a fumbled and recorded two sacks, one in the end zone which resulted in a safety, to lead the inspired Dolphin defense. This was the first Miami win over Buffalo since 2005.
What you ought to know
| QB Trent Edwards, Pass: 21 - 35 - 227 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 17 - 0 |
Trent Edwards had a tough afternoon. He threw a rare interception when Randy Starks hit him as he released the ball and Will Allen picked off the dying quail. Then he fumbled trying to sneak on third down and one yard to go when he extended the ball and Joey Porter took it away. Then Porter sacked him in the end zone for a safety. He completed 21 of 35 for 227 yards but failed to throw a TD pass. Edwards had rallied the Bills three times this season when trailing in the fourth quarter but the magic ran out in Miami.
| RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 13 - 61 - 1, Rec: 5 - 34 - 0 (6 targets) |
While he only had three more carries than Jackson, Lynch scored a touchdown on a nifty eight yard run in the third quarter which staked the Bills to a 16--7 lead. He also caught five passes for 34 yards.
| RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 10 - 41 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets) |
Jackson carried ten times for 41 yards but only caught one pass for one yard. Half his carries came in the Bills first drive, but they had to settle for a field goal when he was held out of the end zone on third and short.
| WR Lee Evans, Rec: 7 - 116 - 0 (12 targets) |
Although held out of the end zone this week, Evans still gained 116 yards on seven receptions. He and Edwards have a nice rapport. Even when he is not the primary receiver, Evans seems to know what to do when his QB is looking for somebody to get open.
| WR Josh Reed, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (3 targets) |
Reed caught two passes in the first half, but he suffered a reported 'Achilles strain' and did not return in the second half.
| WR James Hardy, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (6 targets) |
The 6' 5" Indiana rookie is still adjusting but managed to catch two passes for 19 yards. He appeared to be the primary beneficiary of Josh Reed's injury.
| WR Roscoe Parrish, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (3 targets) |
Parrish is still running underneath routes with the hope that he'll break one for a long gain. He only advanced the ball three yards on the one pass he held onto. With five seconds left in the game he foolishly let a punt hit him which was recovered by Miami.
| TE Robert Royal, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (4 targets) |
A tough afternoon for Royal as he dropped the first two passes thrown to him and then fumbled in the fourth quarter when he was trying to pick up a first down.
| TE Derek Schouman, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) |
Schouman lined up in the back field at times and in the fourth quarter caught the only pass thrown to him.
| PK Rian Lindell 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points |
Lindell hit all three field goal attempts, from 19, 43, and 47 yards, and was perfect on his only extra point attempt.
| BUF Rush Defense |
Last week, the Ravens found a way to shut down Miami's single wing formation by replacing a safety with a LB. Unfortunately, the Bills have three linebackers on IR. Bryan Scott, a 6' 1" 220 lb. safety helped to hold Miami to a 1.9 yard per carry average.
| BUF Pass Defense |
On the first play of the game Chad Pennington hit Ted Ginn, Jr. on a 46 yard pass down the right sideline. CB Terrance McGee, in his first game back from a knee injury, was beaten on that play and remained the focus of the Miami passing attack all afternoon. Pennington threw for 314 yards, Ginn picked up 175 yards, and was so wide open on some plays that it looked like he and his QB were in the back yard playing catch.
| QB Chad Pennington, Pass: 22 - 30 - 314 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - -5 - 0 |
Pennington had a nearly flawless game, hitting eight different receivers as he threw for 314 yards. He threw his only touchdown pass to TE Anthony Fassano on the opening drive of the game but his ability to stretch the field kept the Bills defense off balance. While the running game was held in check, Pennington kept picking up first downs with precise passing.
| RB Ronnie Brown, Rush: 14 - 43 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
While Miami continued to use the single wing its effectiveness seemed to be waning. Brown picked up 43 yards on 14 carries but it was the passing attack that propelled Miami to the upset. Brown is still a good runner, and will more than likely have better games in the future, but it will probably be when he is line up in a more traditional formation.
| RB Ricky Williams, Rush: 7 - 16 - 1, Rec: 2 - 43 - 0 (2 targets) |
Williams only carried seven times for 16 yards, but he scored a touchdown on a three yard run. He lost yardage on one pass but gained bit on another when he took a screen pass 47 yards down the left sidelines and nearly broke it for a touchdown.
| RB Lousaka Polite, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 |
In the first quarter Polite carried once for three yards, but he was an effective blocker all afternoon.
| WR Ted Ginn, Rec: 7 - 175 - 0 (8 targets) |
It was career day for Ginn, who picked up 175 yards on seven receptions, after having gained just 177 yards through the first six games of the season. The Bills often left Terrance McGee, playing his first game since returning from a knee injury, in single coverage and unable to keep track the former Ohio State standout. There were times when it looked like Pennington and Ginn were in the back yard playing catch.
| WR Greg Camarillo, Rush: 1 - -5 - 0, Rec: 5 - 35 - 0 (6 targets) |
Camarillo did not have a big game but he caught five passes for 35 yards. He also attempted an ill conceived reverse that fooled nobody and cost Miami five yards. It seemed that the Dolphins were going to target whichever WR Terrance McGee had in coverage which benefited Ginn.
Camarillo and Buffalo QB Trent Edwards were teammates at Stanford.
| WR Davone Bess, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (2 targets) |
The rookie from Hawaii was targeted twice in the first quarter and caught both balls.
| WR Brandon London, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
London saw action in the first quarter and caught his only target for six yards.
| TE David Martin, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (3 targets) |
Miami likes to involve their Tight Ends - Head Coach Tony Sparano is a former TE Coach -- and Martin chipped in with two passes for 20 yards.
| TE Anthony Fasano, Rec: 2 - 17 - 1 (4 targets) |
Fasano scored the first touchdown of the game on a two yard pass to cap the Dolphins' opening drive. He caught half of his four targets for 17 yards.
| PK Dan Carpenter 3 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 11 points |
Carpenter hit field goals from 43, 45, and 35 yards and had a 46 yard FG attempt blocked by OT Langston Walker. He also converted both PATs.
| MIA Rush Defense |
Nose tackle Jason Ferguson, who anchors the Dolphins' 3--4 defense, was able to return from injury, but the Bills picked up 119 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Marshawn Lynch did most of the damage and scored a touchdown from the eight yard line.
| MIA Pass Defense |
Joey Porter sacked Edwards twice, forced two fumbles, and the Dolphins turned four fourth quarter turnovers into a 25--16 upset. Miami flattened Edwards five times, hurried him seven times, and prevented any Buffalo receivers to score.