MIAMI Jan. 7 (UPI) — Deonte Harty caught a punt and sprinted through a lane of defenders, tearing up grass on a 96-yard touchdown return and sparking momentum Sunday in a Buffalo Bills division title-clinching win over the Miami Dolphins.
The score provided energy for the Bills, who trailed at halftime and entering the fourth quarter, before roaring back to win 21-14.
Quarterback Josh Allen threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dawson Knox with 7:16 remaining for the go-ahead score. The Bills defense then smothered the Dolphins to secure their fourth-consecutive AFC East crown.
“It was a blur,” Harty said in the visitor locker room at Hard Rock Stadium. “I just caught the ball, made one guy miss, saw a hole and hit it.”
The Bills will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs next week.
The Dolphins, losers in 11 of their last 12 against Buffalo, will travel for a first-round playoff meeting with the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen and the Bills offense sputtered, with turnovers and poor clock management, in the first half. Harty’s return, paired with a defense that didn’t allow a point to the NFL’s top-ranked offense in the second half helped them overcome the early struggles.
“We were beating ourselves,” said Allen, who totaled 359 passing yards, two scores, two interceptions and a fumble. “I was beating us. That’s what it came down to. … We are a resilient group.
“We kept our heads down, kept working hard and found a way to win.”
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Allen each threw interceptions on the first two drives of the game. Bills cornerback Christian Benford intercepted Tagovailoa on a deep ball on the game’s first possession. Dolphins cornerback Eli Apple intercepted Allen on the next drive.
Neither team took advantage of those turnovers, leading to a scoreless first quarter.
Dolphins safety DeShon Elliott intercepted Allen for a second time at the end of the quarter. Tagovailoa then led a 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive.
Running back De’Von Achane ended that possession with a 25-yard touchdown run, giving the Dolphins the first lead of the night.
The Bills responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive. Wide receiver Trent Sherfield caught a deflected pass from Josh Allen to end that drive with a score, tying the game.
Tagovailoa ended the next drive with a 3-yard touchdown toss to Tyreek Hill, giving the lead back to the Dolphins. That score ended a nine-play, 75-yard drive.
The Bills marched down the field again on the next possession, but linebacker Jerome Baker tackled running back Ty Johnson at the goal line in the final seconds of the first half to preserve the Dolphins’ 14-7 advantage.
The Bills continued to move the ball well in the third quarter, but came up short once again at the end of another potential game-tying drive. Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins used his right arm to pull the ball out of Allen’s hands for a fumble and recovery.
But the Bills defense stood strong and didn’t allow the Dolphins to turn that turnover into points.
Harty then made an electric punt return for a touchdown up the left flank. That 96-yard return — and an extra point — tied the score about 1:18 into the fourth quarter.
The Bills took their first lead of the night about seven minutes later, with Allen throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Knox.
The Dolphins, who punted on their first four drives of the second half, turned the ball over on their final possession, with Tagovailoa throwing an interception to safety Taylor Rapp. The Bills offense ran the remaining 1:13 off the clock to cement their AFC East crown.
The Bills out-gained the Dolphins 473-275 in total yardage. They held an edge in time of possession of about 16 minutes.
Tagovailoa completed 17 of 27 passes for 173 yards, one score and two interceptions. Hill totaled 82 yards and a score on seven catches.
Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir logged six catches for 105 yards.
The Bills (11-6) will host the Steelers (10-7) in a wild-card round game at 1 p.m. EST Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y. That game will air on CBS.
The Dolphins (11-6) will play the Chiefs (11-6) at 8 p.m. Saturday in Kansas City, Mo. That game will air on Peacock.
“We don’t have time to sulk,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “This is what happens in football against a very good team. Our team really wanted it bad, but you still have to do the things in football to come out victorious, and we didn’t.
“I’m very confident that our players and coaches will turn their attention full bore to Kansas City because that’s all we can do.”
