AFC East: Bills back on track vs. Bucs; Dolphins win in OT
Bills back Ty Johnson (26) celebrates with receiver Tyrell Shavers after his TD during Sunday's game vs. Tampa in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP photo)
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns and rushed for three more, the last on a rugged 9-yard run with 2:35 left that secured the Buffalo Bills’ 44-32 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The eighth-year starter and reigning MVP became the first player with two games of three TDs passing and rushing. He did it last year in a 44-42 loss at the Los Angeles Rams.
This time, Allen outdueled fellow 2018 first-round draft pick Baker Mayfield in a shootout that featured nine lead changes.
The Bills benched struggling receiver Keon Coleman in a bid to spark their passing game, and each of Allen’s three touchdown passes went for 25 yards or more. Running back Ty Johnson scored on a 52-yard catch-and-run, Allen found Tyrell Shavers open deep for a 43-yard touchdown, and James Cook scored on a 25-yard reception.
Allen provided the go-ahead score, a 5-yard TD run with 9:06 left. He finished 19 of 30 for 317 yards, and the Bills overcame his two first-half interceptions.
He punctuated his final TD run with a massive spike of the ball. Taking off out of the pocket, Allen was hit at the 4-yard line, and then corralled by Bucs defenders at the 2 before Buffalo’s offensive linemen shoved him across the goal line.
Buffalo (7-3) rebounded from a 30-13 loss at Miami in which Allen and the offense failed to push the ball downfield.The Bills play at Houston on Thursday night.
Tampa Bay (6-4) has lost two straight and four of seven.
The outcome was decided with 1:44 left when Mayfield lost a fumble when being sacked by DaQuan Jones. Mayfield finished 16 of 28 for 173 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for a TD.
Sean Tucker rushed for 106 yards and two TDs, and he scored on a 28-yard catch to put the Buccaneers up 32-31 early in the fourth quarter.
The teams began exchanging offensive blows from the beginning in a first half that featured five lead changes and ended with Buffalo leading 21-20 despite possessing the ball for just nine minutes and 50 seconds.
DOLPHINS 16, COMMANDERS 13 (OT)
Jack Jones had a fitting celebration after his overtime interception in the first NFL regular-season game in Spain.
The Miami Dolphins cornerback ran toward the sideline and stretched his arms wide after a twisting jump in front of his teammates. Jones was imitating Cristiano Ronaldo, the soccer great who used to celebrate like that at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium when he played for Real Madrid.
“I had to bring that out,” he said. “I was talking to my friend and I’m like, ‘When I make a play, be ready for that celebration.'”
Jones intercepted Marcus Mariota on the first offensive play of overtime and Riley Patterson kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Dolphins a 16-13 victory over the Washington Commanders.
Jones cut in front of Commanders tight end Zach Ertz and came away with the ball.
The Commanders (3-8) had a chance to win and end a five-game losing streak with 15 seconds left in regulation, but Matt Gay’s 56-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. Gay, who said ahead of the game he was thrilled to have the chance to play at the Bernabeu, missed two of his four field goal attempts.
The Dolphins (4-7) were twice stopped on fourth-and-goal, including inside the final two minutes after recovering the ball on an earlier muffed punt return by the Commanders. The muff came after the Commanders were stopped on fourth-and-goal the other way.


