Bills clinch playoff spot by beating Dolphins as time expires 

NFL

By Associated Press, The Boston Globe

December 18, 2022 | 9:48 AM

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Tyler Bass hit a 25-yard field goal as time expired, and the Buffalo Bills clinched their fourth consecutive playoff berth on a snow-slick field in rallying to a 32-29 win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night.

The Bills (11-3) overcame a 29-21 deficit by scoring on their final two drives. Josh Allen tied the game with a 5-yard pass to Dawson Knox and the quarterback then leaped over the line for a 2-point conversion to tie the game at 29 with 9:02 remaining.

Allen then oversaw a 15-play, 86-yard drive that ate up the final 5:56 to set up Bass’s field goal, which led to numerous Bills players diving head-first to slide in the snow.

Allen threw four touchdown passes to increase his career total to 171 (including one receiving), and tie former Miami quarterback Dan Marino for the most by an NFL player in the first five seasons of his career.

In winning its fifth straight, and third in three weeks over a divisional opponent, Buffalo also inched closer to clinching its third consecutive AFC East title by building a three-win lead over Miami.

The Dolphins (8-6) entered the weekend in second place and as the AFC’s sixth seed. They’ve now lost three in a row in their bid to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016.