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Bills vs. Dolphins final score, results: Tua Tagovailoa interception proves costly, keeps Miami winless following 'Thursday Night Football'

Daniel Mader

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Bills vs. Dolphins final score, results: Tua Tagovailoa interception proves costly, keeps Miami winless following 'Thursday Night Football' image

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If moral victories counted for real wins, the Miami Dolphins might be leaving Week 3 feeling a little bit better about their record. Unfortunately for them, that isn't the case.

In an AFC East showdown on "Thursday Night Football," the Dolphins came in trending toward an all-out collapse as questions grew over Tua Tagovailoa, Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill's futures with the team. Miami didn't win, so those questions will likely remain — but the Dolphins did put forth a better effort than some expected, with the Buffalo Bills needing 10 fourth-quarter points to seal a 31-21 victory in Week 3.

An interception from Tagovailoa with around three minutes left sealed the Bills' third-straight victory to open 2025. Terrel Bernard jumped in front of a short pass, allowing Buffalo to drain the clock and add some late points. However, even on a night where Josh Allen threw the ball well (213 passing yards, three touchdowns), the Bills just couldn't shut the door for most of the matchup.

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The AFC squads found themselves knotted at 14 points at halftime as Allen and James Cook made quick work of Miami's defense, while Tagovailoa relied on short-range passes and third-down plays to hang around with a likely Super Bowl contender. As the Dolphins' ground game found some success (130 rushing yards, one touchdown), they threatened to claim a rare win at Highmark Stadium.

Instead, Miami couldn't capitalize on its opportunity. A roughing the kicker penalty in the fourth quarter afforded Allen a chance to stay on the field for a touchdown, while Tagovailoa's interception sealed Miami's 0-3 record, its first since 2019.

Buffalo's defense may have some third-down film to take a look at, but otherwise, the squad will have no complaints about a perfect 3-0 record following "Thursday Night Football." And although Tagovailoa and the Dolphins made it an interesting game, they still now find themselves staring down a lost 2025 season.

The Sporting News tracked live updates and highlights as the Bills took down the Dolphins on a Week 3 edition of "Thursday Night Football." Here's what you may have missed.

STREAM: Watch 'Thursday Night Football' on Amazon Prime Video

Bills vs. Dolphins score

 

NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule

Bills vs. Dolphins updates, highlights from NFL 'Thursday Night Football' game

All times ET.

Final: Bills 31, Dolphins 21

11:10 p.m. — Miami gets off a few last-second plays, but this one was over after Tagovailoa's pick. The Dolphins, somewhat surprisingly, made this a game in the second half by converting on third downs and temporarily shutting down Josh Allen, but a roughing the kicker penalty, then an interception, were too much to overcome.

The Dolphins drop to 0-3, with their list of major questions only growing, while the Bills escape and improve to 3-0 despite some sloppiness on Thursday night. 

Bills 31, Dolphins 21

11:06 p.m.  FIELD GOAL — Buffalo runs the clock down to 27 seconds and connects on the field goal, all but sealing this one. Tagovailoa's interception on another tedious Dolphins drive was costly, allowing the Bills to run out the clock then make it a two-score game. 

11:01 p.m. — Josh Allen connects with Elijah Moore for 30 yards, and at the two-minute warning, Buffalo is set up well to take this one. Not only can the Bills use more time, but they're in field goal territory and could make it a two-score game.

10:59 p.m. — Miami uses its second timeout at the 2:52 mark. This game is not over yet, as the Dolphins could get the ball back with some stops. But the Tagovailoa interception was surely the biggest play yet.

10:54 p.m. — And there's the first big mistake by either quarterback tonight. Tua Tagovailoa tried to get it to Waddle, but Terrel Bernard steps right in front of his pass for an easy interception.

That very well may have been Miami's last shot to tie it, with just a few minutes remaining. The Bills will look to drain some clock, or make it a two-score game after the Dolphins hung around for most of the game.

10:52 p.m. — Make it 10-for-15 on third downs. Miami gets another, with Tua finding Waddle once again. The wide receiver has 39 yards on five catches.

10:48 p.m. — Miami is now 9-for-14 on third downs tonight, a key part of its success despite the Bills owning most offensive categories. Tagovailoa hits Waddle for a first down on 3rd & 8, as the Dolphins look to tie it up again with under six minutes left.

Bills 28, Dolphins 21

10:43 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — The roughing the kicker penalty may come back to haunt Miami. It had Allen stopped once again, but that flag resulted in Buffalo's offense staying on the field. Allen turns it into a 15-yard touchdown to Khalil Shakir, putting his team back in front.

10:42 p.m. — The penalty has given Buffalo some new life, as Allen is taking short passes to get into scoring territory. We're under eight minutes remaining as the Bills threaten to reclaim the lead.

10:37 p.m. — Initially, there were even more struggles for the Bills. Allen couldn't complete the pass to Elijah Moore on third down, marking the third-straight punt for Buffalo.

But then, the Dolphins run into the punter for a 15-yard penalty, keeping the Bills offense on the field for another shot. It's a tough break for Miami.

Dolphins 21, Bills 21

10:31 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Somehow, the Dolphins are threatening to take this game in Buffalo. It took Tagovailoa 26 pass attempts just to reach 100 yards, but still, he comes through when needed with a five-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill.

Hill flips a few times in the end zone, and the Bills are in some danger of their first loss if they can't find some momentum here.

10:29 p.m. — A massive catch for Waddle comes on fourth down. Miami went for it, needing a touchdown to tie on the road, and they're now in the red zone. One play prior, the Dolphins used some pitches to gain some serious ground on third down.

End of third quarter: Bills 21, Dolphins 14

10:26 p.m. — The Dolphins will have a third-and-long coming up to begin the fourth quarter. It's been almost all defense in the third frame, with Miami just one score out of tying a road matchup as it seeks its first win.

10:24 p.m. — Ollie Gordon II is having a nice night, with 34 yards on eight carries with a touchdown. Achane also has 42 yards, and the two have been a nice lift for Miami's offense so far.

10:21 p.m. — Neither offense has had much juice in this third quarter, a trend that is favoring the Dolphins more than the Bills. Once again, Buffalo punts, unable to extend its advantage. Tagovailoa still has the opportunity in front of him to tie this game at 21.

10:12 p.m. — The Dolphins punt after multiple incompletions from Tagovailoa. He's at 63 passing yards tonight.

10:07 p.m. — The Miami defense does it's job, keeping this game intriguing. The Bills go three-and-out as well.

10:02 p.m. — Tua went deep for Tyreek Hill on a 3rd & 11, but it's for naught. Miami goes three-and-out, and with the way Buffalo has moved the ball, this could begin to get out of reach if the Bills score again. 

While the score doesn't fully indicate it, the Bills have outgained the Dolphins 249-130 tonight.

Bills 21, Dolphins 14

9:56 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — It's another relatively easy drive for the Bills offense. James Cook continues his good day with a touchdown after Allen got them there with his arm and legs. Buffalo is back on top.

9:54 p.m. — Allen is heating up. First, it's a 19-yard run for the quarterback. Then, he hits Kincaid for another 19 yards.

9:52 p.m. — Buffalo begins the second half with the ball. Allen's passes to Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir get the Bills going, looking for their third touchdown in four drives.

9:36 p.m. — The score doesn't represent it right now, but this hasn't been a bad night for the Bills' offense; Josh Allen is 11-13 with 97 passing yards and two touchdown passes. He also became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 offensive touchdowns, including playoffs.

Still, Buffalo's defense has surrendered two touchdowns to Miami, which is looking for a road upset. Tagovailoa is 12-18 with 66 passing yards, while the team has a total of 65 rushing yards.

Halftime: Dolphins 14, Bills 14

9:32 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — We have a game in this AFC East showdown. With under 10 seconds remaining in the half, the Dolphins capitalize on Buffalo's missed field goal; Tagovailoa finds Jaylen Waddle for a three-yard touchdown, tying it at 14.

Miami hasn't been known to play well in Buffalo in recent years, but Mike McDaniel's squad is still in this one at halftime.

9:27 p.m. — Tagovailoa picks up the first down with his legs on 3rd & 7. The Dolphins are in field-goal territory as time ticks away.

9:19 p.m. — It's not coming easy for the Dolphins' offense, but they are picking up a few first downs seeking to tie this game. At the two-minute warning, Tagovalioa escaped some pressure before finding Tyreek Hill downfield for a 19-yard play on third down. It's Hill's second catch, and it sets Miami up nicely to potentially get points before the break.

9:16 p.m. — Matt Prater, the Bills' savior in Week 1 with a game-winner, goes wide-left on a 39-yard field goal attempt. Miami is still hanging around in this first half, and its defense finally got to Allen for a key sack.

9:13 p.m. — James Cook, the NFL's leading rusher entering Week 2, is already up to 73 tonight on eight carries. Buffalo is approaching the red zone for another potential score.

9:04 p.m. — Ollie Gordon has played much more of a role for the Dolphins tonight, although Achane remains a centerpiece of the offense:

9:02 p.m. — The Bills' defense has settled in, stopping Miami on two-straight drives now after the opening touchdown. Tagovailoa managed just one positive yard on a three-and-out, and all of a sudden, the Bills can make this a two-score game already.

Bills 14, Dolphins 7

8:56 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Josh Allen is doing Josh Allen things. He fakes out multiple Dolphins defenders, acting like he was about to make an attempt at running into the end zone, then just simply flicks the ball over to Jackson Hawes for the score instead.

The Bills' offense has had no troubles tonight, with 128 yards and 14 points on two drives.

End of first quarter: Dolphins 7, Bills 7

8:49 p.m. — The first quarter comes to an end with the Bills once again moving the ball well. Kincaid had another grab for 12 yards, and Cook is up to 39 rushing yards. 

8:42 p.m. — Tagovailoa fumbles the ball on a third down, recovers it then scrambles, but it's not enough to pick up the first. The Dolphins punt, giving Buffalo a chance to take its first lead.

Dolphins 7, Bills 7

8:35 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — That was a quick answer from Buffalo. In just seven plays, the Bills get 85 yards, most of which came from Cook in the ground game. However, it's tight end Dalton Kincaid who finishes the drive with a 20-yard scoring pass from Allen.

The Bills knot things back up, finding no trouble against a Dolphins defense that has struggled to begin 2025.

 8:31 p.m. — James Cook already looks like he'll be in for another strong game. After a Bills penalty for unnecessary roughness, then a Dolphins pass interference, the running back picks up a combined 33 yards over two carries and a reception.

Dolphins 7, Bills 0

8:25 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Into the end zone goes Ollie Gordon II. With 23 rushing yards on their first drive, Miami takes the early lead on the road, a nice start for their offense when they've needed one.

However, the Dolphins' defense against Josh Allen will remain the bigger concern.

8:22 p.m. — The Dolphins are having a nice first drive. De'Von Achane has 12 yards on his first two carries, plus a 15-yard catch; Tagovailoa has his squad in the red zone to begin the matchup.

8:16 p.m. — Miami begins with the football tonight, as Dee Eskridge gets a solid return on the kickoff. Out comes Tua Tagovailoa. 

Pregame

8:06 p.m. — The action will begin in Buffalo soon. Josh Allen owns a 12-2 career record against Miami; will that trend continue?

8:04 p.m. — Mike McDaniel's job is safe for now, Ian Rapoport reports. But it remains to be seen how true that holds over the rest of the season.

8:02 p.m. — Keon Coleman looks ready for Thursday Night Football.

7:51 p.m. — Josh Allen will be wearing a visor tonight due to his nose injury.

7:42 p.m. — Amazon had a "Ryan Fitzpatrick lookalike competition" before tonight's game. He's certainly a fan favorite in Buffalo.

7:06 p.m. — And the inactives for Buffalo:

7:05 p.m. — Here are the Dolphins' inactives for tonight's game:

6:38 p.m. — Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle is officially "good to go" for this game, per Cameron Wolfe. His status was previously up in the air due to a shoulder injury. 

6:37 p.m. — Josh Allen wore a hat designed by a patient at Buffalo’s Oishei Children’s Hospital before tonight's game: 

6:28 p.m. — Tua Tagovailoa arrived to Highmark Stadium in full Dolphins teal and orange.

MORE BILLS-DOLPHINS NEWS:

Where to watch the NFL game tonight

Bills vs. Dolphins start time

  • Date: Thursday, September 18
  • Time: 8:15 p.m. ET, 5:15 p.m. PT

The Bills vs. Dolphins matchup will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET from Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.

What channel is Bills vs. Dolphins on today?

Bills vs. Dolphins in Week 3 will be on Amazon Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" coverage, with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit on the call.

Fans located in the Buffalo area can also watch on their local ABC station, while fans in Miami areas can watch the game on their local CBS station.

Bills schedule 2025

WeekDateMatchupTime (ET)TV/Result
1Sept. 7vs. Ravens8:20 p.m.Bills 41, Ravens 40
2Sept. 14at Jets1 p.m.Bills 30, Jets 10
3Sept. 18vs. Dolphins8:15 p.m.Amazon Prime Video
4Sept. 28vs. Saints1 p.m.CBS
5Oct. 5vs. Patriots8:20 p.m.NBC
6Oct. 13at Falcons7:15 p.m.ESPN
7BYE———
8Oct. 26at Panthers1 p.m.Fox
9Nov. 2vs. Chiefs4:25 p.m.CBS
10Nov. 9at Dolphins1 p.m.CBS
11Nov. 16vs. Buccaneers1 p.m.CBS
12Nov. 20at Texans8:15 p.m.Amazon Prime Video
13Nov. 30at Steelers4:25 p.m.CBS
14Dec. 7vs. Bengals4:25 p.m.Fox
15Dec. 14at Patriots1 p.m.CBS
16Dec. 21at Browns1 p.m.CBS
17Dec. 28vs. Eagles4:25 p.m.Fox
18TBDvs. JetsTBDTBD

Dolphins schedule 2025

WeekDateMatchupTime (ET)TV/Result
1Sunday, Sept. 7at Colts1 p.m.Colts 33, Dolphins 8
2Sunday, Sept. 14vs. Patriots1 p.m.Patriots 33, Dolphins 27
3Thursday, Sept. 18at Bills8:15 p.m.Amazon Prime Video
4Monday, Sept. 29vs. Jets7:15 p.m.ESPN
5Sunday, Oct. 5at Panthers1 p.m.Fox
6Sunday, Oct. 12vs. Chargers1 p.m.CBS
7Sunday, Oct. 19at Browns1 p.m.CBS
8Sunday, Oct. 26at Falcons1 p.m.CBS
9Thursday, Oct. 30vs. Ravens8:15 p.m.Amazon Prime Video
10Sunday, Nov. 9vs. Bills1 p.m.CBS
11Sunday, Nov. 16vs. Commanders (Spain)9:30 a.m.NFL Network
12BYE———
13Sunday, Nov. 30vs. Saints1 p.m.Fox
14Sunday, Dec. 7at Jets1 p.m.CBS
15Monday, Dec. 15at Steelers8:15 p.m.ESPN
16Sunday, Dec. 21vs. Bengals8:20 p.m.NBC
17Sunday, Dec. 28vs. Buccaneers1 p.m.Fox
18TBDat PatriotsTBDTBD

Daniel Mader

Daniel Mader is a Content Producer for The Sporting News. He joined SN in 2024 as an editorial intern following graduation from Penn State University. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, the Centre Daily Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Daily Collegian and LancasterOnline. Daniel grew up in Lancaster, Penn., with a love for baseball that’ll never fade, but could also talk basketball or football for days.