James Cook caught a touchdown pass and scored two touchdowns. The Buffalo Bills defeated Miami 31-10 on Thursday night. The Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had to leave early due to a concussion.
Tagovailoa was forced to leave the field in the third quarter after colliding with defender Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head on the turf. Tagovailoa was quickly taken off the field because of the concussion, which raises doubts about his season after he has struggled with head injuries in the past.
Josh Allen, playing with a glove on his left non-throwing hand after injuring it in Buffalo’s opener, completed 13 of 19 passes for 139 yards. He has a 12-2 record against the Dolphins and the Bills have a 14-2 record against Miami since coach Sean McDermott’s first year as head coach in 2017.
Cook caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Allen and scored touchdowns on runs of 1 and 49 yards in the first half, including a pass into the end zone to give the Bills a 24-7 lead.
Allen did not appear to be limited by the left hand he injured while hurdling safety Budda Baker in Buffalo’s opener against the Cardinals. He had his hand heavily bandaged before the game, which he finished, and practiced all week with a glove to protect it.
Substitute Mitchell Trubisky replaced Allen late in the fourth Thursday when Buffalo led by 21 points.
Miami star receiver Tyreek Hill had just three catches for 24 yards in a week in which he made national headlines. Hill was dragged from his sports car by Miami-Dade County police officers, shoved face-first into the street and handcuffed during a traffic stop outside the Dolphins’ home stadium just hours before the season opener.
Officer Danny Torres was placed on administrative duties as the department’s director launched an internal investigation. Hill said he wanted to fire the officer, but the 30-year-old also acknowledged he could have handled the interaction better in the moment.
Buffalo scored 10 points off two Tagovailoa turnovers in the first half. Ja’Marcus Ingram intercepted Tagovailoa’s pass intended for receiver Grant DuBose on Miami’s opening drive. Then Christian Benford intercepted a pass that appeared to stem from a miscommunication between the quarterback and receiver Robbie Chosen. Both DuBose and Chosen joined the team after the preseason.
Tagovailoa threw another interception pass to Ingram on Miami’s first drive of the third inning as he attempted to throw the ball out of bounds. Ingram returned the ball 31 yards to give Buffalo a 31-10 lead. It was Tagovailoa’s third career game with three interceptions.
Tagovailoa ran for a first down at 4:36 of the third inning, collided headfirst with Hamlin and hit his head on the ground.
The Bills players, as well as Tagovailoa’s teammates, immediately waved for the coaches to come onto the field. The fifth-year quarterback was helped to his feet after a few minutes and walked under his own power to the locker room with the coaches after throwing for 145 yards and scoring a 5-yard touchdown to De’Von Achane.
Tagovailoa was diagnosed with two concussions in 2023. Skylar Thompson replaced him on Thursday.
Bills: Middle linebacker and captain Terrel Bernard left the field in the first quarter with a chest injury and did not return.
Dolphins: Offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Rob Jones both left with shoulder injuries. … Jeff Wilson Jr. left with an oblique injury and did not return.
Bills: Host Jacksonville on Monday, September 23rd.
Dolphins: Sunday, September 22, in Seattle.
