Dolphins seek win in finale at Bills to clinch playoff spot

Updated Dec. 31, 2020 2:45 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MIAMI (10-5) at BUFFALO (12-3)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE - Bills by 5 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Dolphins 11-4; Bills 10-5

SERIES RECORD - Dolphins lead 61-51-1

LAST MEETING - Bills beat Dolphins 31-28 on Sept. 20 at Miami

LAST WEEK - Dolphins beat Raiders 26-25; Bills beat Patriots 38-9

AP PRO32 RANKING - Dolphins No. 11, Bills No. 3

DOLPHINS OFFENSE - OVERALL (23), RUSH (22), PASS (25).

DOLPHINS DEFENSE - OVERALL (20), RUSH (17), PASS (19).

BILLS OFFENSE - OVERALL (4), RUSH (19), PASS (2).

BILLS DEFENSE - OVERALL (10), RUSH (20), PASS (8).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — The Bills have won the past four meetings to match their longest win streak over the Dolphins since a team-best six-game run spanning the 1987-89 seasons. ... With a victory, Miami would clinch only its third postseason berth since 2001. ... The Dolphins will play at Buffalo in January for the first time since 1991. In December, they’ve lost three in a row there by a combined score of 85-33. ... The Dolphins have won nine of their past 11 games. ... The Dolphins have allowed the fewest points in the NFL at 18.8 per game, and could finish the season leading that category for the first time since 1998. ... They also lead in third-down defense at 31% and are tied for first with 27 takeaways. ... Tua Tagovailoa is 6-2 as Miami’s starting quarterback but for the second time this season was benched in the fourth quarter last week. ... Tagovailoa’s longest completion all year has been 35 yards. Some 52 players have thrown a longer completion, including three receivers. ... Tagovailoa has the NFL’s lowest rate of interceptions, with two in 232 pass attempts. ... Ryan Fitzpatrick came off the bench last week at Las Vegas to throw for 182 yards and a score in the final 10 minutes as Miami rallied for an improbable last-second win, but he tested positive for COVID-19 this week. ... Last week LB Andrew Van Ginkel became the fifth Miami player to have a multi-sack game this season. ... CB Xavien Howard leads the league with nine interceptions and 19 passes defended. ... Last week, RB Myles Gaskin had 169 yards from scrimmage, the most by a Dolphins player since 2017. ... Mike Gesicki’s 656 yards receiving are the most by a Dolphins TE since Randy McMichael in 2004. ... Buffalo has already clinched its third playoff berth in four seasons and first AFC East title since 1995. ... The Bills can fall no lower than the AFC’s No. 3 playoff seed, and would clinch the No. 2 spot with a win or a Steelers loss. ... Buffalo’s 12 wins are one short of matching a single-season team record set in 1990 and 1991, both AFC title seasons. ... Buffalo’s 445 points scored are 13 short of matching the single-season team record set in 1991. ... With four TDs passing on Monday, QB Josh Allen upped his total to 34 to break the single-season team record set by Hall of Famer Jim Kelly in 1991. ... With 4,320 yards passing, Allen needs 30 to break the team mark by Drew Bledsoe in 2002. ... The Bills gave up 78 yards passing to New England, marking the fewest since allowing 69 in a 13-7 overtime win over Indianapolis on Dec. 10, 2017, in a game played in a blizzard. ... Fantasy tip: With Bills coach Sean McDermott declining to reveal whether he’ll rest some or most of his starters, the best bet for production would be Miami's Gaskin facing a defense which has allowed 140 or more yards rushing in each of the past two weeks, and six times this season.

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