As the Miami Dolphins prepare to host the Buffalo Bills in their final regular-season game to decide the AFC East Division title, here is a look back at five memorable Miami wins that Buffalo fans have likely chosen to forget.
Dec. 7, 2008
Miami Dolphins 16, vs. Buffalo Bills 3
Rogers Centre | Toronto
The Dolphins defeated the Bills in the first-ever regular-season game played on Canadian soil.
Buffalo's lone points came on a 40-yard field goal by Rian Lindell in the first quarter.
Miami led 7-3 at the end of the first quarter and pulled away with a trio of field goals by Dan Carpenter, who was good from 50, 35 and 27 yards.
Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington was 23 of 29 passing for 181 yards and a 20-yard touchdown to tight end Anthony Fasano that gave Miami an early 7-0 lead.
Buffalo gave up a home game against the Dolphins by playing in Canada, allowing Miami to thrive in the climate-controlled indoor venue. It was 15 degrees outside.
The Dolphins went on to win the AFC East Division – a feat unmatched since.
Dec. 4, 2005
Buffalo Bills 23, at Miami Dolphins 24
Dolphins Stadium | Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Bills squandered a 23-3 lead in South Florida as Miami mounted its biggest comeback victory since 1974.
Lee Evans caught three touchdown passes to put the Bills ahead 21-0 less than 13 minutes into the game.
Buffalo led 23-3 in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins began their comeback bid.
After Gus Frerotte was knocked out of the game with a concussion, backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels led the Dolphins on three touchdown drives in the final 11:35 to beat the Bills.
Miami wide receiver Chris Chambers caught a 4-yard pass on fourth down with six seconds left for the game-tying touchdown and Olindo Mare kicked the go-ahead extra point.
Chambers finished with 15 catches for what was then a franchise-record 238 yards.
Jan. 2, 1999
Buffalo Bills 17, at Miami Dolphins 24
Pro Player Stadium | Miami-Dade County, Fla.
Dan Marino's final win in the playoffs in front of a home crowd came at the expense of the Bills.
Buffalo's first and last play were fumbles, putting the "wild" in a wild-card playoff game.
On Buffalo's first play from scrimmage, wide receiver Eric Moulds beat cornerback Terrell Buckley on a 65-yard bomb but fumbled when he was hit by Buckley, resulting in a turnover.
The wackiness ensued when Dolphins head coach Jimmy Johnson called for an onside kick with a 6-0 lead, helping the Bills take a 7-6 halftime lead, Marino completed a pass to his center and Andre Reed was ejected for pushing an official with 1:47 left after being tackled at Miami's 1-yard line.
Doug Flutie's pass to Reed appeared to be a touchdown, but the field judge marked Reed short of the goal line. In the ensuing fray, Reed bumped the official and was tossed from the game, so the Bills had to settle for a 33-yard field goal by Steve Christie to make it 24-17.
Buffalo then recovered an onside kick and drove down the field, but Dolphins defensive end Trace Armstrong sacked Flutie, who fumbled the ball away. It was the fifth and final turnover of the game for the Bills.
Dec. 27, 1982
Buffalo Bills 10, at Miami Dolphins 27
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
The Dolphins won their 14th consecutive home meeting against the Bills during the NFL strike-shortened season.
Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson was sacked four times, intercepted twice and fumbled deep in Miami territory.
Buffalo got out to an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but it was all Miami thereafter.
Miami broke a 10-10 tie when Andra Franklin found the end zone on a 2-yard score with 6:43 in the third quarter. Franklin would score again midway through the fourth quarter on a 6-yard touchdown run, helping Dolphins head coach Don Shula to win his 200th regular-season game.
The Bills fell to 0-15-1 in Miami since a 29-0 shutout win in the first-ever meeting at the Orange Bowl.
Dec. 19, 1981
Buffalo Bills 6, at Miami Dolphins 16
Miami Orange Bowl | Miami
The Dolphins scored on their first offensive series and increased the lead to 10-0 before Buffalo got on the scoreboard.
Miami's defense only allowed a pair of field goals by Nick Mike-Mayer, one from 31 yards in the second quarter and another from 36 in the fourth.
Joe Cribbs gained 94 of Buffalo's 111 rushing yards.
Dolphins quarterback David Woodley finished 10 of 21 passing for 137 yards and a touchdown, but he was also sacked four times.
Both teams had already cemented their spots in the playoffs, but Miami's win in the regular-season finale clinched the AFC East Division title and the conference's No. 2 seed, ensuring the Dolphins a week off. The Bills, meanwhile, were relegated to the fifth seed and a wild-card berth.
Also: 5 memorable Bills wins vs. Dolphins. Watch Bills at Dolphins on 'Sunday Night Football' and coverage throughout the weekend on WPTV and WPTV.com.
