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Bills hand Dolphins damaging defeat

Dec 19, 2010 - 11:13 PM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Ryan Fitzpatrick threw two touchdown passes to help the Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins, 17-14, at Sun Life Stadium.

Fitzpatrick connected on 16-of-26 tosses for 223 yards with one interception.

"We came into this game not worried about them or what they had on the line," Fitzpatrick said. "This was for us and for what this would do for us as a team, this win and how we are going to continue to improve for these last couple of games as well. We want to keep improving to give us momentum into the offseason."

Steve Johnson had 69 yards and a touchdown on six receptions for the Bills (4-10).

Chad Henne completed 33-of-45 passes for 276 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Dolphins (7-7), who were officially eliminated from playoff contention while falling to 1-6 at home.

Miami's Dan Carpenter missed four field goals, including a 48-yarder that could have tied the game with under two minutes left in regulation.

Down 10 points, the Dolphins orchestrated an 11-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Henne to Brandon Marshall with 7:02 remaining in the fourth quarter. Henne completed all eight pass attempts on the drive.

Miami got another chance when the Bills were forced to punt. Taking over with 4:31 on the clock at their own 20, the Dolphins marched to the Buffalo 30, where Carpenter's attempt sailed wide right.

"Didn't make enough plays," said Miami head coach Tony Sparano. "Didn't make any plays at all, on either side of the football. When we needed to make plays, in critical situations, we just didn't make them well enough."

The opening drive of the game ended with Carpenter missing another 48-yard field goal.

Henne was picked off by safety George Wilson in the waning moments of the first quarter, and the Bills converted the interception into an 18-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to rookie wideout David Nelson.

Buffalo's lead grew to 10-0 on a 29-yard Rian Lindell field goal, but the Dolphins responded with an eight-play, 64-yard drive that Ronnie Brown capped with a six-yard dash to the end zone.

Miami looked to pull even on a 61-yard field goal, but Carpenter's bid landed short as the first half ended.

The Bills extended their lead to 17-7 on Johnson's 15-yard touchdown catch with 6:14 remaining in the third quarter.

Game Notes

Fitzpatrick threw a TD pass in his 15th straight game...Marshall caught 11 passes for 106 yards...Davone Bess finished with 78 yards on nine grabs for the Dolphins...The Bills notched their first win at Miami since November 11, 2007.