The Sports Xchange
Dec 17, 2017
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- LeSean McCoy became the 30th player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 career rushing yards on Sunday while helping the Buffalo Bills keep their playoff hopes alive with a 24-16 victory over the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field.
McCoy compiled 96 total yards (50 rushing, 46 receiving) and two touchdowns as the Bills improved to 8-6 for just the third time in the 18 years since the team last reached the postseason.
Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor returned after missing one game with a bruised knee and completed 17 of 29 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown to McCoy. Taylor also ran for 42 yards and another score.
The loss diminished the Dolphins' playoff chances following an upset win over New England on Monday night. Jay Cutler was 28-of-49 passing for 274 yards and three interceptions for Miami (6-8). Kenyan Drake ran for 78 yards and a touchdown and Cody Parkey kicked three field goals.
Miami scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to make things interesting.
Drake scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Bills' lead to 24-13 with 7:57 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Dolphins' scoring drive was extended by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Buffalo's Adolphus Washington for swiping at Drake out of bounds after the Bills' defense made a stop on third-and-goal from the 1.
Parkey made a 27-yard field goal with 37 seconds left and punter Matt Haack recovered an onside kick at midfield. But Buffalo's rookie cornerback Tre'Davious White intercepted Cutler on a deep pass to seal the victory.
Shareece Wright's 49-yard interception -- which included the cornerback recovering his own fumble at the end of the run -- set up Stephen Hauschka's 34-yard field goal that made it 24-6 late in the third quarter. Safety Jordan Poyer also intercepted Cutler.
Taylor led an 80-yard drive in the final two minutes of the first half and scored on a 9-yard run just before the break.
McCoy scored Buffalo's first two touchdowns, pushing his career total to 81 and moving into the top 60 on the NFL's all-time list.
After getting shaken up on a 14-run yard run that put him over 10,000 yards for his career, McCoy returned to catch a 16-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone that put the Bills ahead 14-6 in the second quarter. McCoy sat out for one play after he was slow to get up from being tackled by Kiko Alonso, the linebacker Buffalo traded away to acquire McCoy from Philadelphia in 2015.
The Bills never trailed after scoring a touchdown on their opening possession for the first time this season. McCoy's 4-yard run capped an 81-yard drive.
NOTES: Bills RB LeSean McCoy moved past Ricky Williams for 29th on the NFL's all-time rushing list with 10,011 yards. He went over 10,000 yards on 2,145 carries, fewer than all but four other running backs: Jim Brown, Adrian Peterson, Barry Sanders, O.J. Simpson. ... Bills CB E.J. Gaines left the game in the third quarter with a knee injury and did not return. WR Kelvin Benjamin (knee) started after being listed as questionable. ... Dolphins S T.J. McDonald sustained a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. DE Andre Branch (knee) and CB Cordrea Tankersley (ankle/shoulder) were inactive. ... Buffalo plays its final two games at New England (Dec. 24) and Miami (Dec. 31). The Bills went 6-2 at New Era Field this season for their best home record since 1999. ... Dolphins WR Kenny Stills and TE Julius Thomas kneeled during the national anthem. ... Bills TE Charles Clay caught five passes for 68 yards against his former team.