Bills Can’t Buy Needed Victory Miami Denies Slumping Buffalo The Win It Needs To Clinch Berth

The Buffalo Bills’ slump is so severe that they can’t even beat the Miami Dolphins.

Needing a victory to clinch a playoff berth, the Bills instead lost their third game in a row Monday night. Dan Marino threw for 263 yards and Miami won 16-14 for its first late-season win against Buffalo since 1986.

The Bills (9-6) had beaten Miami (7-8) 11 consecutive times in November, December and January over the past decade.

“This was there for the taking,” Buffalo defensive end Phil Hansen said. “It’s disappointing, disheartening, a bad way to lose - not the Buffalo Bills I know. We had every opportunity presented to us in the last three weeks.”

With Buffalo’s defeat, New England (10-5) clinched the AFC East title.

Buffalo fell into a tie with Kansas City and Indianapolis for the best record in the wild-card race. The Bills can earn a wild-card berth if they win their final regular-season game Sunday at home against the Chiefs, or if Jacksonville (8-7) loses or ties its final game against Atlanta.

“The playoffs start next week for this team,” Bills center Kent Hull said.

If the second-year Jaguars beat Atlanta, they’ll clinch a playoff berth - unless the Buffalo-K.C. game ends in a tie.

The Dolphins, eliminated from playoff contention Sunday, controlled the ball for 42 minutes to earn a consolation victory and break a three-game losing.

“I don’t understand people saying we don’t have something to play for,” said Trace Armstrong, who sacked Jim Kelly twice. “This is my life, and there’s always something to play for. This is Monday night and the Buffalo Bills, and that’s plenty.”

Dolphins 16, Bills 14

Buffalo 0 7 0 7 - 14

Miami 3 3 3 7 - 16

Mia-FG Nedney 29

Mia-FG Nedney 41

Buf-Reed 67 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)

Mia-FG Nedney 18

Mia-McDuffie 5 pass from Marino (Nedney kick)

Buf-Moulds 16 pass from Kelly (Christie kick)

A-67,016.

Buf Mia First downs 15 22 Rushes-yards 17-51 40-145 Passing 220 249 Punt Returns 1-10 0-0 Kickoff Returns 4-94 0-0 Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-27 Comp-Att-Int 17-29-1 26-37-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 3-17 2-14 Punts 4-39.8 3-36.0 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 0-0 Penalties-Yards 3-30 8-92 Time of Possession 18:05 41:55 Individual statistics

RUSHINGBuffalo, Thomas 11-34, Holmes 3-10, Tindale 2-4, Tasker 1-3. Miami, Abdul-

Jabbar 27-76, Spikes 10-58, McDuffie 1-7, Pritchett 1-4, Parmalee 1-0.

PASSINGBuffalo, Kelly 17-29-1-240. Miami, Marino 26-37-0-263.

RECEIVINGBuffalo, Reed 6-127, Thomas 5-47, Johnson 2-15, Early 1-23, Moulds 1-16, Tasker 1-12, Holmes 1-0. Miami, Barnett 5-68, Drayton 5-47, mcDuffie 5-43, Pritchett 4-47, Abdul-Jabbar 4-23, Parmalee 2-10, Hill 1-25.

MISSED FIELD GOALSBuffalo, Christie 20 (WR).