Game recap: Miami Dolphins rally comes up short against Buffalo Bills in NFL playoffs

Skylar Thompson and the Miami Dolphins were out to pull an epic upset of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

Buffalo (13-3), the AFC East champion and No. 2 seed in the AFC, was a significant favorite in the NFL playoff opener with some sportsbooks favoring the Bills by as many as 12.5 points.

Miami (9-8) claimed the final AFC wild card position with an 11-6 victory over the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium last week in the final game of the regular season.

Thompson made his third career start this week as the Dolphins continue to deal with significant quarterback uncertainty among other injury concerns.

Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains out indefinitely after suffering a series of head injuries during the regular season while backup Teddy Bridgewater is out for a second consecutive week due to a finger injury on his throwing hand.

Miami made its first playoff appearance since 2016, which saw the Dolphins lose 30-12 at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round. Veteran defensive back Xavien Howard is the only returning player from that team.

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4:55 p.m. | Dolphins lose to Bills as rally comes up short

The Dolphins allowed former FAU running back Devin Singletary to convert a long third-down run, ending this game.

The Miami Dolphins lose to the Buffalo Bills 34-31 in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

4:45 p.m. | Dolphins suffer turnover on downs

The Dolphins offense stalled at midfield after failing to convert a fourth-and-6 pass intended for Mike Gesicki.

Miami committed its latest delay of game penalty moments prior, lengthening what was a fourth-and-1 try into a fourth-and-6.

Buffalo takes over on downs leading 34-31 with 2:20 left to play. Miami is out of timeouts.

4:40 p.m. | Dolphins mounting late drive against Buffalo Bills

The Dolphins offense is nearing midfield with the Bills leading 34-31 with just under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Skylar Thompson completed a long third down pass to Jaylen Waddle inside the Miami red zone to extend this current drive.

Miami is out of timeouts. Buffalo has just one timeout.

4:14 p.m. | Skylar Thompson leads extended drive to get within a field goal

The Dolphins offense put together its longest drive of the game over the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth quarter.

After big rushing plays by Salvon Ahmed and Jaylen Waddle brought the Dolphins to the 1-yard line, Miami handed off to Jeff Wilson Jr. for a short rushing score.

The Dolphins trail the Bills 34-31 with 10:53 left in the game.

3:57 p.m. | Gabe Davis extends Bills lead in third quarter

The Dolphins offense went three-and-out then dropped to a two-score deficit once again.

Quarterback Josh Allen hit Cole Beasley on a big play to move Buffalo deep into Miami territory. Allen hit Gabe Davis on a touchdown pass one play later to extend Buffalo's lead to 34-24.

Buffalo receiving leaders include Davis (6 catches, 113 yards, 1 touchdown) and Stefon Diggs (7 catches, 114 yards, 1 touchdown).

3:45 p.m. | Cole Beasley touchdown restores Bills advantage

The Dolphins trail once again after Bills quarterback Josh Allen hit wide receiver Cole Beasley on a touchdown pass midway through the third quarter.

Buffalo regained possession after consecutive punts when Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson threw an interception to former Benjamin School defensive back Kaiir Elam on a long third-down attempt.

3:25 p.m. | Zach Sieler returns fumble for touchdown to give Dolphins lead

The Dolphins have scored 24 consecutive points to rally to a 24-20 advantage in the third quarter in Buffalo.

Zach Sieler recovered a strip-sack fumble of Josh Allen and returned it for a Dolphins go-ahead touchdown just a minute into the third quarter. Miami received the opening kickoff of the third quarter but punted after five plays.

The Dolphins defense returned to the field to force a Bills three-and-out after the fumble.

2:30 p.m. | Miami Dolphins cut into deficit with field goals

Jason Sanders has hit two field goals in the second quarter to trim Buffalo's advantage.

The Dolphins trail 17-6 with 2:20 seconds until halftime in Buffalo.

2:03 p.m. | Buffalo Bills extend lead

The Buffalo Bills now lead 17-0 after a Tyler Bass field goal early in the second quarter.

Dawson Knox momentarily appeared to catch his second touchdown pass of the afternoon but it was ruled incomplete after a review.

Miami trails 17-0 with 12:46 remaining until halftime.

1:52 p.m. | Buffalo Bills completely dominate first quarter

The Buffalo Bills outgained the Dolphins 172-19 in the first quarter en route to building a 14-0 advantage.

Miami's top receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill are struggling to support quarterback Skylar Thompson. Waddle had a big drop on the Dolphins' opening drive while Hill dropped a potential first-down pass on the offense's third drive.

Waddle had a near-catch broken up on a deep route to end the Dolphins' third drive. He injured his shoulder on the play and is considered questionable to return.

1:30 p.m. | Skylar Thompson interception adds to early Dolphins deficit

The tide is flowing against the Dolphins early as quarterback Skylar Thompson threw an interception on Miami's second drive.

Former FAU running back Devin Singletary converted a short third-down run and then rumbled in for a 13-yard touchdown.

Buffalo is dominating early with a 14-0 lead with 5:07 left in the first quarter.

1:20 p.m. | Josh Allen deep ball leads to opening points

The Dolphins defense forced a turnover on downs on the Bills opening drive but the offense was forced to punt quickly.

After sacking Josh Allen, the Dolphins defense continued to bring pressure but was burned for a 54-yard pass to Stefon Diggs. Xavien Howard was in coverage.

Allen then threw to tight end Dawson Knox, who made a one-handed touchdown catch to give the Bills a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

1:02 p.m. | Dolphins win opening coin toss, defer

The Miami Dolphins won the opening coin toss for the first time in several weeks and deferred.

Jason Sanders booted the opening kick out of the end zone, avoiding return man Nyheim Hines, who returned two kicks for touchdowns against New England last week.

12:35 p.m. | Damar Hamlin watching Dolphins-Bills from home

Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin tweeted before kickoff that he will be watching Sunday's playoff game from home.

Hamlin collapsed in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2. He was resuscitated on the field and hospitalized after suffering a cardiac event.

His recent recovery allowed Hamlin to relocate to Buffalo from the Cincinnati hospital ahead of the Bills' playoff schedule.

11:35 a.m. | Terron Armstead is active for Dolphins

Left tackle Terron Armstead (toe, pectoral, knee hip) is active for the Dolphins after missing the last two games.

If Armstead is actually able to play that could provide a huge lift for quarterback Skylar Thompson and the Dolphins.

Miami could use Greg Little or Robert Hunt or Geron Christian at right tackle, with Brandon Shell (knee/ankle) and Kendall Lamm (ankle) out on Sunday.

Other Dolphins out include Raheem Mostert, Noah Igbinoghene, Liam Eichenberg and Tanner Conner.

11:05 a.m. | Tua Tagovailoa expected to return as Dolphins starting quarterback in 2023

The update on Tua Tagovailoa was first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter early Sunday morning.

According to the report, doctors feel Tagovailoa should be able to resume his career next season, if not sooner. It may even be possible for Tua to play this postseason if Miami advances.

11 a.m. | Dolphins-Bills predictions: Do any national NFL experts give Miami a chance to win?

Since Tua Tagovailoa was announced out for Sunday's playoff game, the betting line has tipped wildly in Buffalo's favor. Most national reporters and analysts aren't giving Skylar Thompson and the Dolphins much of a shot to pull the upset.

"If Tua Tagovailoa were healthy, this would be an intriguing first-round matchup," said Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "Without Tua, it’s hard to see the Dolphins even keeping it close against a Bills team that is strong in all phases of the game."

What time is the Dolphins game today?

Where: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

When: 1 p.m. Sunday, January 15

What channel is the Dolphins game on?

TV: CBS

Live stream: Paramount+ (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial), fuboTV (7-day free trial)

How can I listen to Miami Dolphins game on the radio?

Radio: WQAM 560 AM, Sirius XM (Channel 225)

Online radio: siriusxm.com (Channel 819), tunein.com

What's the latest betting line for Dolphins vs. Bills?

The Bills are a 13-point favorite over the Dolphins according to Tipico, the oddsmaker for USA Today. The over-under is 46.5 points.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills game recap, AFC wild card highlights