Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) holds onto the ball to score a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Buffalo fans cheered so loudly in Hard Rock Stadium that Bills coach Sean McDermott was asked if it was a home game.
It wasn’t. But Buffalo certainly gave fans who made the trip to South Florida plenty to celebrate Thursday night.
James Cook caught a touchdown pass and ran for two scores and the Bills routed Miami 31-10, with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leaving early because of a concussion.
Tagovailoa left in the third quarter after colliding with defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf. Tagovailoa was quickly ruled out with the concussion, casting doubt on his season after a history of dealing with head injuries.
“Very sad. It’s the worst part of the game,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said. “Nothing but love and prayers to him and his family, and hopefully everyone is sending those because he’s going to need them.”
Coach Mike McDaniel did not specify if the Dolphins will place Tagovailoa on injured reserve, saying the team would evaluate him more Friday.
“I’m just worried about my teammate like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and then take it day by day from there.”
Allen, playing with a glove on his left non-throwing hand after hurting it in Buffalo’s opener, completed 13 of 19 passes for 139 yards. He’s 12-2 against the Dolphins, and the Bills are 14-2 against Miami since McDermott’s first year as head coach in 2017.
McDermott praised the outing from his defense, which had three turnovers and held Miami’s high-flying offense to a touchdown and field goal despite missing several starters.
“Next man up. The guys did a great job,” McDermott said. “These guys work hard. Good things happen when you work hard, and sometimes the ball finds you like that.”
Cook caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Allen and scored on runs of 1 and 49 yards in the first half, flipping into the end zone when he gave the Bills a 24-7 lead. The three first-half touchdowns tied a team record.
“As long as they trust me, I’m going to get in the end zone,” Cook said.
Allen didn’t appear limited by the left hand that he hurt after hurdling safety Budda Baker in Buffalo’s opener against the Cardinals. He had his hand heavily wrapped before returning to finish that game and practiced all week with a glove to protect it.
After the game and before leaving the field, Allen held up his hand and flexed it in front of fans as if to display that it’s not broken.
“Feels great,” Allen said later.
Backup Mitchell Trubisky replaced Allen late in the fourth Thursday with Buffalo up by 21.
Miami’s star receiver Tyreek Hill was held to three catches for 24 yards during a week in which he dominated national headlines. Hill was pulled from his sports car by Miami-Dade County police officers, pushed face-first onto a street and handcuffed during a traffic stop outside the Dolphins’ home stadium hours before their season opener.
Officer Danny Torres was placed on administrative duty as the department’s director launched an internal affairs investigation. Hill said he wants the officer fired, but the 30-year-old also acknowledged he could have handled the interaction better in the moment.
Buffalo scored 10 points off two first-half turnovers by Tagovailoa. Ja’Marcus Ingram intercepted Tagovailoa’s pass on a tipped ball intended for receiver Grant DuBose on Miami’s opening drive. Then Christian Benford picked off a pass on what appeared to be miscommunication between the quarterback and receiver Robbie Chosen. Both DuBose and Chosen arrived to the team after the preseason.
Tagovailoa thew another interception to Ingram trying to toss the ball out of bounds on Miami’s opening drive of the third. Ingram returned the ball 31 yards for a score that put Buffalo up 31-10. It was Tagovailoa’s third career game with three interceptions.
Tagovailoa ran for a first down with 4:36 in the third and collided head-first into Hamlin and hit his head on the ground.
Bills players, as well as Tagovailoa’s teammates, immediately waved for trainers to come to the field. The fifth-year quarterback was helped to his feet after a few minutes and walked under his own power to the locker room with trainers after throwing for 145 yards and a 5-yard touchdown to De’Von Achane.
Tagovailoa was diagnosed with two concussions in 2022. Skylar Thompson replaced him Thursday.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being. He’ll drive the ship when we get the appropriate information.”
Injuries
Bills: Middle linebacker and captain Terrel Bernard left with a pectoral injury in the first quarter and did not return.
Dolphins: Starting offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Rob Jones both left with shoulder injuries. … Jeff Wilson Jr. left with an oblique injury and did not return.
Up Next
Bills: Host Jacksonville on Monday, Sept. 23.
Dolphins: At Seattle on Sunday, Sept. 22.
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