Bills shut down Tannehill to beat Dolphins
Leodis McKelvin had a 79-yard punt return and Rian Lindell booted four field goals as the Buffalo Bills defeated Miami 19-14 on Thursday to kick-off week 11 of the National Football League season.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had 168 passing yards and C.J. Spiller compiled 91 rushing yards on 22 carries for Buffalo, who snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Bills also posted their first win against an AFC East division opponent in four attempts this season.
Miami rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Davone Bess at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
But Tannehill was intercepted twice in the game’s final two minutes, sealing the Dolphins’ third consecutive loss.
He came into the game needing 232 passing yards to surpass Dan Marino for the most by a rookie in Miami history.
The win moves Buffalo into a tie with Miami for second place in the AFC East with a 4-2 record.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also hope to win this weekend to gain a share of first in the AFC North.
But Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a shoulder and rib injury in week 10, depriving one of the NFL’s most heated rivalries of a little of its grandeur.
The Steelers have decided to go with Byron Leftwich at quarterback in the divisional matchup against the first place Baltimore Ravens on one of several key NFL matchups on Sunday.
Pittsburgh are 0-4 against the Ravens without two-time Super Bowl winner Roethlisberger.
The Steelers enter Sunday night’s contest trailing Baltimore by one game for first place as Leftwich will make his first NFL start since September 2009 with Tampa Bay.
The Ravens are coming off a 55-20 rout last Sunday of the Oakland Raiders.
Torrey Smith caught two touchdown passes for a total of 67 yards and Dennis Pitta added five catches for 67 yards and a score for the Ravens, who established a new franchise record for most points in one game.
Indianapolis rookie quarterback Andrew Luck will face veteran quarterback Tom Brady for the first time when the Colts battle the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Luck has guided the Colts to four consecutive wins and has won six of his first nine career starts, passing for 2,631 yards and 10 touchdowns while running for 159 yards.
Last Sunday against Jacksonville, Luck rushed for two touchdowns in Indianapolis’ 27-10 win. Luck was the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles will be without their top quarterback Michael Vick when they face the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Vick suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
© AFP 2013- Explore:
- American Football, Miami Dolphins
THE ROAR ON