Game story
In Week 17 of the 2017 NFL season on 2017-12-31, the Buffalo Bills took care of business against the Miami Dolphins, pulling away with a 22–16 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 16 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
D. Fales (Miami Dolphins) paced the passing game, with -2.16 total EPA, and +3.7% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, T. Taylor (Buffalo Bills) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +13.31 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-19.2% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Miami Dolphins changed the game: (:56) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales pass deep right intended for 10-K.Stills INTERCEPTED by 21-J.Poyer at BUF 28. 21-J.Poyer to BUF 29 for 1 yard.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 7 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 22 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 16 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 T. Taylor · Buffalo Bills · Passing · +13.31 total EPA · 37 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
- 2 D. Parker · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +5.09 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.64 EPA/play
- 3 J. Landry · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +4.88 total EPA · 10 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play
- 4 K. Benjamin · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +3.50 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.17 EPA/play
- 5 D. Thompson · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +3.21 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.07 EPA/play
- 6 C. Clay · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +3.11 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.39 EPA/play
- 7 N. O'Leary · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +1.91 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.95 EPA/play
- 8 Z. Jones · Buffalo Bills · Receiving · +1.51 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.50 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
T. Taylor — BUF · Passing
T. Taylor posted the highest total EPA (+13.31) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Buffalo Bills's efficiency. Across 37 counted snaps, they averaged +0.36 EPA per play.
The signature play (+3.55 EPA) came from Buffalo Bills: (7:16) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass incomplete deep right to 10-D.Thompson. PENALTY on MIA-30-C.Tankersley, Defensive Pass Interference, 31 yards, enforced at MIA 32 - No Play.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Buffalo Bills — N. O'Leary (T. Taylor pass)
- Buffalo Bills — K. Williams
- Miami Dolphins — J. Landry (D. Fales pass)
- Miami Dolphins — D. Fales
Field goals
- Buffalo Bills — S. Hauschka
- Buffalo Bills — S. Hauschka
- Miami Dolphins — C. Parkey
- Buffalo Bills — S. Hauschka
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 7–0. Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the MIA 26 (Q1 55:20) — (10:20) 5-T.Taylor pass deep right to 84-N.O'Leary for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Buffalo Bills added 1 points from the MIA 15 (Q1 55:14) — 4-S.Hauschka extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt..
The second quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 3–0. Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the MIA 5 (Q2 44:50) — (14:50) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt..
The third quarter: Buffalo Bills won the period 9–3. Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the MIA 31 (Q3 25:21) — (10:21) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt.; Buffalo Bills found the end zone from the MIA 1 (Q3 22:10) — (7:10) 95-K.Williams and 72-R.Groy reported in as eligible. 95-K.Williams up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Miami Dolphins connected on a field goal from the BUF 18 (Q3 17:34) — (2:34) (Field Goal formation) 1-C.Parkey 36 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-16-M.Haack..
The fourth quarter: Miami Dolphins won the period 13–3. Buffalo Bills connected on a field goal from the MIA 15 (Q4 11:45) — (11:45) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt.; Miami Dolphins found the end zone from the BUF 1 (Q4 6:21); Miami Dolphins found the end zone from the BUF 1 (Q4 2:00) — (2:00) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Miami Dolphins added 1 points from the BUF 15 (Q4 1:56) — 1-C.Parkey extra point is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-16-M.Haack..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Miami Dolphins (Q4 0:56) — (:56) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales pass deep right intended for 10-K.Stills INTERCEPTED by 21-J.Poyer at BUF 28. 21-J.Poyer to BUF 29 for 1 yard.
- Buffalo Bills (Q4 1:56) — (Onside Kick formation) 1-C.Parkey kicks onside 2 yards from MIA 35 to MIA 37, impetus ends at MIA 43. RECOVERED by MIA-28-B.McCain.
- Miami Dolphins (Q1 52:27) — (7:27) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales pass short left to 11-D.Parker to BUF 22 for 7 yards (23-M.Hyde).
- Buffalo Bills (Q1 56:33) — (11:33) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass short middle to 10-D.Thompson to MIA 39 for 13 yards (22-T.McDonald).
- Buffalo Bills (Q2 41:58) — (11:58) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass deep middle to 13-K.Benjamin to BUF 42 for 18 yards (20-R.Jones). PENALTY on MIA-35-W.Aikens, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 42.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Buffalo Bills (Q3 22:16) — (7:16) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass incomplete deep right to 10-D.Thompson. PENALTY on MIA-30-C.Tankersley, Defensive Pass Interference, 31 yards, enforced at MIA 32 - No Play.
- Miami Dolphins (Q3 23:49) — (8:49) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales pass incomplete short right. PENALTY on MIA-9-D.Fales, Intentional Grounding, 13 yards, enforced at BUF 37.
- Buffalo Bills (Q2 41:58) — (11:58) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass deep middle to 13-K.Benjamin to BUF 42 for 18 yards (20-R.Jones). PENALTY on MIA-35-W.Aikens, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 42.
- Buffalo Bills (Q1 55:20) — (10:20) 5-T.Taylor pass deep right to 84-N.O'Leary for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
D.Fales led all passers in efficiency for Miami Dolphins, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- D.Fales (Miami Dolphins) · 49 dropbacks · 59.2% completion · +3.7% CPOE · -0.04 EPA/play · -2.16 total EPA
- T.Taylor (Buffalo Bills) · 37 dropbacks · 51.4% completion · +5.9% CPOE · +0.36 EPA/play · +13.31 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Buffalo Bills | Miami Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | +0.109 | -0.025 |
| Offensive success rate | 42.9% | 43.5% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.360 | -0.065 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.123 | +0.029 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.025 | -0.109 |
| Defensive success rate | 56.5% | 57.1% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Buffalo Bills generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.11 vs -0.03), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Buffalo Bills: 11 drives, +9.17 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
- Miami Dolphins: 11 drives, -2.12 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Buffalo Bills leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- T. Taylor (Buffalo Bills) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- D. Fales (MIA) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
- T. Taylor (BUF) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q1 55:20 · MIA 26 · Score 6-0
(10:20) 5-T.Taylor pass deep right to 84-N.O'Leary for 26 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Buffalo Bills XP (+1) — Q1 55:14 · MIA 15 · Score 7-0
4-S.Hauschka extra point is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt. - Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q2 44:50 · MIA 5 · Score 10-0
(14:50) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt. - Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q3 25:21 · MIA 31 · Score 13-0
(10:21) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt. - Buffalo Bills TD (+6) — Q3 22:10 · MIA 1 · Score 19-0
(7:10) 95-K.Williams and 72-R.Groy reported in as eligible. 95-K.Williams up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Miami Dolphins FG (+3) — Q3 17:34 · BUF 18 · Score 19-3
(2:34) (Field Goal formation) 1-C.Parkey 36 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-16-M.Haack. - Buffalo Bills FG (+3) — Q4 11:45 · MIA 15 · Score 22-3
(11:45) (Field Goal formation) 4-S.Hauschka 33 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-69-R.Ferguson, Holder-6-C.Schmidt. - Miami Dolphins TD (+6) — Q4 6:21 · BUF 1 · Score 22-9
(6:21) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales pass short middle to 14-J.Landry for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on MIA-14-J.Landry, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced betwe - Miami Dolphins TD (+6) — Q4 2:00 · BUF 1 · Score 22-15
(2:00) (Shotgun) 9-D.Fales left tackle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Miami Dolphins XP (+1) — Q4 1:56 · BUF 15 · Score 22-16
1-C.Parkey extra point is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-16-M.Haack.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
The Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins 22-16 in Week 17, 2017 on 2017-12-31.
What was the final score of Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
The final score was Buffalo Bills 22, Miami Dolphins 16 (BUF 22-16 MIA) in Week 17, 2017 on 2017-12-31.
What was the score by quarter in Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
Q1: Buffalo Bills 7, Miami Dolphins 0; Q2: Buffalo Bills 3, Miami Dolphins 0; Q3: Buffalo Bills 9, Miami Dolphins 3; Q4: Buffalo Bills 3, Miami Dolphins 13; Final: Buffalo Bills 22, Miami Dolphins 16.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
Buffalo Bills touchdown — N. O'Leary (T. Taylor pass) (Q1 55:20) Buffalo Bills touchdown — K. Williams (Q3 22:10) Miami Dolphins touchdown — J. Landry (D. Fales pass) (Q4 6:21) Miami Dolphins touchdown — D. Fales (Q4 2:00) Buffalo Bills field goal — S. Hauschka (Q2 44:50, 3 pts) Buffalo Bills field goal — S. Hauschka (Q3 25:21, 3 pts) Miami Dolphins field goal — C. Parkey (Q3 17:34, 3 pts) Buffalo Bills field goal — S. Hauschka (Q4 11:45, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
D. Fales (Miami Dolphins), 59.2% completion, +3.7% CPOE, -0.04 EPA per dropback, -2.16 total passing EPA. T. Taylor (Buffalo Bills), 51.4% completion, +5.9% CPOE, +0.36 EPA per dropback, +13.31 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins?
T. Taylor (Buffalo Bills) led the game in total EPA with +13.31 on passing plays. across 37 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+3.55 EPA): (7:16) (Shotgun) 5-T.Taylor pass incomplete deep right to 10-D.Thompson. PENALTY on MIA-30-C.Tankersley, Defensive Pass Interference, 31 yards, enforced at MIA 32 - No Play.. The biggest win-probability swing was -19.2%.
Was Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins a close game?
Yes — the margin was 6 points. Buffalo Bills won 22-16 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Buffalo Bills
Entered 8-7 Now 9-7 W
Miami Dolphins
Entered 6-9 Now 6-10 L
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