NFL game summary for 09/17/1978:
Gary Davis ran 65 yards for a third quarter touchdown and Delvin Williams rushed for 135 yards as the Dolphins defeated the Bills for the seventeenth straight time to tie an NFL record. Miami's win over-shadowed an impressive performance by Joe Ferguson, who completed 14 of 24 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard bomb to Frank Lewis, the third longest scoring play in Bills history.
Team stats coming into this game (NFL ranks in parentheses):
| Team | Rush Yds/Gm | Pass Yds/Gm | Tot Yds/Gm | Turnovers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OFFENSE | 100.5 (22) | 188.5 (8) | 289.0 (17) | 2 |
| DEFENSE | 129.5 (16) | 194.0 (24) | 323.5 (22) | 3 | |
 | OFFENSE | 223.0 (3) | 161.5 (15) | 384.5 (2) | 4 |
| DEFENSE | 124.5 (13) | 189.0 (23) | 313.5 (19) | 8 |
Line: Dolphins by 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills (0-3-0) | 0 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
| Miami Dolphins (2-1-0) | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 31 |
( 0- 7) MIA Leroy Harris 4 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
( 7- 7) BUF Terry Miller 1 yard rush (Tom Dempsey kick)
( 7-14) MIA Andre Tillman 6 yard pass from Don Strock (Garo Yepremian kick)
( 7-17) MIA Garo Yepremian 49 yard field goal
(10-17) BUF Tom Dempsey 46 yard field goal
(10-24) MIA Gary Davis 65 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(17-24) BUF Frank Lewis 92 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Tom Dempsey kick)
(17-31) MIA Delvin Williams 18 yard rush (Garo Yepremian kick)
(24-31) BUF Roland Hooks 4 yard pass from Joe Ferguson (Tom Dempsey kick)
BUF MIA
First Downs: 17 18
Rushes-yards: 36-128 46-285
Yards/rush: 3.6 6.2
Comp-Att-Yd-INT: 14-24-245-0 7-14-97-0
Sacked-yards: 3-24 1-9
Net pass yards: 221 88
Net yards/pass: 8.2 5.9
Total net yards: 349 373
Total plays: 63 (57% run) 61 (75% run)
Yards/play: 5.5 6.1
Fumbles-lost: 2-1 4-1
Turnovers: 1 1
Penalties-yards: 5-47 4-25
Attendance: 48,373
Passing:
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 14 of 24 for 245 yards and 2 TDs MIA: Don Strock, 7 of 14 for 97 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
BUF: Terry Miller, 14 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 11 for 32 yards; Roland Hooks, 6 for 35 yards; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 11 yards; Dennis Johnson, 2 for 6 yards MIA: Delvin Williams, 24 for 135 yards and 1 TD; Leroy Harris, 8 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 7 for 32 yards; Gary Davis, 3 for 89 yards and 1 TD; Don Strock, 3 for -4 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Frank Lewis, 5 for 153 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 4 for 30 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 44 yards; Larry Walton, 1 for 8 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 6 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD MIA: Nat Moore, 3 for 64 yards; Duriel Harris, 2 for 18 yards; Andre Tillman, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
BUF: Curtis Brown, 2 for 54 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 2 for 29 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 13 yards MIA: Terry Anderson, 2 for 46 yards; Gary Davis, 2 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Keith Moody, 4 for 18 yards MIA: Jimmy Cefalo, 3 for -3 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BUF: Rusty Jackson, 6 for 206 yards MIA: George Roberts, 4 for 186 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: Tom Dempsey, 1/1 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/1
BUF: Joe Ferguson, 14 of 24 for 245 yards and 2 TDs MIA: Don Strock, 7 of 14 for 97 yards and 1 TD
Rushing:
BUF: Terry Miller, 14 for 44 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 11 for 32 yards; Roland Hooks, 6 for 35 yards; Joe Ferguson, 3 for 11 yards; Dennis Johnson, 2 for 6 yards MIA: Delvin Williams, 24 for 135 yards and 1 TD; Leroy Harris, 8 for 31 yards and 1 TD; Norm Bulaich, 7 for 32 yards; Gary Davis, 3 for 89 yards and 1 TD; Don Strock, 3 for -4 yards; Nat Moore, 1 for 2 yards
Receiving:
BUF: Frank Lewis, 5 for 153 yards and 1 TD; Jim Braxton, 4 for 30 yards; Reuben Gant, 2 for 44 yards; Larry Walton, 1 for 8 yards; Dennis Johnson, 1 for 6 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 4 yards and 1 TD MIA: Nat Moore, 3 for 64 yards; Duriel Harris, 2 for 18 yards; Andre Tillman, 2 for 15 yards and 1 TD
Kick returns:
BUF: Curtis Brown, 2 for 54 yards; Mike Franckowiak, 2 for 29 yards; Roland Hooks, 1 for 13 yards MIA: Terry Anderson, 2 for 46 yards; Gary Davis, 2 for 40 yards
Punt returns:
BUF: Keith Moody, 4 for 18 yards MIA: Jimmy Cefalo, 3 for -3 yards
Interceptions:
Punting:
BUF: Rusty Jackson, 6 for 206 yards MIA: George Roberts, 4 for 186 yards
Field Goals:
BUF: Tom Dempsey, 1/1 MIA: Garo Yepremian, 1/1