ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Miami Dolphins lost 30-27 to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, with a critical penalty late in the game paving the way for Tyler Bass' 61-yard, game-winning field goal.
Facing third-and-9 from his own 31-yard line, Bills quarterback Josh Allen attempted a pass to wide receiver Keon Coleman, that would have put Buffalo's offense at the Dolphins' 30-yard line. Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer jarred the ball loose with a hit to Coleman's upper body but was flagged for unnecessary roughness on the play.
The penalty awarded 15 yards and a first down to Buffalo, which took the lead for good on Bass' career-long kick with 10 seconds remaining in the game.
The crown of Poyer's helmet made contact with Coleman's facemask, which sealed the penalty. After the game, he said he thought the play was clean in real time.
"I'm just playing football. I thought it was a clean play, felt like I put my helmet right into his chest," he said. "I'm just playing football, it's tough. ... What can you do? I don't know. I had a great post break, he went up for the ball and I literally didn't stop my feet. I felt like I hit him where I was supposed to hit him. Apparently, the ref didn't think so."
The penalty on Poyer was one of eight committed by the Dolphins in Sunday's loss, two of which came on the Bills' game-winning drive.
Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell said those penalties are an unfortunate byproduct of a physical, aggressive game.
"This is a physical game. [If Coleman] catches that ball, it's big time," Campbell said. "[Poyer] was trying to separate him, I know he was going for his chest -- when you're going for the chest with your shoulder, sometimes you make contact with the helmet. But it's an aggressive penalty. We don't want to slow guys down from being aggressive. Those are plays that are going to happen sometimes. You would like for it not to happen, but that's football.
"I know Poyer, I know his heart, the way he prepares. He's going to play 100 miles per hour, and I'll go to war with him every day because of it."
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel echoed Campbell's sentiment to an extent, agreeing that their goal is to play aggressively. But he didn't dispute the call.
"You have to play aggressive in this game for success. I have no doubt that the intentionality was appropriate," McDaniel said. "Po is a gigantic player for our team and has been phenomenal, really helping us take another step in how we prepare, how we play, how we communicate, all that. But he knows himself that you take it out of your hands and put it in the officials hands the second you don't hit the strike zone ... if you didn't, that's going to get called every time because that's against the rules."
Sunday's loss dropped Miami to 2-6, effectively five games back of the AFC East-leading Bills, who secured a season sweep of the Dolphins for the second consecutive year.
ESPN's Football Power Index gave Miami a 6.5% chance to make the playoffs entering Sunday's game. The Dolphins will travel to Los Angeles next week to play the Rams on "Monday Night Football" before a two-game homestand against the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots.
Dolphins players aren't ready to say this season is over, and their performance against a Bills team that has dominated them in recent years provided a sense of optimism.
"We're playing some good ball as a team," Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill said. "It's all about getting better, you know what I'm saying? So moving forward next week, a lot of guys are going to take accountability on what they can get better at and we're going to move forward from it. That's the only way teams and guys get better."