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Buffalo Bills' defense overwhelms Dolphins

MIAMI - The Buffalo Bills' defense did all the stomping last night against the Miami Dolphins.

Buffalo harried Dan Marino into three turnovers and scored on Gabe Northern's 59-yard fumble return to beat Miami 23-18.

The victory avenged the Bills' 24-17 loss at Miami in last season's playoffs. After that game, Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson celebrated in the locker room by stomping on a box of Flutie Flakes.

Linebacker John Holecek led the defensive charge by the Bills (3-1), while the loss by the Dolphins (2-1) left the NFL with three undefeated teams. The Bills had lost five consecutive games in Miami.

After Buffalo took a 23-12 lead on Steve Christie's third field goal with 6:56 left, Miami's Brock Marion returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to the 4. O.J. McDuffie then caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Marino, the first touchdown allowed by the Bills' defense in 13 quarters.

The Dolphins got the ball back with 2:59 to go, but Marino threw four consecutive incompletions from the Miami 43. He finished 22-for-44 for 251 yards with two interceptions and two sacks, his first of the year.

Doug Flutie went 12-for-25 for 186 yards and added 29 yards rushing.

The teams traded field goals before the Bills' defense broke a 6-6 tie late in the first half.

Holecek came through free on a blitz and blindsided Marino to jar the ball loose. Northern scooped it up, escaped the grasp of Miami's Cecil Collins and then ran untouched 59 yards for a touchdown.

Holecek returned an interception of Marino 35 yards to set up Christie's final field goal, a 31-yarder. He also hit from 26 and 52 yards.

The Dolphins closed to 13-12 early in the fourth quarter, but Buffalo responded with an 80-yard touchdown drove. Flutie hit Eric Moulds for 40 yards, then hit him again for the 6-yard score and a 20-12 lead.

The Dolphins' first score came after Flutie fumbled a snap and Miami's Shawn Wooden recovered at the Buffalo 41. Four plays later, Olindo Mare kicked a 30-yard field goal.

The Dolphins drove 74 yards in the final 1:41 of the first half but settled for a 26-yard field goal by Mare. They marched 65 yards in the third quarter, but after McDuffie dropped a potential touchdown pass, Mare kicked another 26-yarder.

Mare also hit a 44-yarder.