MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, making just his third NFL start, outplayed his Miami Dolphins counterpart, Ryan Tannehill.

As a result, the Bills defeated the Dolphins 41-14 on Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, and the sense is that Buffalo is starting to believe in its new QB.

"This whole football team has confidence in (Taylor)," Bills coach Rex Ryan said. "This kid is legit. We know he's legit. When the protection holds up, this kid can burn you."

The numbers back that up as Taylor, a 2011 sixth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens who had never started an NFL game before this season, completed 21 out of 29 passes for 277 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

But Taylor was far from the only Buffalo hero. Middle linebacker Preston Brown intercepted two passes and returned one for a 43-yard touchdown. Last week, Brown had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Brown said his last two-interception game was "probably in Little League" if ever.

"I'm just hustling to the ball," said Brown, who had just one interception as a rookie last season. "Good things happen when you run to the ball."

In addition to Taylor and Brown, two rookies from Florida State -- both of whom had played in this stadium against the Miami Hurricanes while in college -- had big games.

Second-round pick Ronald Darby intercepted his second pass of the season. Fifth-round pick Karlos Williams scored his third NFL touchdown, rushing 12 times for a game-high 110 yards.

Other standouts included three players who were once a part of the Dolphins organization -- tight end Charles Clay (25-yard TD catch), kicker Dan Carpenter (two field goals, including a 51-yarder) and wide receiver Chris Hogan (38-yard TD catch).

Add it all up, and the Bills have now won five of the past seven games in their series with Miami.

With the win, the Bills (2-1) tied the New York Jets for second place in the AFC East, trailing the 3-0 New England Patriots. The Dolphins (1-2) are last in the division.

This was the Dolphins' 50th home opener, but it surely wasn't what many Miami fans expected, especially after the team spent $114 million to sign star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in the offseason. But, for the third week in a row, Suh was a non-factor.

"That Suh kid -- I don't care what they say -- he's a heck of a football player," Ryan said. "We kind of neutralized him a little bit, but he's a great player. We kept him off balance, maybe got in his head a little bit."

Tannehill was intercepted three times in the first half, helping Buffalo build a 27-0 lead at the break.

"There are things we need to correct, but there's no panic," Tannehill said. "We have 13 games left."

Buffalo scored touchdowns on its first two possessions. Clay caught a 25-yard pass to cap Buffalo's first drive, which went 77 yards on five plays. On his score, Clay made two brilliant moves, faking out cornerback Brice McCain and then safety Michael Thomas.

The Bills made it 14-0 on Taylor's 10-yard pass to running back LeSean McCoy, capping an eight-play, 81-yard drive. McCoy scored on a crossing pattern underneath coverage.

Late in the first quarter, Tannehill should have had a completed pass to wide receiver Jarvis Landry. But the ball went through Landry's hands, and Brown made the grab.

That turnover led to a 26-yard field goal by Carpenter.

Later in the second quarter, Tannehill intended to throw short to Landry. But safety Bacarri Rambo, starting because of an injury to Aaron Williams, blitzed Tannehill, forcing a hurried throw that was intercepted by Brown, whose return gave Buffalo a 24-0 lead.

"They fooled me with their blitz," Tannehill said. "I made a bad decision."

Buffalo closed an impressive half by adding Carpenter's 51-yard field goal with eight seconds left. That field goal was set up by Darby's interception and 21-yard return.

Miami finally got on the board with 5:39 left in the third quarter. Tannehill completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rishard Matthews. Landry added a two-point conversion catch.

But Buffalo came right back on the first play of the fourth quarter. Taylor hit a 38-yard touchdown pass to Hogan, a former Dolphins practice-squad player. Hogan beat the Dolphins defense over the top, capping an 11-play, 80-yard drive that put the Bills up 34-8.

Miami cut its deficit to 34-14 on a 46-yard pass from Tannehill to Matthews. The extra-point try by Andrew Franks was no good, and that was as close as Miami got.

Buffalo capped the scoring on Williams' 41-yard TD run with 6:46 left in the game.

"It's tough," Dolphins safety Reshad Jones said of the loss. "I don't know what it is right now. We have to break down the film and see what we didn't do well. ... They made more plays than we did."

NOTES: Two Buffalo starters -- WR Sammy Watkins (calf) and RG John Miller (groin) -- were hurt in the second quarter. ... Three Bills players competed despite coming in with injuries: RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring); WR Percy Harvin (hip) and DE Jerry Hughes (wrist). Bills coach Rex Ryan said McCoy is playing on "one-and-a-half legs." ... Three Dolphins players competed despite injuries: DE Cameron Wake (hamstring), TE Jordan Cameron (groin) and RB Lamar Miller (ankle). ... Miami LT Brandon Albert (hamstring) sat out -- a major loss for the Dolphins. He was replaced by Jason Fox. ... Dolphins backup TE Deon Sims (concussion) sat out. ... Buffalo LG Richie Incognito, an ex-Dolphin, played against Miami for the first time since his involvement and subsequent suspension in a bullying scandal.