With eleven seconds remaining in regulation play, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw a 43-yard Hail Mary pass into the end zone that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught over three Bills defenders for the game-winning touchdown.

With 0:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, quarterback Josh Allen threw a 21-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs to regain the lead for Buffalo.

[6] Despite Buffalo's prevent defense strategy, the Cardinals advanced to the Bills' 43-yard line for a 1st and 10 following a nine-yard reception by wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

[7] After the snap, Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins, by himself on the left side of the field, ran a go route towards the end zone while the other receivers, including Fitzgerald and Andy Isabella, ran varying levels of crossing routes.

Murray took the snap and rolled to his left, evading a potential sack by Bills defensive end Mario Addison.

[8] As Sporting News and NFL Films noted, the play was not drawn up as a traditional Hail Mary due to Murray's receivers running crossing routes rather than all running straight to the end zone, but became one as Murray was forced into his desperation heave.

[9][10] With no other choice, Murray threw the ball towards the end zone, as Oliver attempted to deflect the pass.

It's Murray Magic!Dave Pasch: Murray back to throw, flushed out, rolling left in trouble, slips a tackle, gotta launch it, he does, left side, into the end zone, jump ball, and it is… is it caught?!

[1] Buffalo attempted a hook and ladder play on the ensuing kickoff, but was unsuccessful, securing the Cardinals' 32–30 win.

While they remained atop the AFC East standings, their lead over the Miami Dolphins dropped to a half-game.

[16] Following the game, many past and present NFL players such as Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Tyrann Mathieu, Randy Moss, Dez Bryant, and Kam Chancellor expressed amazement at Murray's throw and Hopkins' catch.

[20] NFL Films noted several coincidental ties between the "Hail Murray" and other notable plays in league history; the Helmet Catch during the New York Giants' win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII took place in the same stadium, while Bills receiver Stefon Diggs and Cardinals running back Kenyan Drake had been part of similar "miracle plays" for their previous teams: the Minneapolis Miracle and Miracle in Miami, respectively.

[10] One of the pylons used to mark the end zone during the play was later sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame for display.

[21] In Week 13 of the 2020 season, the Bills travelled back to State Farm Stadium to play the San Francisco 49ers, where the 49ers were playing as the home team due to a temporary ban on team sports in Santa Clara County, California, home of Levi's Stadium, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

[22] During an interview prior to the game, NFL Network host Rich Eisen suggested to 49ers CEO Jed York that his team show the "Hail Murray" on the stadium screen and "blast it" prior to the Bills entering the field, commenting that Buffalo players would be "a little spooked coming into that building.

As the Bills had already defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, their win over the 49ers meant that the "Hail Murray" play singlehandedly cost them a season sweep of the NFC West, widely regarded as the league's toughest division in 2020.

[28] The Bills, meanwhile, rebounded from the loss to win six consecutive games, all of them by double digits, to finish in first place in the AFC East with a 13–3 record.

They clinched their first AFC East title since 1995 and their third playoff berth in four years with a victory over Denver in Week 15.