Miami Dolphins should expect a lot of QB pressure with Bills injuries

Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Tua Tagovailoa Miami Dolphins (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins are game planning for the Buffalo Bills but they need to be prepared for a lot of blitz packages. The Bills are banged up but they are still a really well-coached team.

If the Buffalo Bills are going to stop Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on Sunday, they will need to put constant pressure on Tua Tagovailoa. They will need to make the Dolphins beat them short with quick passes so that they can put themselves in a better position to defend.

The Bills are banged up with both their starting safety and starting cornerback out for Sunday and they could be with another starting safety as well. You would think that Miami would be wide-eyed looking at the match-ups against Hill and Waddle but the Bills know they can’t go toe-to-toe downfield banged up as they are. They have to get to Tua.

I would suspect the Bills will try and force Tua into making throws that are quick throws that are around five yards downfield where the Bills will be able to cover easier. Then, when the Dolphins take what they are given, I would expect the Bills to drop out of the blitz and drop into the forced passing lanes where they can force Tua into making mistakes.

Offensively, the Dolphins will need to win at the line of scrimmage, specifically on the edges where Terron Armstead and Greg Little need to be near flawless. Miami will try and curb the Bills’ blitz by using the tight ends and even fullback Alec Ingold to block. If they succeed, the Dolphins will find precious seconds to get the ball downfield.

Miami doesn’t have to go deep as they did against the Ravens in their comeback. They need to be smart with the football. Ideally, setting up the running game with success will also help open the passing game.

If McDaniel can get the run game working, he can beat the blitzes with chunk yards forcing the Bills to play more balanced. The Dolphins need to attack the Bills. Teams are not doing that and they have lost because of it.

On the opening weekend of the regular season, the Bills demolished the high-powered Rams on Thursday night. The Rams believed they could counter the Bills’ defense by staying with their offensive game plan but that didn’t work.

McDaniel is going to be challenged this weekend and his team needs to execute the plays being called in but Tua especially needs to stay sharp and read the defense. He has a fast release but he needs to stay aware that the Bills could drop back and take the quick pass away from him. If he can play mistake-free and get the balls to his players, the Dolphins’ offense can control the clock and if they do that, Josh Allen stays on the sideline.