Miami Dolphins head into Buffalo week with a lot to prove the few remaining doubters
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are having fun. The Miami Dolphins are winning football games and now, the Miami Dolphins once again have to show the NFL that they are for real and mean business.
Sure, the Dolphins beat the Chargers on the West Coast in a shootout against Justin Herbert. The media called a great performance by Tua an Tyreek but they also noted injuries and other issues with the Chargers.
In week two the Dolphins beat the Patriots but despite the victory Miami still let the Patriots climb back in and the media wanted you to know that a Mac Jones led offense almost completed the comeback.
Now, 70 points is great and the talk of the NFL but it was against the Broncos. The Buffalo Bills? Now Miami is playing an elite team.
The Bills have looked good for two of their first three games but no one is talking about the fact they played the Commanders last weekend and the Raiders the week before. No one is talking about the fact they lost to the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets in week one.
Are the Bills elite? Are the Miami Dolphins elite? This is head-on collision that is going to answer questions for both teams.
When the Buffalo Bills have the ball.
Buffalo's offense is good. Better than good if we are being honest. Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs are electric and they have a rushing attack that is more than adequate. Add Josh Allen's ability to run the ball and the Bills can do a lot of things out of any formation.
Allen is going to be a problem and containing him is the most important part of this game. The Dolphins have to keep him in the pocket and make him rush his throws. When that happens, Allen is far less accurate and far more erratic. To beat Buffalo's offense, you take away Josh Allen.
When the Dolphins have the ball.
The Bills defense is very good. Better than New Englands? I would say yes to that. They are quick, they can slide around the field with multiple looks and may be the absolute best physical team in the AFC.
They are not perfect though and this is where the Dolphins have to attack. Mike McDaniel will need to be creative once again and I have suspicion that they no-look pass to the RB on a disguised reverse might just be the reverse that gets called.
Tua Tagovailoa has to play sound football and the Dolphins need to keep a well-balanced offense to put the Bills defense on edge. Buffalo has a good front seven and good secondary which will allow them to play Miami's run game and passing game better than Miami's previous three opponents.
The key, as is the case with most games, is possession and turnovers. The team with more of the first and less of the second will have a better chance to win, of course that's how it works Capt. Obvious.
An early key to this weeks match-up for the Miami Dolphins.
The offensive line has played the best football of any Dolphins line since the days of Richie Incognito. This week, they may be without starting center Connor Williams and that is a blow that the Dolphins really will have to absorb if it comes to fruition.
The back up is Liam Eichenberg and we can say he didn't play bad when Williams left but the game was way out of hand when he came into the game. Without Williams against the Bills, running the ball coud be harder.