The Miami Dolphins left their fans and the rest of the NFL baffled after their blowout victory over the Buffalo Bills in Week 10 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Having lost seven in a row and 14 of the last 15 meetings against the Bills, including the playoffs, the Dolphins walked away Sunday with a convincing 30-13 win -- and it wasn't even that close.
The win only puts Miami at 3-7, but it's hard to poke at any holes in this all-around impressive team performance.
Miami Dolphins' winners from Week 10 win over Bills
De'Von Achane
Of course, a dominant performance over one of the NFL's better teams is led by the Dolphins' best player, running back De'Von Achane. On the day, Achane rushed 22 times for 174 yards (7.9 average) for two touchdowns, while leading the Dolphins with six receptions. His 225 yards from scrimmage were a season high and a great example that the new general manager will have a tough decision to make heading into 2026.
Achane was a heavy target among teams up through the NFL trade deadline. The Dolphins stood pat this time around, but that doesn't mean they can't strike a deal in the offseason. Achane is going to want a new contract before suiting up next season, and whoever the new GM is will have to decide if paying a running back premium money in a rebuild is a proper investment.
Regardless, performances like Sunday's show that Achane will get paid by somebody. He's shown week in and week out that he's one of the best all-purpose backs in the league.
JuJu Brents
Buffalo had zero points entering the fourth quarter, so nearly everyone on the Dolphins' defense could be listed as a winner this week. Miami linebacker and defensive leader Jordyn Brooks received heavy consideration with another stud performance, but I'm giving the nod this time to cornerback JuJu Brents, who's seen little of the field in the first half of the season. And after Sunday's showing, it's a strong wonder as to why that is.
READ MORE: It took one game for the Dolphins to forget about Jaelan Phillips
Filling in for an injured Rasul Douglas, Brents played exceptionally in his first start with Miami. In addition to his five tackles, Brents also recovered a fumble and had an impressive pass deflection.
Brents earned the starting nod during the week of practice over rookie CB Jason Marshall Jr. and Ethan Bonner. It's possible Douglas returns next week against the Washington Commanders, but Brents earned himself more playing time after this game. And with the Dolphins needing to evaluate their young talent more down the stretch, we should see more of him in the second half of the season.
Mike McDaniel
Things didn't start out well for the Dolphins' head coach. On Miami's very first play of the game -- with 15 minutes exactly still to go in the first quarter -- Mike McDaniel used the team's first timeout. Not to out my age, but I've been watching football for 30-plus years now, and I don't believe I've ever seen a timeout used before one second has ticked off the clock. But if I had to guess who would be the first to do it, McDaniel would be at the top of the list.
Nevertheless, McDaniel didn't need his timeouts for this one, as he called a great game overall. After the game, Achane said, "When you're running the ball good, don't go away from it." We've seen in the past McDaniel get away from the running game at the slightest indication that it's not working. Against Buffalo, though, he seemed to have listened to his star RB.
The Bills' run defense has been one of their weakest links, so it'll be interesting to see how McDaniel reacts against tougher teams in that regard. However, McDaniel clearly had a game plan against the team that has destroyed him throughout his tenure, and it paid off.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is giving McDaniel a legitimate shot at staying on as the HC past this season, and wins like this will only boost his chances.
Miami Dolphins' loser from Week 10 win over Bills
Dolphins' tank
Like with the game against Atlanta, there are not a lot of negatives to pinpoint from the Dolphins' shutdown of the Bills. And while the win over the Falcons came against an aging Kirk Cousins, Miami held down reigning MVP Josh Allen this time around.
Yet, performances like this can create frustration with a part of the fan base. There's the thought that if you can play like this against Buffalo, then you should be able to play other teams like this and be better than your record indicates.
Unfortunately, the Dolphins are 3-7, with an uphill battle if they want to continue their reign as the "in the hunt" champions and sniff the possibility at the postseason. Miami would likely need to run the table, though, for any chance at that happening.
Instead, what the win over Buffalo does is essentially hurt Miami's draft stock for 2026. Following Sunday's slate of games, the Dolphins currently sit at pick No. 7 for next April's draft. And with games upcoming against the Commanders, New Orleans Saints, and the New York Jets, the Dolphins could again be picking outside of the top 10 when it's all said and done.
For all the reasons that the victory was good for McDaniel -- and it's always nice to beat Buffalo -- they're just as bad for the organization overall. As mentioned, this win gives Ross more confidence in McDaniel and increases the chances of him sticking around longer. That means a new GM will have less autonomy on the team if he/she is forced to keep McDaniel. It also means that several qualified candidates will remove their names from consideration.
The 2026 draft class isn't the best, but on a weekend in which both the Saints and Jets won, the Dolphins had an opportunity to move up the draft board before an easier part of their schedule arrives.
Continuous losses could have also forced Ross' hand eventually in letting go of McDaniel and finally rebuilding this franchise the proper way. But instead, it looks like the Dolphins are going to take another half-in approach to rebuilding, which is likely to result in disaster, just as all the others have.