The Buffalo Bills squeaked out a hard-fought win against the Miami Dolphins, 31-21, on Thursday night.
The Bills (3-0) entered the game as double-digit favorites. However, Buffalo struggled to establish dominance.
The Bills offense, which was expected to move the ball at will against Miami’s defense, couldn’t find consistency sustaining drives. Defensively, the Bills could not put consistent pressure on the Dolphins (0-3) offensive line.
In the end, it was a gift from Miami’s Zach Sieler that helped give the Bills the lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Dolphins forced the Bills to punt for a third consecutive drive. On the ensuing punt, Sieler was flagged for a roughing the kicker personal foul. Buffalo finished the drive with a Khalil Shakir touchdown catch.
On the subsequent drive, the Dolphins had the Bills defense on the ropes. Linebacker Terrel Bernard saved the day, picking off Tua Tagovailoa with three minutes remaining in regulation.
That play allowed Buffalo to exhale. The Bills offense moved the ball into field goal position. Matt Prater atoned for an earlier missed field goal, successfully making a 48-yard field goal to seal the game for Buffalo.
Here is the Bills Wire’s instant analysis of Week 3’s game:
What went right?
James Cook continued his ascent as one of the league’s best running backs. Cook ran 19 times for 108 yards and a rushing touchdown. He forced multiple missed tackles throughout the game.
Josh Allen had another strong game. While the final numbers were not eye-popping (22-for-28, 213 passing yards, and two touchdown passes), he was efficient in moving the ball.
Tight end Dalton Kincaid also had a nice game. Kincaid was targeted early in the game. He opened the scoring with a nice catch-and-run for a touchdown. The tight end led Bills receivers with five catches for 66 yards.
The game emphasized the “everybody eats” mentality. Nine different receivers caught passes from Allen, including rookie tight end Jackson Hawes, who caught his first NFL touchdown.
Terrel Bernard made the play of the game for Buffalo’s defense. With Miami driving down the field looking to tie the game, the linebacker jumped a Tagovailoa pass to force the game’s only turnover.
What went wrong?
A major narrative leading up to this game was how easy it was supposed to be for Buffalo. Miami was reeling after two losses, Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat, and the Dolphins looked inept in their first two games.
Instead, the game became quite a battle for the Bills.
Buffalo’s defense did not play the game they had hoped for. The defense did not record a sack against an undermanned Miami offensive line. Tagovailoa was able to throw on rhythm for most of the game. Buffalo surrendered touchdowns to Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill.
The Bills defense allowed Miami to complete a 16-play scoring drive in the first half. It was indicative of the problems Buffalo had with getting the Dolphins off the field. Miami was successful on 10-of-15 third-down conversions.
What’s the bottom line?
Buffalo won a game without their best performance. The victory keeps the Bills on top of the AFC East. The offense still put up over 30 points without having a strong performance.
Buffalo’s defense had some previously documented issues with Miami’s offense. Still, the unit completed the big play when it was needed. And, they helped earn a double-digit victory without Ed Oliver, Maxwell Hariston, and Matt Milano. It’s promising that Buffalo’s defense can hang on without three major pieces on the field.
For the most part, Buffalo played a clean game. Once again, the Bills did not have a turnover.
There’s a little bit of concern, though, as it was Miami’s mistakes that gave the Bills the edge on the evening. Nevertheless, a win is a win, and the Bills remain tied at the top of the AFC standings.
What’s next?
The Buffalo Bills host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, September 28. The Saints are winless following losses to the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers to start the season. New Orleans faces the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3 action.
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