MIAMI GARDENS, FL [WKBW] — Can the Buffalo Bills improve to 3-0 with a win against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday? The Bills have a tough test on the road facing an ascending Dolphins squad. So what does our sports staff think?
Week 3 predictions for Bills @ Dolphins:
Matt Bove:
Since arriving in Buffalo, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has dominated the Miami Dolphins. Allen and the Bills have won their last seven games against their division rivals and have outscored Miami 275 to 144 in their eight meetings since 2018.
But this Dolphins team is different. After an off-season of adding reinforcements, Miami now looks poised to contend for a playoff spot this season. Tua Tagovailoa is coming off a dominant performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 where he threw for six touchdowns. Against a depleted Bills secondary, the Dolphins offense should be able to put up points against a Bills unit that has been outstanding to start the year. In their first two games of the season, the Bills have given up a combined 17 points. They'll be hard pressed to continue that level of play, especially given their injuries and opponent.
So that brings us to the offense. Can the Bills win a track meet in Miami Gardens?
Absolutely they can.
Josh Allen is playing like the best player on the planet right now and leads the NFL with eight total touchdowns. His right-hand man, Stefon Diggs, is a matchup nightmare, even for a player like Dolphins corerback Xavien Howard. Gabe Davis missed the Titans game, but hinted this week he'd be ready to go against the Dolphins. Tight end Dawson Knox also seems poised for a breakout game after signing his big extension before the season.
This is the Bills toughest test so far this season, but I'm going with the team that has No. 17 under center.
Bills 31, Dolphins 28
Season record: 2-0
Dom Tibbetts:
If you had asked me if I thought the Miami matchup in week three of the season would be one of the toughest tests for this Buffalo Bills squad, I would've said you're absolutely crazy.
But that is now the reality we live in. Miami's monstrous second half comeback over the Ravens in week two should tell you that their offense may be the most comparable to Buffalo's. And it should also tell you a lot about first year head coach Mike McDaniel not only as a game manager, but also as a guy this locker room wants to win for.
I still think the Bills offense is far and above better than the Dolphins. But man, this Bills defense is banged up. McDermott has a lot of faith in rookie corners Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam to limit the explosiveness of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. But it's hard to imagine a scenario where those two receivers end up being shut down completely for a full 60 minutes.
It's also not easy to continually beat your division rivals year after year after year. Even the Patriots in the height of the Brady/Belichick era would occasionally drop a dud to the Jets, Dolphins or if Matt Cassel was starting, the Bills.
So don't think this game will have any long-term effect on Buffalo because at the end of the day it won't. They're still top-dogs in the division and quite frankly the league.
But the injury bug has bit the Bills at a time they couldn't afford it.
Dolphins 27, Bills 24
Season Record: 2-0
Briana Aldridge:
Everything points to the Bills coming out victorious.
As the Bills prepare for their first divisional matchup of the season, the list of injuries piled up. Going against Miami, who Buffalo has beaten seven times in the Josh Allen era, comes with a different outlook because the Dolphins are trending in the right direction under new head coach Mike McDaniel.
After just two weeks of football, the Bills have earned the vote of confidence. When something doesn't work, they've proven they can make the adjustment.
With that being said, some new pieces in the Bills secondary will have to play a bigger role, especially Jaquan Johnson, Kaiir Elam, and Christian Benford. Although the speed Miami brings will be a tough task, all three players have made a positive contribution thus far.
The pass rush for the Bills can overpower what might be lacking in the defensive backfield in experience. Tua Tagovailoa is coming off a career-high performance against the Ravens, so the Bills defensive line will have to bring the pressure and make Tua make mistakes.
On the offensive side, something in the air feels like the Stefon Diggs show is just getting started. In addition, the beating the Titans took gave some insight into what players like Jake Kumerow, Reggie Gilliam, and James Cook go do on the field. It gives not only the players but Ken Dorsey the confidence to spread the wealth and keep Miami's defense guessing.
Bills 31, Dolphins 27
Season record: 2-0
