Dolphins Put To Early Test As Buffalo Comes To Town

Miami Gardens, FL – It’s always good to start the season with a win, but Week 2 of the NFL season will be an early test for the Miami Dolphins as they welcome the Buffalo Bills to Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday night.

Miami was fortunate to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars last Sunday, who gave the Fins all they could handle and then some. With an offense that struggled early on and a defense that got better as the game went on, the Dolphins adjusted very well after halftime.

Speedy On And Off The Field

The play of the game came as safety Jevon Holland punched the ball out of Travis Etienne’s hands as he was ready to cross the goal line and seal the game. That was immediately followed up by an 80-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill one play later.

Got to ask head coach Mike McDaniel about defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

Take a listen! 👇#GoFins| #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/4dPBQ7N26j

— Jake Gibson (@JakeTheEmcee) September 8, 2024

Overall, Miami’s defense gave up no points in the second half. They kept pressure on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Dolphins’ Defense recorded multiple sacks and tackles for a loss, a turnover on downs, and set up the Dolphins’ offense for the game-winning drive with minutes to go. For that reason, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver impressed many people in his first game, including head coach Mike McDaniel.

Overall, there’s room for improvement for the Miami Dolphins. While their offense was fine, their decision-making on fourth down set them back twice. There were signs of rust from just about everyone.

The Mafia From Western New York

In come the Buffalo Bills, who have won the AFC East Division the last four seasons. Despite having no Super Bowls, they have been labeled as championship contenders for the past few years, reaching the AFC Championship game in 2021, but falling to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Truthfully, Buffalo has been a thorn in Miami’s rear for the past half-decade. Since 2018, the Bills have beaten the Dolphins 10 out of 12 times, including the regular season finale in 2023, which secured them the division title once again.

Conveniently, 2018 was when quarterback Josh Allen began playing for Buffalo. Considered one of the top-tier quarterbacks in the AFC, Allen has a cannon of an arm and is a powerful rusher, making him a true dual-threat quarterback. His biggest weakness is doing too much at times, as he threw the second-most interceptions last season with 18 total.

JOSH ALLEN YOU DOG.

📺: #AZvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/GP6h0Kzre3

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

A big problem that the Bulls will face this season is a lack of offensive weapons around Allen. This past offseason, Buffalo has either traded or cut various players including RB Frank Gore Jr, WR Gabe Davis, WR Stefon Diggs, and a slew of offensive linemen.

That didn’t stop them from beating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 by a score of 34-28. However, that was through a comeback effort in which they were down big early on. In that game, RB James Cook and WR Keon Coleman were the top offensive weapons, putting up solid stats overall.

Buffalo’s defense does feature veteran players, including LB Von Miller, LB Terrel Bernard, and DE University of Miami Alum, Greg Rousseau. Buffalo’s defense struggled early on in that game against the Cardinals as Kyler Murray hit receiver after receiver, carving up the Bills’ secondary.

Final Thoughts

I feel this will be a massive test for this Dolphins squad. While Jacksonville is no pushover, Buffalo is a powerhouse that has gotten the better of Miami in almost every meeting since Coach McDaniel and Tua have been at the helm for Miami.

While it’s technically not a must-win game, it does have that must-win feeling, especially under the lights in a primetime matchup. In a packed house that’s sure to be full of both Miami AND Buffalo fans, Miami will need to play their best football from the get-go.

Miami undeniably has the better roster offense-wise, and there are no major threats on Buffalo’s defense that could be certified game-breakers for the Bills.  It’ll be up to the Dolphins’ defense to shut down Allen, which is easier said than done.

Still, the Fins are due for a statement win against the Bills, and there will be no better time to do it.

MIA – 27

BUF – 17