buffalo bills vs miami dolphins

2024 NFL season, Week 2: What We Learned from Bills' win over Dolphins on Thursday night!!!!

1. The Bills’ defense put on an impressive, gutsy performance despite being shorthanded in their win over the Dolphins. With cornerback Taron Johnson out, linebacker Matt Milano still sidelined, and Terrel Bernard leaving early with a pectoral injury, the odds seemed stacked against them. However, the defense stepped up, intercepting Tua Tagovailoa three times and stopping the Dolphins on three separate fourth-down attempts. Cam Lewis, filling in for Johnson, recovered from early struggles to deliver a solid performance, while Ja’Marcus Ingram recorded his first two career interceptions, including a pick-six. Dorian Williams and Ed Oliver also contributed, with Williams making a key third-down stop and Oliver sealing a Dolphins drive with a sack on fourth down. The Bills effectively neutralized Miami’s star receivers, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, limiting them to just 65 yards combined. Despite the challenges, Buffalo’s defense, led by Sean McDermott and Bobby Babich, delivered a crucial and well-coordinated effort.

2. The Dolphins’ offense struggled before Tua Tagovailoa exited the game with a concussion late in the third quarter. Prior to his departure, Tagovailoa endured a difficult outing, throwing three interceptions — his third career game with that many. The last of these was a 31-yard pick-six, extending Buffalo’s lead to 31-10. While his wide receivers, Grant DuBose and Robbie Chosen, may share some blame for the first two picks, the third interception was a result of a poor decision under heavy pressure.

Miami’s offense was inconsistent even before injuries to key offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Robert Jones. Penalties and a failed fourth-down conversion halted drives and stifled momentum. Head coach Mike McDaniel’s play-calling also seemed unusually off. Despite being a game-time decision due to an ankle injury, running back De’Von Achane delivered a standout performance with a career-high 29 touches, though it raised questions as to why he remained in the game so late, with most starters already sidelined. As pressure mounts on Tagovailoa following yet another frustrating performance against the Bills, concern now turns to his health, given his history with concussions.

3. James Cook set the tone early in Miami, his hometown, delivering one of his best performances to date. In his first five games against the Dolphins, Cook had been relatively quiet, averaging just 49.4 yards and scoring three touchdowns. However, in this game, he matched those numbers by the second quarter and exceeded them by halftime. Cook scored three first-half touchdowns—two rushing and one receiving—leading the Bills to a 24-7 advantage. He finished with 95 yards on 12 touches. His performance was well-supported by Buffalo’s offensive line, which opened up significant running lanes, making quarterback Josh Allen’s job easier. The Bills’ offense was so efficient that they didn’t surpass 40 plays until late in the game.

4. Miami’s defense faltered once again in their game against the Bills, following a similarly shaky start in Week 1 against the Jaguars. While the Dolphins’ defense had shown significant improvement in the second half of that prior game, this week was a step backward. Contextually, three of Buffalo’s first-half drives started in Miami territory, and the Dolphins struggled to contain James Cook, who easily scored three touchdowns with minimal resistance. Their pass rush was ineffective, allowing Josh Allen ample time to make plays.

Any hopes for a second-half defensive resurgence were dashed when Tua Tagovailoa threw a pick-six and left the game with an injury. The pressure is now on Miami’s defense, particularly with Skylar Thompson possibly stepping in for Tagovailoa, to tighten up and correct their mistakes moving forward.

5. Josh Allen played a relatively minor role in the Bills’ dominant win, effectively managing a left hand injury that required him to wear a special glove. Despite some concern over his hand’s condition, it had minimal impact on his performance. Allen attempted just 19 passes, completing 13 for 139 yards and a touchdown. He also had two short runs for two yards and, crucially, committed zero turnovers, a notable improvement after an early fumble the previous week.

Allen did have to hand off with his right hand on plays to the right side, but this adjustment didn’t seem to hinder the offense. The only mishap came on a botched shotgun snap that glanced off his glove, leading to an incomplete pass. Otherwise, it was a smooth performance, with the Bills’ run game and defense doing most of the work. It’s rare for Buffalo to win a game where Allen isn’t the central figure, but this time, his understated role was enough for a big divisional victory.