Bills vs. Dolphins: 6 things to watch for during Week 4’s matchup
The Buffalo Bills continue their regular season journey at home against the Miami Dolphins in Week 4.
Once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind.
Here are six things to watch for during Sunday’s Bills-Dolphins matchup:
Who strikes first
In a game that’s expected to be high scoring with the largest over/under of Week 4 in the NFL, the first score won’t be the end all be all. But in terms of momentum, game planning, and more–It could be a difference maker.
Keeping it balanced
Over the course of the past two games, the Bills have had a balanced attack. The Bills ended up running the ball one more time than passes attempted in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders… although, three of those carries came from quarterback Josh Allen.
If Buffalo can manage to stay balanced against the Dolphins, that likely means they’re in the game and it’s not a 70-point blowout like Miami had against the Denver Broncos… and it could mean Buffalo is up big like they have been their past two outings.
Taking it away
Takeaways always make a difference in the NFL, and in big games, they really can. Last week Buffalo took the ball away five times against Washington. If that happens again, Miami doesn’t stand a chance.
The turnover battle should be much different against the Dolphins. Miami has only three giveaways all season. However, their turnover differential is just plus-two. The Bills sit at plus four.
Dealing with the speed
Speed is going to be a huge factor on multiple fronts for the Dolphins offense. It’s how they’ve played excellent so far in 2023.
At the top, Miami’s receiving core has a ton of it. The name that stands out the most is Tyreek Hill, who the Bills are very familiar with.
However, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa factors in too. Not with his legs, rather, his arm. The Dolphins QB gets the ball out faster than any other in the NFL. He has a 2.36 average time to throw.
The Bills are fresh off nine sacks against Washington. It’s going to be very difficult to even get one or two against Tagovailoa. Something to keep an eye on.
Can JA stay hot against Miami?
No disrespect to Tagovailoa, but Josh Allen might be the more fun quarterback to play in Buffalo on Sunday. Even in his early years, he still seems to always bring his best against the Dolphins.
Allen is 8-2 against the Dolphins (including a last-second drop from Charles Clay way back in 2018 leading to a loss). Of all games played in Orchard Park, Allen’s 5-0 and the Bills average 37.4 total points in those outings.
Dominating the trenches
The defensive line play was noted. The offensive line front isn’t the most exciting area of the field but it’s an interesting area to watch against the Dolphins.
In back-to-back games, Buffalo’s O-line has dominated the game. We’ve seen the Bills go on winning streaks in the past, but that rarely happens because of the big men up front.
If this unit has another promising contest–Could we considering the Bills to have a top offensive line in the league finally?
