Buffalo Bills v Miami Dolphins" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UXmiYvCFBwoIAlzA32KTsB6GyLw=/0x0:5400x3038/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71415785/1427369778.0.jpg" />
Bills Mafia, I feel your pain. This one stung and will likely linger but it’s only Week 3 and the Miami Dolphins mustered just 21 points against a Buffalo Bills defense missing at least six starters—a unit that suffered even more injuries during the game.
Let’s take a look at some interesting stats and takeaways from the game.
The seven-game winning streak against Miami has come to an end, which marked the fifth-longest streak in team history. The Bills out-gained the Dolphins 497-212 in total yards. The +285 yard difference is the highest by a team since the Los Angeles Rams faced the Dolphins in 2020 (+326 yard difference).
Not only did they outgain Miami but they also dominated time of possession and total plays. The Bills had the ball for 40:40 total compared to the Dolphins’ 19:20. They ran 90 offensive plays compared to just 39 for Miami, marking the third-most in team history. The 90-39 margin is the largest margin in team history and most by any team in a loss since the Pittsburgh Steelers had a +55 differential against the Tennessee Titans in 2002.
Josh Allen had some erratic plays and throws that looked more like his rookie season, but he was surely spreading the ball across the entire offense. 11 different Bills receivers caught passes today, marking a new club single-game record. The Bills had ten players with a reception eight previous times in team history, with the most recent being against the New England Patriots in Foxboro, MA in 2020.
The Bills were 11 of 18 (61%) on third-downs and 2of 3 (66.7%) on fourth-downs, and only managed to score 19 points. Since the start of last season, the Bills are 0-6 in games decided by 8 points or fewer, meaning they either embarrass teams or lose those really close games that matter.
Nonetheless, it’s only Week 3, Bills Mafia. Breathe and move on to next week, hoping for a cleaner injury report this time around.
