Always a tough game but if they can somehow come together and beat the Bills, then were back in it. Always the optimist.
The Miami Dolphins crumbled down the stretch against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, losing their Week 8 contest on a last-second field goal. In Week 9, the oddsmakers are not giving Miami much of a chance at righting the ship in what has become a season-long struggle. Not only are the struggling Dolphins falling completely out of the AFC playoff picture, they are now facing the Buffalo Bills, who have beaten Miami in five straight games and 14 of the last 16. This game is set up to be an ugly one for the Dolphins if something does not change.
The oddsmakers at FanDuel sportsbook do not see much change coming from Miami. Buffalo is favored by 6.5 points in the Week 9 meeting between the two clubs. Given the Bills beat the Dolphins 31-10 in Week 2 this season, that 6.5-point spread might be generous.
The Dolphins are +235 on the moneyline for the straight-up win, while the Bills are -290. The point total is 49.5, with the bookmakers seeming to believe Miami is at least capable of scoring this week now that they have quarterback Tua Tagovailoa back under center.
Can Miami pull off the upset and potentially jump start a miserable season?
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Ned Flanders doesn't have as much as your optimism.
Etrius24, resnor, Sceeto and 1 other person like this. -
The Buffalo Bills made a massive decision in the offseason, saying goodbye via trade to Stefon Diggs. And now, sadly, his new team, the Houston Texans, is also having to deal with a "goodbye'' of sorts.
On Monday, it was learned that Diggs' knee injury is an ACL tear, meaning he's out for the season. That's a blow to the Texans, who are hoping to join the Bills as true contenders in the AFC. Meanwhile, the post-Diggs Bills are still doing their part ... and notably, a lot of that is due to the pass-catchers now in place after Stefon. The Bills extended their division lead in a decisive 31-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8. With strong performances across the board, Buffalo overcame an early interception by quarterback Josh Allen to dominate Seattle and further assert their standing in the AFC..
Although Allen’s interception briefly shifted momentum, the Bills' offense regained control with effective drives and standout contributions from their top offensive players. Despite the Bills’ offensive control, emotions ran high on Seattle’s side as tempers flared throughout the game. Several altercations broke out among Seahawks players as they struggled to regain composure and find their footing against Buffalo’s momentum. Ultimately, Seattle’s inability to rally allowed the Bills to capitalize on their errors and maintain control for the remainder of the game.
Stefon Diggs Out for Season As Bills Move On
The Bills’ offense executed effectively, with top contributions from their highest-graded offensive players by PFF.
Let’s take a look at which Bills offensive players were graded the best in the matchup:
· Tight end Dawson Knox - Overall offensive grade of 79.9, passing grade of 68.6, pass blocking grade of 71.6, and run blocking grade of 81.4. Knox logged 2 receptions for 50 yards on 41 snaps.
· Running back James Cook - Overall offensive grade of 76.9, passing grade of 63.2, pass blocking grade of 63.2, and rushing grade of 77.2, with a run blocking grade of 60. Cook logged 17 carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns, along with 3 receptions for 22 yards on 42 snaps played.
· Rookie receiver Keon Coleman - Overall offensive grade of 76.5, passing grade of 73.2, and run blocking grade of 90.8. Coleman recorded 5 receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown on 63 snaps played.
Related: Did Tom Brady Use 'Highly Offensive' Word for Josh Allen?
With this win, the Bills shift their focus to a Week 9 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Buffalo defeated Miami 31-10 in Week 2, a game in which Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited due to a concussion. With Tagovailoa back and Miami eager for redemption, Buffalo’s top offensive players are prepared to build on this momentum in another critical AFC East clash. -
If the receivers can run good routes and catch the ball I give us a chance. But we need to be successful running the ball as well. The OL has been okay in this regard the past two weeks, it has to continue in order for us to play keep away from Buffalo.
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If the same defense shows up at Orchard Park next week that took the field in Miami, we’re going to get smoked badly. I can see the Dolphins putting up 27-32 against Buffalo but if THAT defense shows up, we’re going to be on the short end of the scoreboard.
Sadly, I’m calling this game 44-27 Buffalo.dolphin25 and ExplosionsInDaSky like this. -
Ok, I don't expect us to win this game. I do want us to fight back though. I want Tua to stay upright, and I want us to score some points. If we go out and lose this by a score of 55-7, I'm going to probably hang it up for the season. If Tua gets his eggs scrambled again in this one, I'm done for the season.
All I want to see is fight from us. If we can hang with them and at least make this a fun game, then I'll be totally satisfied. I just want us to go out on our feet. If Tua is still standing at the end of this one and his stat line looks solid, then I'll be happy. We can't expect anything more from this team right now. This season has gone horribly bad for us up to date. Believe me, I've grown to hate Buffalo the same way I hated them in the early 90s. Nothing would please me more than to beat them in their house. I would love to see Josh Allen get bounced off the field by Calais Campbell one good time. Hopefully these things happen, but I'll settle for us dying on our feet while still fighting. -
I'm usually optimistic but this week I have very low expectations we can go up there and win. If Tua makes it out of Orchard Park in one piece it'll be a huge success no matter what the scoreboard says. He's been injured three times against Buffalo the past few years so I'll be praying for Tua's health and safety. That means more to me than the outcome.
resnor, ExplosionsInDaSky and dolphin25 like this. -
The Bills will be short a wide receiver at Wednesday’s practice.
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters at his press conference that Amari Cooper will not be on the field as the team prepares to host the Dolphins in Week Nine. Cooper is dealing with a wrist injury.
Cooper’s injury occurred in last Sunday’s win over the Seahawks and McDermott said that the team will take it day by day in terms of Cooper’s availability for the Miami game.
McDermott also said that wide receiver Curtis Samuel (pectoral) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) will be limited participants in the team’s first practice session of the week. -
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Agreed, Buffalo has always been our biggest nemesis since the 90s. However I won't be satisfied with just a valient effort. Buffalo is a **** city, with **** fans. We all remember Cox giving them the finger in the 90s and they deserved it.
I was in Buffalo a couple weeks ago and it's still as much of a ****hole as I remember it. The only thing that town has going on for it is football.
Unfortunately for us they handled their rebuild a lot better and have made us their *****es. We need to turn that around.dolphin25, Sceeto, resnor and 1 other person like this. -
The Miami Dolphins are facing a crossroads game against the Buffalo Bills this weekend, and they're staring at the possibility of doing so without two of their most important defensive players.
Head coach Mike McDaniel didn't have any definitive answers regarding interior lineman Zach Sieler or safety Jevon Holland before practice Wednesday, but it sure was easy to read between the lines and not feel great about the outlook for either.
Sieler is dealing with an eye injury, the result of him being poked at practice last Thursday. The good news is that the injury, which NFL Network reported involved the orbital bone, didn't require surgery.
"He's one of several (where) I won't know at all until closer to the game," McDaniel said. "And that's just based upon you'd have to project ... and he's doing well. And we know him as a player and a person, he desperately wants to play in this game, so he will do everything he can and if he can't, it's because he's unable to."
With Holland, he sustained a knee injury in the first half of the 28-27 loss against the Arizona Cardinals and didn't return.
The injury occurred in Holland's first game since sustaining a broken bone in his left hand in the Week 5 victory against the New England Patriots the week before the Dolphins bye.
Asked about Holland's status, McDaniel said, "Overall for the the season, not really concerned. It's not major, but for this game, he's deep working to try to make himself available. He won't practice today, but that will be a process throughout the whole week, and one that he's he's been living here, trying to get right to to be available for this game."ExplosionsInDaSky likes this. -
Like Explosions just said, I want to see it be competitive.
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i mean...
First off we do not beat the Bills... They Own us.
Secondly this team has played like warmed up bantam fodder.
Thirdly we are on the road... Buffalo is not a good place to go play a football game.
If money was on the line I say we lose by 2 touchdowns minimum. -
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Reminder…
If you’re playing the weekly pick ‘em, get your pick in for Thursday night at least and the remainder by Sunday morning. -
Based on the stats, if you want to place a bet that Tua will have a concussion this Sunday, its a safe bet. He seems to have them mostly against the Bills
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Maybe McD is starting to see the light:
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/jaylen-wright-outlook-week-9-miami-dolphins-raheem-mostert/Tuanon4Life likes this. -
Not saying the Dolphins will/would win, but if McDaniel will COMMIT to the run, unleash Achane, unleash Wrightt the Dolphins have the ability to beat the Bills.
The problem though, and I see this league wide is when a team goes down by 1 or 2 scores, they tend to get into instant panic mode and abandon their running game.
Achane and Wright are prolific running backs that can rip 10-15 yard runs at a time. How many times do we see passing plays net less yards, and not just from the Dolphins.
I do see a trend this season however where the running game is being viewed with greater importance than years past.dolphin25 likes this. -
Here are the full injury reports for the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins ahead of their Week 9 matchup at Highmark Stadium:
Miami Dolphins (2-5)
Did not practice
- CB Storm Duck (ankle)
- TE Julian Hill (shoulder)
- S Jevon Holland (hand/ knee)
- CB Kader Kohou (neck)
- LB Emmanuel Ogbah (bicep/ illness)
- DT Zach Sieler (eye)
- Jordyn Brooks (hamstring/ wrist)
- WR River Cracraft (shoulder)
- DT Benito Jones (knee)
- LB Tyus Bowser (knee)
- OL Robert Jones (knee)
- TE Jonnu Smith (finger)
Did not practice
- OL Alec Anderson (personal)
- LB Terrel Bernard (ankle/ pectoral)
- WR Amari Cooper (wrist)
- FB Reggie Gilliam (hip)
- WR Curtis Samuel (pectoral)
- QB Josh Allen (left hand)
- CB Christian Benford (wrist)
- OL Spencer Brown (wrist)
- KR Brandon Codrington (hip)
- S Damar Hamlin (ankle)
- WR Mack Hollins (shoulder)
- CB Taron Johnson (forearm)
- DT DaQuan Jones (foot)
- TE Dalton Kincaid (collarbone/ knee)
- TE Dawson Knox (ankle)
- TE Quintin Morris (shoulder)
- S Taylor Rapp (foot)
- DE Dawuane Smoot (groin)
- LB Dorian Williams (knee)
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That’s part of the strategy, to protect the defense and keep Allen off the field.
It’s an old strategy but I think it’s the only way
Tua and co have not earned the trust to operate the passing offense on the road in a hostile environment -
I personally think we are going to get absolutely annihilated. I don't say that gleefully. I just think Buffalo is going to take this chance to stomp on a division rival.
The only thing i can hope, is that the game is devastatingly, embarrassingly bad, like they do something like 70-13, and it forces firings.
This illusion that we are contenders needed to be smashed so that we can actually build this team right.JJ_79 likes this. -
I don't wish for that to happen. I just don't see any way we win. So if we're gonna lose, it might as well be bad enough to actually benefit us.JJ_79 likes this.
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This is the kind of game the Dolphins will win. Why is the spread only 5.5? I still don't think the Bills are very good as a whole.
Could this be known as the Jaylen Wright game? I hope he is finally unleashed.
I could see a shootout tomorrow. 37-34 type game.
Get me to 3-5 with the easiest remaining strength of schedule.Tuanon4Life likes this. -
I agree the “path” to victory is running the ball. Have to dominate time of possession and keep the Bills offense on the sideline as long as possible. That’s the PATH. Now whether or not the Dolphins can effectively walk that path is an entirely different discussion altogether.
What drives me utterly insane to the point of wanting to commit mass murder, I see Achane consistently rips off long runs. I see Wright rip off long runs and with those fantastic runs, we don’t stick with it.
Buffalo is one of those teams that struggle against the run. That’s what Miami has to do, run the ball and take those play action passes when you have them on their heels.
If we lose by 4 or less, crap. If we get blown away by 20+? FOOK!!!!!!!dolphin25 and Tuanon4Life like this. -
Most teams need big passing plays to win
Last week was such a weird game
We ran the ball over 150 yards
We were like 85 percent on third down.
No interceptions
And lost at home
Common denominator is the individual ability of a damn good play making qbJJ_79 likes this. -
The Bills are near the bottom in passing attempts and around 15th for passing yards. Their rushing offense is 13th in attempts and 13th in total yards. Their defense does well in forcing teams to pass, but their rushing defense is ranked 28th in y/a. If the Dolphins can in fact keep running the ball they should be able to get some points.
The problem will be if the Dolphins porous defense can actually stop the Bills on a few drives and not force the Dolphins to start passing every play. There’s no way the Dolphins can keep up because the Bills defense is lightyears better than ours and will definitely get their stops.
And if the Dolphins do keep it close, and are up by only 1 score or less at the end, the Bills offense will just march down the field and score on Miami’s defense.
Bills 35
Dolphins 24
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