The Miami Dolphins are staring down a familiar foe this Sunday, and it’s not shaping up to be an easy matchup. For a team that’s found itself repeatedly runner-up to the Buffalo Bills over the past two years in the AFC East, history’s not quite in their favor. Since 2017, including a tough 34-31 tumble in the 2022 wild-card playoffs and this season’s 31-10 Thursday night hiccup at home, the Dolphins are just 2-14 against the Bills.
What’s been a thorn in Miami’s side? That would be Josh Allen, Buffalo’s quarterback who has morphed into one of the NFL’s most formidable playmakers since the Bills snagged him with the seventh pick in the 2018 draft.
If you’re glancing over his performances against Miami, it’s a lineup of triumphs—and frustrations if you’re donning aqua and orange. With a full slate of 14 starts against the Dolphins under his belt since his rookie year, Allen has propelled the Bills to rack up a staggering 460 points, averaging about 32.9 per game, with the scoreboard hitting at least 31 points in 10 matchups.
Allen’s individual stats? They’re enough to turn any defensive coordinator’s hair gray.
Across those 14 outings, he’s amassed 3,854 passing yards, tossed 37 touchdowns, and surrendered a mere nine picks. Not just a threat in the air, he’s also barreled through defenses for 660 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
Although he’s put the ball on the turf 12 times, he’s only conceded four fumbles.
Miami’s defensive strategist, Anthony Weaver, has his hands full. Dialing up pressure on Allen is pivotal, yet it’s no walk in the park.
Buffalo’s offensive line has been a stalwart unit, giving up an NFL-low 10 sacks over eight games, whereas Miami’s pass rush has managed just nine sacks throughout their 2-5 season start. The Dolphins’ trenches have been particularly barren in recent matchups, not notching a single sack in their last two losses to the Colts and Cardinals and failing to disrupt Allen in this year’s first head-to-head.
With Orchard Park looming, Miami aims to rewrite a narrative they’ve struggled against. Breaking the 2016 curse of not winning on the Bills’ turf won’t come easy for coach Mike McDaniel and his squad, but if there ever was a time to defy the odds, it’s now.
