Grading the Buffalo Bills in their 31-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
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Grading the Buffalo Bills in their 31-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium …
Running game: B
The final numbers won’t jump off the page – 26 rushes for 108 yards – but they don’t paint the full picture. James Cook gained 78 yards and needed just 11 carries to do so – a whopping 7.1 yards per carry. Cook also had two rushing touchdowns, matching his total on the ground for the 2022 and ’23 seasons. Quarterback Josh Allen carried just twice for 2 yards. That’s smart business by the Bills as Allen deals with an injury to his left hand. Rookie tailback Ray Davis showed nice burst at times, with a long gain of 10 yards as part of a nine-carry, 29-yard game. Khalil Shakir rushed one time for 2 yards. It was just the second rushing attempt of his career.
Passing game: B-
Here’s a weird thing to type: The Bills didn’t need Allen to be Superman, or really anything close. The star quarterback went 13 of 19 for 139 yards and one touchdown … and that was perfectly acceptable. Allen didn’t put the ball in harm’s way once. He wasn’t sacked. He only had to throw the ball six times in the second half. As Allen alluded to, this game won't do much for the team's stats. Shakir led the way with five catches for 54 yards, but there wasn't much else to write home about from the receivers. Curtis Samuel had one catch for 3 yards. Keon Coleman did not have a reception on one target. The same goes for Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mack Hollins. Dawson Knox wasn't targeted. The number that matters, though, is 31-10.
Bills safety Damar Hamlin tackles Dolphins wide receiver Robbie Chosen during the fourth quarter Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Run defense: C
Miami’s speed to the edges is tough for any team to defend, and that was true for the Bills. De’Von Achane, who was questionable coming into the game because of an ankle injury, looked healthy in piling up 96 rushing yards on 22 carries. Before his concussion, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa scrambled for a pair of first downs on the ground, covering 17 yards on two attempts. Tyreek Hill took one end-around for 12 yards. Although the Bills gave up 139 total yards, the run defense made several big plays, too. The Bills made 10 tackles for loss, an exceptionally high number. Cornerback Rasul Douglas contributed to that number, making an early stop on Achane for a 3-yard loss that put the Dolphins behind the sticks on their opening drive. Two plays later, Ja’Marcus Ingram made his first of two interceptions. Baylon Spector, who stepped in for the injured Terrel Bernard, shared the team lead in tackles with Damar Hamlin and Dorian Williams, who had 10 each.
Pass defense: A+
Three interceptions and two fourth-down sacks that created turnovers on downs. That's a pretty easy way to earn a perfect grade. Ingram had two interceptions and Christian Benford added the third. The Bills’ defensive line registered five quarterback hits, so even when rushers weren’t quite getting home, they were generating sufficient pressure. Benford also had seven tackles, and Douglas added six. Miami had just one play of more than 20 yards – a 21-yard completion from Tua Tagovailoa to Jaylen Waddle in the third quarter. The Bills limited Waddle and Tyreek Hill to a combined seven catches for 65 yards. That’s an outstanding job against perhaps the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL.
Special teams: B-
Tyler Bass started the year by making his first eight extra points and first three field goals. Then came his 45-yard attempt in the fourth quarter that would have extended the Bills’ lead to 34-10 and … yikes. Bass wasn’t even close, missing so far to the left people were suggesting on social media that the ball had to have been tipped. For what it’s worth, the NFL’s official game book doesn’t give any credit to a Miami player for a block. Bass just missed it – badly. With that comes a new wave of concern about how he’s going to do on a kick that is more consequential. Outside of that miss, the Bills had a quiet game on special teams. Davis returned one kickoff 25 yards, and two other kickoffs went for touchbacks. Brandon Codrington made a fair catch on his only punt return. Bills punter Sam Martin had a strong night, punting three times for a 43.0-yard net average, placing two of those punts inside the Miami 20-yard line.
Coaching: A
The Bills’ defense has lost Matt Milano, Taron Johnson and now Terrel Bernard. Despite those losses, the Dolphins managed just 10 points. That’s a big-time feather in the cap of head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady wisely kept Allen out of harm’s way as much as possible. Whether or not that was because of the quarterback’s injured left hand, it’s still good that he didn’t absorb a ton of punishment. The Dolphins didn’t just fail to get a sack; they didn't register a single quarterback hit. All six of Bass’ kickoffs went for touchbacks, which is a fine strategy by special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley against Miami’s Braxton Berrios, who is a strong return man. The Bills were penalized just one time for 5 yards. That’s about as disciplined a game as the team has played under McDermott.
