Grading the Buffalo Bills in their 31-21 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday at Highmark Stadium …
Running game: A
James Cook picked up where he left off in Week 2, rushing three times for 30 yards on the Bills’ opening drive. He finished the first quarter with four carries for 49 yards and the first half with eight carries for 73 yards, the longest of which went for 26 yards. At the end of that play, the tackle on Cook was low, which looked scary, but he was able to pop right back up. That’s huge for the Bills, because Cook has been crucial in their 3-0 start. Quarterback Josh Allen had a 19-yard scramble as part of four carries for 25 yards. Wide receiver Elijah Moore continues to have a small role in the running game. He took a jet sweep 11 yards for a first down on his first carry of the night in the first quarter.
Passing game: B+
Allen went 3 of 3 for 34 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive, and in the first quarter, he was 4 of 4 for 46 yards. His first throw of the game fell incomplete, but the play was erased by a defensive pass interference penalty on Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones that was drawn by receiver Keon Coleman. In the second quarter, Coleman made a 4-yard catch that was a lot more impressive than it looks in the box score. On third-and-1 from the Dolphins’ 9-yard line, Allen fired a laser to Coleman, who was able to hold on despite tight coverage from old friend Rasul Douglas. Coleman, however, finished with just three catches for 20 yards. It was a fairly quiet night for the wideouts, although Khalil Shakir had the game-winning touchdown catch. Tight end Dalton Kincaid played a big game, with five catches for 66 yards.
Run defense: C
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It started out strong, as rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker stopped Miami’s De’Von Achane for a gain of just 1 yard on Miami’s first carry. Later on that drive, Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones made a tackle for loss. That was the good, but there was plenty of bad on the opening drive, too. Defensive end Greg Rousseau lost containment on a second-and-12 run by Achane that went for 11 yards. That pretty accurately summed up the night for the run defense: Some good, some bad. The Dolphins finished with 130 rushing yards on 25 carries, an average of 5.2 yards per attempt. Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson made a pair of tackles in run defense that limited Miami to gains of 2 yards on each play of the defensive drive that ended with Terrel Bernard’s interception. Thompson had six tackles, the same total as fellow linebacker Dorian Williams, and Bernard had seven.
Pass defense: B-
The Dolphins’ quick passing attack gave the Bills problems early. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has a quick release, making him difficult to sack. That proved to be the case, as Buffalo’s defense finished without a sack and hit Tagovailoa just once (that was Joey Bosa). Bills cornerback Tre White had Tagovailoa dead to rights on a cornerback blitz in the second quarter but simply missed him, allowing Tagovailoa to convert a third-and-12 play with a 19-yard pass to Tyreek Hill, who finished with five catches for 49 yards and a touchdown. Tagovailoa was limited to 146 yards passing, completing 22 of his 34 throws, although he did have a pair of touchdown throws. The interception by Bernard was the play of the game for the Bills’ defense.
Special teams: C-
It started poorly, as the Bills’ coverage unit allowed a 54-yard return by the Dolphins’ Dee Eskridge on the opening kickoff, giving Miami a drive start at the Buffalo 47-yard line. It feels like with the new kickoff rules, the Bills are going to give up a kickoff return for a touchdown at some point this season, and score one, too. Bills returner Brandon Codrington muffed a punt but was fortunate to jump on it. Punter Cameron Johnston averaged just 36.5 net yards on his two attempts. Matt Prater made a fourth-quarter field goal but badly missed an attempt earlier.
Coaching: C
Bills coach Sean McDermott should have thrown a challenge flag on Miami’s first drive. Hill slightly bobbled the ball, preventing him from getting two feet down inbounds. The play was ruled a catch, giving Miami a first down on third-and-4. If reviewed and overturned, the Dolphins might have punted. Veteran defensive end A.J. Epenesa was called for unnecessary roughness at the end of the Bills’ first kick return, an undisciplined penalty that hurt field position. The Bills had to use their first timeout of the first half with 12 minutes left in the second quarter when the offense was late getting to the line of scrimmage. The Dolphins went 10 of 15 on third downs – just four days after the Jets went 0 for 11 on third down. That’s simply unacceptable on the part of the defense led by coordinator Bobby Babich. With 5:45 remaining in the third quarter, McDermott used his first timeout of the second half on defense ahead of a third-down play, allowing Hill to return to the game. That was not a great use of a timeout, but the defense did get a stop on the ensuing play, so it worked out.
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Jay Skurski
News Sports Reporter
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