Even with some stellar performances, it wasn’t enough for the Dolphins to win at Highmark Stadium
The Miami Dolphins played about as well as they could have on Sunday, giving the Buffalo Bills all they had in what was as close to a must-win game as there can be in November. Even still, Miami was undone by a late field goal for the second consecutive week, dropping a 30-27 decision to the Bills in a heartbreaking defeat.
The margin of error in the NFL is so thin that, really, if not for a pair of field goals in their last two games, we could very well be talking about a Miami team that is 4-4 and building momentum towards a second-half run. However, those two last-second kicks were good, so we’re instead talking about a 2-6 Miami team that has run clean out of margin for error.
The Dolphins played a fantastic game on Sunday, and the Bills had some trouble containing their top stars. Here’s how our five Dolphins to watch performed this week.
QB Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa was absolutely dealing on Sunday. He threw just three incomplete passes, dropping dime after dime on Buffalo’s secondary. He finished 25-of-28 for 231 yards and two touchdowns. He even added three yards rushing, including a four-yard scramble for a first down.
Really, there isn’t much to say about Tagovailoa that isn’t positive after that performance. He hit on passes at all levels of the field, and he was able to spread the ball around to seven different receivers on the day. He even led a game-tying drive in the fourth quarter that, if not for a blatant unnecessary roughness penalty on old friend Jordan Poyer, could have been of even greater importance.
For the second straight week, Tagovailoa’s strong performance went for naught.
RB De’Von Achane
Part of the reason this game went so well for Miami is that their head coach and offensive play caller, Mike McDaniel, stayed committed to the run throughout the game. Too often, McDaniel stops giving his ultra-talented running backs touches, instead prioritizing the pass even when the run is working.
This time, Miami carried the rock 31 times for 149 yards and a score, and Achane was a big part of the team’s offensive production. Not only did he run it 12 times for 63 yards, which were both game-highs, but he also added a touchdown on the ground along with eight receptions for 58 more yards and a score.
Achane led all players in catches and receiving yards, as well. He is such a good player, and the Bills struggled with him all day long.
WR Tyreek Hill
In the first half, Buffalo shut Hill and his counterpart, Jaylen Waddle, down in a big way. Hill had just one catch on two targets for six yards in the first half of the game. That’s not necessarily what I expected would happen after learning that Buffalo’s top cornerback, Christian Benford, would miss the game due to a wrist injury.
However, Hill had a big second half, catching all three of his targets for 76 yards. He still hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 1 — Tagovailoa’s other passing touchdown went to Waddle — but Hill made some big plays in the second half to set his team up in good situations.
C Aaron Brewer
Not only were there no issues with snaps this week, but there weren’t many issues with blocking for the Dolphins at all. The game plan called for Tua to use that quick release to limit any pressure, and Buffalo was only able to sack him once on the day.
Even when Buffalo had some defenders break through, Tagovailoa was able to neutralize the rush by throwing the ball quickly. Miami’s offensive line should be credited for their performance, as they kept their quarterback clean and they opened holes for the run game.
Brewer and Tagovailoa did a nice job communicating in a raucous atmosphere, as well.
DL Da’Shawn Hand
Hand had three tackles, including one for a loss, as well as a hit on quarterback Josh Allen. He nearly made a huge play late in the contest, as Hand deflected an Allen pass intended for tight end Dalton Kincaid on the Bills’ final drive. That pass went straight up in the air and could have been intercepted, but Hand was unable to move over to try for a catch.
Luckily for Buffalo, the ball fell harmlessly to the turf. Hand was more than adequate in replacing Zach Sieler.