KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Dolphins defense vs. Bills quarterback Josh Allen: Buffalo, led by the electric passing combination of quarterback Josh Allen to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, puts a lot of pressure on defenses. Diggs is No. 2 in the league in receiving (behind Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill) with 20 receptions for 270 yards and four touchdowns. Allen (52 for 69 for 614 yards, seven touchdowns, 123.7 passer rating) is second in passer rating and tied for the lead in touchdowns.

Constantly blitzing Allen is one option with cornerback Xavien Howard shadowing Diggs. The other option is base defense with a normal pass rush and take your chances. Allen had a careerworst 15 interceptions last season and has double-digit picks in three of his previous four seasons. But be warned. Allen has been blitzed 20 times (14th most in league) but only pressured seven times (32nd in league) and sacked three times (tied for 19th fewest).

2. Quarterback Tua Tagavailoa and Dolphins’ passing offense putting points on the board: Tagovailoa (59 for 83, 739 yards, seven touchdowns, two interceptions, 116.5 passer rating) gets a huge matchup edge here with Hill and fellow wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (15 receptions, 240 yards, three touchdowns) going against Buffalo’s young cornerback tandem of Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam (The Benjamin School in Palm Beach).

The Bills have excellent safeties in All Pro Jordan Poyer and All Pro Micah Hyde and will likely play both deep to cover Hill and Waddle.

But if Miami can run the ball, necessitating one of those safeties coming down into the box, the Dolphins could have another record-setting passing day. Aside from that, the Dolphins need Tagovailoa’s trademark accuracy.

3. Dolphins taking advantage of advantageous situation: Buffalo, which is nursing some key injuries, comes to South Florida on a short week for a 1 p.m. hot, humid September game. This is prime territory for the Dolphins to pounce. Yes, Buffalo has won seven consecutive games against the Dolphins, but the

Dolphins have a seven-game home win streak at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins will also have a sellout crowd. Beyond that, the Dolphins’ confidence is sky-high after that miraculous

42-38 comeback victory at Baltimore in which they overcame a 21-point fourthquarter deficit. Of course, Buffalo’s confidence is also sky high after two blowout victories this season by a combined score of 72-17 against the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans, a pair of expected playoff teams, to say the least. But the stage is set for the Dolphins to pull off a home upset.

4. Dolphins offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Greg Little vs. Buffalo defensive end Von Miller: Among all the intriguing matchups, including Diggs vs. Howard, this is one of the biggest because of Miller’s disruptive potential. Miller (2.0 sacks) mostly only plays in passing situations, but he’ll be right in Tagovailoa’s face if Armstead and Little don’t do their jobs.

Armstead, who was questionable last Sunday due to a toe injury, is among the NFL’s highest-rated tackles after two games so he should be able to handle Miller one-on-one. But the Dolphins must also watch the matchup on the other side with their right tackle.

When the Dolphins run: Miami got its ground game going for 4.8 yards per carry in last Sunday’s 42-38 win over the Ravens. It just didn’t splash more because there were limited opportunities playing from behind most of the afternoon. Buffalo, however, to no one’s surprise, is the league’s top-ranked run defense through two weeks, and the Bills just shut down Titans running back Derrick Henry on Monday night. With veteran All-Pro Von Miller now in Buffalo setting one edge and Greg Rousseau, the first-round pick out of Miami in 2021, on the other, plus Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano at linebacker, the Bills possess a stout defensive front. Edge: Bills

When the Bills run: Buffalo’s trio of South Florida running backs will be salivating at the thought of scoring a touchdown back home, especially as neither of the three have scored yet through the Bills’ two blowouts. Devin Singletary (American Heritage-Delray High, FAU) is the starting tailback, but rookie James Cook (Miami Central High) and Zack Moss (Hallandale High) split carries with him, so they all stay fresh. The Dolphins were solid in run defense in Baltimore outside of the 79-yard touchdown allowed to quarterback Lamar Jackson. Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler will be counted on at the line of scrimmage with Jaelan Phillips and Melvin Ingram setting the edge. Miami already knows it will be in for a great challenge against quarterback Josh Allen through the air. They need to at least keep the Bills one-dimensional. Edge: Dolphins

When the Dolphins pass: Tua Tagovailoa is coming off his all-time best performance, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after throwing for 469 yards and six touchdowns in leading Miami to the thrilling comeback from down 21 points. After being held in check for two touchdowns and two interceptions through three quarters, he was finally able to expose the Ravens’ banged-up secondary with the two long touchdowns to Tyreek Hill on busted coverages and another pair of drives. The Bills are also dealing with injuries to their defensive backs. All-Pro Tre’Davious White is out on the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list. Fellow cornerback Dane Jackson and safety Micah Hyde are also out, with safety Jordan Poyer questionable. Buffalo, nonethe

DOLPHINS (2-0) vs. BILLS (2-0)

Kickoff: 1 p.m., Sunday, Hard Rock Stadium

TV: CBS (Chs. 4 in Miami-Dade, Broward; 12 in Palm Beach); RADIO: WQAM (560 AM), KISS (99.9 FM), WQBA (1140 AM, Spanish)

Coaches: The Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel is 2-0 in his first season as a head coach; Sean McDermott, including playoffs, is 54-36 in his sixth head coaching season overall and leading the Bills.

Weather: 87 degrees, 63 percent humidity, 22 percent chance of precipitation.

Line: The Dolphins are a 5 under is 53.

Injuries: Dolphins —Out: TE Cethan Carter (concussion); TE Hunter Long (ankle); Questionable: OT Terron Armstead (toe), CB Xavien Howard (groin), DT Raekwon Davis (knee), WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. (ribs/ toe); Reserve/PUP: CB Byron Jones (lower leg); Injured reserve: OT Austin Jackson (ankle), CB Trill Williams (knee), TE Adam Shaheen (knee), S Clayton Fejedelem, LB Calvin Munson, FB John Lovett; Bills — Out: S Micah Hyde (neck), CB Dane Jackson (neck), DT Ed Oliver

-point underdog; the over/ less, ranks second in the league through two weeks in pass defense, even while playing from ahead so often when opponents can pad their stats late. But will they be as effective with rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam covering the Dolphins’ elite receiving combo? Edge: Dolphins

When the Bills pass: Allen has been known to torch the Dolphins, but Miami made progress in that regard in two meetings last year, keeping him to passer ratings of 75.2 and 100.2, his lowest since his first appearance against the Dolphins as a rookie. His five outings in between all saw him post a passer rating above 110. Allen, in eight games against Miami, has 21 touchdowns to five interceptions as he enters on a sevengame win streak versus the division rival. It’s a bad sign for the Dolphins that cornerback Xavien Howard sat out Wednesday’s drills with a groin injury, but he and cornerbacks coach Sam Madison are confident he’ll be ready. He made it through the win over the Ravens but didn’t look like himself when he got beat for a long touchdown by Rashod Bateman, couldn’t catch up to Jackson on his touchdown scamper and dropped a pick-six. The Dolphins must pressure Allen after their blitzes were ineffective against Jackson and the Ravens. Edge: Bills

Special teams: Buffalo kicker Tyler Bass is perfect on three field goals and nine extra points. Sam Martin, the punter who is rarely used because the Bills offense is so productive, is averaging 48.5 yards on his punts. Buffalo uses South Florida product Isaiah McKenzie on kick returns and Jamison Crowder on punt returns. The Dolphins gave up a 103-yard return for a touchdown on the opening kickoff against the Ravens, so special teams coordinator Danny Crossman has been letting his unit have it in practice. Edge: Bills

Intangibles: The Dolphins have the heat and humidity of South Florida in September on their side. They have a day and half more rest than the Bills after their last game. The Bills are dealing with a number of injuries. All that gives the Dolphins the intangible edge for the 1 p.m. kickoff under the sun at Hard Rock Stadium. Edge: Dolphins

PREDICTION: Dolphins 31, Bills 27 (ankle), DT Jordan Phillips (hamstring); Questionable: S Jordan Poyer (foot), WR Gabe Davis (ankle), TE Dawson Knox (foot), DT Tim Settle (calf), C Mitch Morse (elbow); Reserve/PUP: CB Tre’Davious White; Injured reserve: WR Marquez Stevenson.

Noteworthy: Sunday’s Dolphins-Bills pairing is the only matchup between two 2-0 teams on the NFL’s Week 3 slate. ... While Buffalo has won seven consecutive games in the rivalry with Miami, the Dolphins take a seven-game home winning streak into Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins offense, under new coach Mike McDaniel, comes in red hot after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns — four in the fourth quarter — to lead a comeback from down 21 points in the final period to win 42-38 in Baltimore. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for 22 receptions, 361 yards and four receiving touchdowns in the thriller. ...

The Bills have defeated their first two opponents by a combined 55 points. ... The Bills also have a Miami connection in offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, a Hurricanes great at quarterback who won the 2001 national championship with UM.