DOLPHINS GAMEDAY

KEYS TO THE GAME

Dolphins’ dominance at Hard Rock Stadium:

Miami is 7-1 at Hard Rock Stadium this season, and 13-3 at home under coach Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins have averaged 34.1 points per game at Hard Rock this season and outscored opponents by an average of 17.3 ppg. Their only home loss this season is that crazy 28-27 smackdown against Tennessee in which they lost a two-score lead in roughly the final four minutes.

Dolphins vs. high-quality opponents:

Miami is 1-4 against the top five teams on its schedule this season having lost to Buffalo (48-20), Philadelphia (31-17), Kansas City (21-14) and Baltimore (56-19) and defeated Dallas (22-20).

The good thing is Miami is 1-0 at home in these games with the Dallas win, so there’s reason to believe location has something to do with the outcome. For what it’s worth, Miami is 1-3 against Buffalo under McDaniel.

Containing Buffalo QB Josh Allen:

There’s reason to be encouraged and discouraged when it comes to the Buffalo quarterback. The encouraging thing is Allen can be a turnover machine. He is second in the league with 16 interceptions this season and has three lost fumbles. However, Allen crushed the Dolphins earlier this season by going 21-of-25 passing for 320 yards, four touchdowns, no interceptions, a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Allen is 9-2 against the Dolphins.

Buffalo being physical with Miami:

The Dolphins must have the mindset to be physical against the Bills, who traditionally bully them on both sides of the line of scrimmage in the same way Baltimore has bullied the Dolphins up front.

For years, Buffalo would beat up the Dolphins with defensive linemen such as Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie, and running backs LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore, to name a few. Nowadays it’s a different set of names, but the results are the same.

Miami must be physical with the Bills and can’t be outmuscled at the line of scrimmage on offense or defense.

Dolphins’ injury concerns:

The list is long, but the most concerning players are wide receiver Tyreek Hill (left ankle) and cornerback Xavien Howard (left foot).

Hill has lost much of his explosiveness since injuring his left ankle against Tennessee three games ago. The effect on the offense has been crushing as Miami has been much easier to defend without defenses worrying about Hill’s speed, quickness, elusiveness and skill.

On the other side of the ball, if Howard can’t play the drop-off between him and backup cornerback Eli Apple is so obvious that you can expect Buffalo to immediately pick on Apple and stay away from All Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. If Howard can’t play, it’s a huge loss.

It’s unclear whether wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (left ankle) will play. Otherwise, Miami should have right guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) and running back Raheem Mostert (knee/ ankle) back in the lineup.

Still, Hill and Howard are worth monitoring.

Hill’s possible reduced effectiveness, combined with Howard’s possible absence, have only been seen once before: last week’s one-sided loss at Baltimore.

PREDICTIONS Dave Hyde, Sports Columnist (Season record 11-5):

Dolphins 24, Bills 22 Despite injuries and the Baltimore debacle, the thought is the Dolphins collect themselves with so much on the line. Home has been a haven for the Dolphins most of this season and that’s should help pull them through.

Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist (9-7): Dolphins

24, Bills 21

I just can’t believe the Dolphins, who are 13-3 at home under coach Mike McDaniel, including 7-1 this season, could lose their biggest game of the regular season at home. I refuse to believe that. They’ll find a way. Or Bills quarterback Josh Allen will give it away. However it gets done, I have to believe the Dolphins will win.

David Furones, Dolphins Writer (13-3): Dolphins 24,

Bills 20

It’s tough to believe in this team right now after last Sunday’s beatdown in Baltimore, especially now without Bradley Chubb and likely Xavien Howard to add to a slew of other injuries.

But the results of a previous week, throughout the entire season, whether good or bad, have not translated over to a following game. These Dolphins have bounced back from every loss this season. I expect them to do it again, especially against a team they’re eager to see after the 48-20 Week 4 obliteration in Buffalo.

Kathy Laughlin, Sports Editor (13-3): Dolphins 24,

Bills 20

The Dolphins are awfully dinged up, and the Bills have won their past four games (including wins against the Cowboys and Chiefs). That said, Buffalo’s offense didn’t look great against New England last Sunday, and most importantly:

The Dolphins are at home, where they have only lost one game this season. The embarrassment against the Ravens should be highly motivating for Miami.

Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor ( 14-2): Bills

24, Dolphins 20

The Bills being favored on the road by a field goal speaks volumes of the direction the two teams are heading in. The Dolphins were flying high for much of the season as the Bills struggled to find their footing. Miami’s seemingly insurmountable lead in the AFC East is now on the line after the secondary blew coverage after coverage in a blowout loss to the Ravens. The

Bills’ surging defense could also pose a challenge as the Dolphins have become predictable on offense. Both teams have injuries to key players, but Buffalo has more depth.

Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor (10-6): Bills

24, Dolphins 19

With the cavalcade of Dolphins injuries now having robbed them in the regularseason finale of huge key aspects of the defense, and with players across the offense limping around, it makes the chore against the Bills all that more difficult. Seemingly, the biggest thing going for the Dolphins is that Josh Allen’s passing numbers are a little down this year. However, he also has scored 15 rushing touchdowns (tied with the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, also this season, for the NFL record by a quarterback), giving him 42 touchdowns generated. That number is tied with his total in each of the past two seasons, and three short of his personal record, when he threw 37 touchdown passes and ran in eight more in 2020.