Big recreation. Big end. Big assertion by the Miami Dolphins, too.
The Dolphins beat the Bills, 21-19, in one other dramatic end to go 3-0 and – sure, it’s early – take first place within the AFC East.
Here are 10 ideas on Sunday’s recreation.
1. Play of the sport I: Fourth-and-goal on the 2. A minute, 49 seconds to play. Josh Allen has Isaiah McKenzie open within the nook and throws quick – and this Dolphins protection completes one other goal-line stand to go along with their work at Baltimore. This one provides the Dolphins the ball at their 2 and …
Play of the Game II: Punter Thomas Morstead is behind the tip zone with the ball on the 1-yard line and punts into the again of blocker Trent Sherfield. Safety. It’s now Miami 21-19 and a area objective can win it. Buffalo received the ball with 1:25 left, Allen getting a second likelihood and …
Play of the Game III: Allen, operating to get his offense beneath heart on the on the Dolphins 44-yard line, can’t do it shortly sufficient and time runs out. You needed to look forward to the ref to say, “That’s the end of the game,” to make certain.
2. Tua Tagovailoa eluded a blitz, accomplished a pleasant third-down cross within the second quarter after which received a shove from Bills linebacker Matt Milano that warranted a roughing penalty. In falling, Tua’s head bounced exhausting off the turf and he got here up woozy. He instantly was taken out of the sport and went to the locker room. The upshot? He was listed as questionable, didn’t return for the half, however then handed concussion protocol and returned to start out the second half. His first cross was a he day, he accomplished eight of 10 passes for 76 yards an an 11-yard landing to River Cracraft. For the day, Tagovailoa accomplished 13 of 18 passes for 186 yards and the landing.
3. Stat of the sport: Buffalo ran 88 performs to the Dolphins 39. That’s nuts. It’s mirrored within the time of possession, too, because the Dolphins solely had the ball for 19:20. The recreation started with damage points particularly to the Bills protection. As it went on each side misplaced gamers to the warmth. On a 20-play, 87-yard drive within the third quarter, the Bills ate up 9:22 and gamers from each side dropped out (Xavien Howard was affected by cramping for the Dolphins). But the variety of performs and time of possession
4. Give this Dolphins protection full credit score. Buffalo had scored 31 and 41 factors its first two video games. It was up towards the quarterback in Josh Allen that appears like he’s the perfect within the recreation proper now. Allen threw 63 passes and had 400 yards passing and two touchdowns Sunday. He ran for an additional 47 yards. This protection not solely successfully received a turnover off Allen to make it a 7-7 recreation, however made him earn every little thing. Everything. The Buffalo scoring drives had been 10, 14, 20 and 15 performs. Sure, they didn’t come away with the win and provides Buffalo and Allen credit score for going 10-for-16 on third downs. But this protection held as much as maybe the league’s greatest offense early this yr and that’s an excellent mark for what’s coming.
5. Buffalo was with out its complete beginning secondary Sunday. The two rookie cornerbacks and two safeties who started the sport had a complete of three begins between them. So it’s no marvel the query was how this Dolphins passing recreation would assault them. And? Well, for a lot of three quarters the Bills needed to be pleased in solely actually giving up one landing drive (the second got here after the protection received the ball on the Bills’ 6). But then within the fourth quarter Tua and the deep passing recreation went to work. He threw 32 yards to an open Jaylen Hill to start out the drive. Then, on third-and-22, Jaylen Waddle received behind the Bills protection for a 45-yard acquire to the Buffalo 6-yard line to arrange the go-ahead landing at 21-17. Buffalo was pay particular consideration to Tyreek Hill as he solely had 4 targets and two receptions halfway by way of the fourth quarter. That left Waddle to work deep.
6. Left sort out Terron Armstead retains exhibiting his price. Von Miller had two sacks within the first two video games and disrupted play in every of the Bills wins. Miller wasn’t heard from Sunday. He lined up reverse Armstead all day. And all day Armstead stymied him. Midway by way of the fourth quarter, Miller had no tackles, no quarterback pressures and was solely on the stat sheet due to a cross defensed. That’s what a star left sort out does.
7. Jevon Holland blitzed off the left aspect of the Bills line, sidestepped a block try by Devin Singletary and created the newest game-changing play by the protection. In the opener, it was a Brandon Jones sack towards New England’s Mac Jones that brought about a fumble which bounced into Melvin Ingram’s fingers for a landing. This time it was Holland’s blindside hit of Josh Allen that allowed Ingram to get well the fumble on the Bills’ 6-yard line. Three gamers later, it was a 7-7 recreation.
8. Second-year participant Jaelan Phillips grew to become a goal of query and pass-rush considerations this week when it ought to have been a difficulty for the entire protection. There hadn’t been many Emmanuel Ogbah or Melvin Ingram sightings, both. Well Ingram modified that Sunday. He stopped a scrambling Allen wanting the objective line to be credited with one sack, after which sacked him once more within the first half to trigger a fumble that the Bills recovered. Throw in that fumble restoration on Holland’s sack and Ingram had an impactful first half. As for Phillips, you want extra from him, however let’s bear in mind it’s not a straight-line development for many cross rushers or edge gamers. In his third yr, Jason Taylor had a half-sack by way of eight video games. If that doesn’t let you know to show down the amount on the second-year Phillips, nothing will.
9. Quick hits:
A. What was Buffalo doing simply earlier than halftime? With six seconds left on the Dolphins 34-yard line, Josh Allen seemed like he may have spiked the ball and let Tyler Bass try a 51-yard area objective (his lengthy the final two years was 58 and 57 yards). Instead, Allen threw a brief cross to Stefon Diggs and the clock ran out. Why? Allen bobbled the snap and there’s a rule in the event you bobble a snap you possibly can’t spike the ball. So he needed to undergo with the play.
B. Cornerback Keion Crossen knocked the ball unfastened of Bills receiver Gabe Allen to show a landing into an incompletion. The Bills needed to take a third-quarter area objective.
C. Ingram can count on a positive for kicking/leg-whipping Allen within the groin.
10. Next recreation: Dolphins at Cincinnati. The dreaded Thursday night time away recreation. Actually, there’s no statistical proof exhibiting any undue bias for information on Thursday night time, dwelling or away (although Dolphins did lose, 22-7, on Thursday in Cincinnat within the 2016 season). Cincinnati may need had a Super Bowl hangover in beginning 0-2. Or perhaps it was Joe Burrow lacking the preseason with appendix surgical procedure. Or perhaps they had been simply lucky to make the Super Bowl? They performed the New York Jets on Sunday.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com