That was cool, I guess.
If you like your team beating other teams at football and your team is the Dolphins, then that worked out great.
We can’t say that often this year, so let’s appreciate it while we
can.
Happy Random Sunday, everyone!
There was not much hope coming in
Heading into Week 10 of the 2025 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh ‘Tim’ Allen had a lifetime record of 14-2 against our little ol’ Dolphins that rarely could.
The game started as Dolphins games often do: poorly. A penalty, a wasted timeout, and an interception on a downfield huck into obvious double coverage got them off on the expected foot.
Contrary to recent history, however; the Dolphins’ defense responded by forcing Buffalo to punt on their opening drive: the first time that’s happened for the Bills all season.
Miami still managed to sneak in a few of their greatest hits: burning all 3 first half timeouts before even hitting the 9:00 mark of the 2nd quarter, giving up a free 4th and 1 conversion via an encroachment penalty: you know, some real bangers.
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But, despite a few familiar missteps, the outcome was anything but. When the smoke cleared, the Fins had…dominated. A final score of 30-13, 197 team rushing yards (with 174 coming by way of De’Von Achane), and a total suppression of James Cook, who had amassed over 300 yards the previous two weeks combined and yet, against the Dolphins’ dreadful run D, was held to 53.
It was weird.
How are you going to come out and bash the Bills while sitting at 2-7? This is the same as rolling a critical hit against an enemy with 1 HP left. Sure; it feels good, but it’s ultimately meaningless.
It almost makes me madder than if they just stayed bad.
But just almost.
The benefits of a win, especially against a frankly superior in-Division opponent, always outweigh a loss. The big question is: will the staff sustain the success of such a showing? There are lessons to be learned from how the team went about winning if the staff is willing to welcome them:
Limitations on offense are forcing changes
Miami’s ‘Greatest Show on Surf’ offense of the long forgotten past of 2023 was predicated on force feeding the ball to one Tyreek ‘Now a DJ, apparently’ Hill. It was helmed by a version of Tua Tagovailoa that hasn’t shown itself this season and it relied on a lot of timing plays plus some pre-snap motion that has been since outlawed.
The point is: this current version of the Miami offense is hamstrung in a few ways. Reek isn’t coming back, Tua doesn’t appear to be reverting to his older, better ways, and injuries are cropping up throughout the ranks (in the tight end room particularly).
As a result, Mike McDaniel has had to make adjustments, something he is historically violently opposed to.
But, to his credit, he’s making them.
The offense has been more reliant on the running game, working extra O-lineman Daniel Brunskill in as a tight end surrogate, using OGII and Jaylen Wright to spell De’Von Achane, particularly in short yardage situations, and even giving Alec Ingold a rep here and there.
The playcalling has been more balanced and the offense isn’t forcing its way through one player (though there’s still a little more reliance on Achane than I’d prefer, based only on the horrifying possibility that he gets hurt).
If the staff is being honest with themselves, they should look at this win and the offensive shift that enabled it and realize that this is quite possibly a good blueprint for a successful team. More physicality, better balance, less eye candy, and more points. Crazy, right?
Even if Hill came back tomorrow, Tua found his footing again, and Darren Waller returned ready to rock, MM should acknowledge that an offense built on a solid foundation of ground and pound with those electric and/or flashy plays sprinkled on top like garnish is more likely to last than one that’s all pomp and no circumstance.
A depleted defense stepped up
The Fins’ secondary has been through the ringer this season. At kickoff, Jack ‘Bones’ Jones was the only previous starter still manning a cornerback position. Minkah Fitzpatrick was at his safety spot, while the rest of the backend was manned by JuJu ‘Smith’ Brents, Jason Marshall, Ethan Bonner (kind of), Dante Trader, and Ifeatu Melifonwu.
Meanwhile, Jaelen Phillips is in Philly and Chop Robinson was out, leaving Bradley Chubb assisted by Matthew Judon, Cameron Goode, and Quinton Bell.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the Bills offense would have a field day in such times.
Instead, Brents looked like he’s been playing in this defense his whole life, Melifonwu pulled down an interception in the end zone, and the pass rush got to Josh Allen 3 times, while the defense also forced two additional turnovers by way of fumbles.
The Buffalo offense had such the opposite of a field day (Cave day? I don’t work here.) that they were held to season lows in first half rush yards (23), total yards (90), and first downs (4).
It was also the first time that the Fins had shut out the Bills for three quarters since 2003. And that was so long ago that ESPN still showed sports highlights.
The defense even went so far as to bail the offense out after Tua threw a second ill-advised downfield double coverage interception by forcing a punchout fumble from Allen, who was busy trying to live up to the mythology that every announcing team is required to build around him by attempting to carry his flailing team alone on his back in a desperate attempt to eek out a heroic uphill victory against a 2 win opponent.
Honestly, you love to see it.
The refs tried to get in on the fun, manufacturing a phantom taunting penalty on Bradley Chubb that led to a late Bills touchdown but, thankfully, it wasn’t enough.
If this version of the defense could become the standard, they could really make some noise. Speaking of which:
There were a lot of Bills fans in Miami
I’m basing this assertion on no real data whatsoever. It just sounded like it based on the audio during good Bills plays and/or bad Miami plays.
I don’t really have much useful to say about that. It’s just kind of a bummer.
And speaking of bummers (if you’re on of those Miami-based Bills fans):
Weekly Overreaction: The Bills will lose their first playoff game
I don’t think Mr. January is going to get a chance to justify Tony Romo’s continued existence this year.
As of this writing, the Bills have an 85% chance of making the playoffs, even factoring in this unexpected loss.
So while I don’t think this game is indicative of a precipitous dropoff that sees them miss the postseason altogether, I do think it illustrates that they are not as formidable as they have been in recent years.
Failing to run against *this* Dolphins defense, not dominating in the passing game against a 19th-string secondary, and letting Miami’s heretofore anemic offense hang 30 points on them are all elements that should concern the Bills’ staff.
Of course, they are a staff who has shown the ability to adjust and overcome, so it could just as easily serve as a wake up call and kick them into high gear. But at least it’s the worst they’ve looked against a Dolphins team in a long, long time.
And that is always something to celebrate.
Was this basically the Super Bowl for the Fins this season? Should they maybe be a more run-focused team? Should JuJu Brents get a 10-year contract tomorrow? Sling mud in the comments below.
