Bleu Cheese or Ranch: What stood out in Bills vs. Dolphins?

The Buffalo Bills dominate once again

The Buffalo Bills are back on top of the AFC East, after a 48-20 beatdown of the Miami Dolphins in Western New York. The crowd was a factor in this one.

“I don’t think I’ve heard a crowd that loud in my career in the NFL… I’ve been in the league a long time. As loud of a crowd I have ever heard in my time in the NFL.. It sounded like jet engines out there. It really did,” Head Coach Sean McDermott said.

The Bills were able to pull away in the second half after the game started back and forth, with each team scoring touchdowns on their opening two possessions.

With dominance from the Bills against a good opponent like the Dolphins comes a lot of positive performances and takeaways. It’s time to pick our complementary finishers…

Bleu Cheese

QB Josh Allen

Josh Allen is back to playing elite football, having done it the last three weeks. In games prior, Allen is 72-of-94 (76.6%), with 10 total touchdowns and only one interception.

This past Sunday, Allen was 21-of-25 for 320 yards, with five total touchdowns and zero turnovers. He also had a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Allen has now thrown four touchdowns and ran for one touchdown in the same game three separate times. That puts him in elite company, tying Aaron Rodgers who has three such games, and trailing Drew Brees, who has done it four times.

Allen was proficient, trusting his eyes, and making accurate throws throughout the game. Buffalo’s offense, led by second-year offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, has been on fire. Allen will look to continue his dominance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.

WR Stefon Diggs

Is the best trade in Bills history Stefon Diggs? You can make the case, as Diggs has been elite since joining the team back in 2020. Through four games in 2023, he has 31 receptions for 399 yards and four touchdowns.

Against the Dolphins, Diggs was his usual self, catching six balls for 120 yards and three touchdowns. The play of the day from the offense was a pass from Allen to Diggs — who came back to the ball on a curl route down the field, spun out of two tackles, and took it all the way to the house. Impressive performance from Buffalo’s WR1.

Bills’ offensive line

What a difference a year makes. According to Pro Football Focus, the Bills are the best pass-blocking unit in the entire NFL. That continued on Sunday against the Dolphins. The Bills allowed zero sacks, zero quarterback hits, and five quarterback hurries.

Spending money on the interior of this offensive line in the offseason is something that Bills general manager Brandon Beane did well. Beane also put faith in right tackle Spencer Brown, who had some question marks coming into the season. Through a quarter of the 2023 NFL season, both decisions by Buffalo’s coaching staff and front office seem to be paying off. (O’Cyrus Torrence was also a steal in the second round.)

Ken Dorsey/Aaron Kromer

Ken Dorsey and offensive line Coach Aaron Kromer have both been tremendous through four games this year.

Kromer has the offensive line playing at a level they need to be at in order to make a postseason push. Dorsey has been nothing short of exceptional in year two. The Bills are sixth in the NFL in yards per game (391.0) and second in points (34.8 per game). They also are fifth in the NFL in yards after catch (YAC) with 529.

The balance from Buffalo’s offense in both the run and pass could take them to a new level.

Bills’ defensive line

The theme continued with the defensive line on Sunday: Whoever lines up for the Bills in the trenches on defense is winning and causing chaos for opposing quarterbacks. The Dolphins were playing good football up front, rated as the seventh-best offensive line in football per Pro Football Focus.

Well, the Bills’ front four didn’t care. Buffalo’s pass rush on Sunday pressured QB Tua Tagovailoa on 14 of his 40 dropbacks (35%). Tagovailoa had a league-low 21.2% pressure rate in Weeks 1-3. They also recorded four sacks and nine QB hits. The Dolphins’ offensive line entered the game having only allowed one sack and five QB hits.

Head Coach Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott has taken over the defensive playcalling this year for the Bills, and the defense hasn’t disappointed, Holding the Dolphins to 20 points on Sunday was their lowest total on the season.

Through four games, they are sixth in yards against (288.0), and allow 13.8 points per game. Buffalo’s defense has 14 sacks on the year, and edge rusher Von Miller has yet to come back from his injury. They have eight interceptions in four games. Complete control from this Bills defensive unit.

McDermott is proving to people that he’s an elite defensive mind in the NFL. We’ll see if that continues throughout the season and into the playoffs.

Linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard

Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano continue to make splash plays all over the field. Milano forced a fumble against the Dolphins and Terrel Bernard was the one to recover it. Bernard also showed great poise in coverage and forced Tagovailoa into a bad throw, which resulted in an interception by Micah Hyde.

Buffalo Bills secondary

Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was limited to three receptions for 58 yards. While wideout Jaylen Waddle was limited to four receptions for 46 yards. One of the best duos in football were almost completely shut down.

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Ranch

First two drives by the Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins came out on fire against the Bills, scoring on their first two possessions. After that, Buffalo’s defense took over.

Drew Bledsoe

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe was the legend of the game, and he had some major trouble singing the Shout Song to pump up Bills Mafia.

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That’s a wrap for this week’s order — now it’s time to prepare for the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, England.