ORCHARD PARK, NY — One of the biggest tests for the Dolphins’ season and the coach Mike McDaniel era took place Thursday night at Highmark Stadium when Miami visited Buffalo. And the Dolphins, who usually play Buffalo close at Highmark Stadium, stepped up to the task but lost, 31-21.
The Dolphins (0-3) entered Thursday’s game with a 1-6 record vs. Buffalo in the McDaniel era and riding a six-game losing streak. But although they were 0-4 at Buffalo in the McDaniel era, three of those losses were three-point affairs — 34-31, 32-29 and 30-27. And some of the operational errors that plagued them in the first two games — delay of game, 12 men in the huddle, late getting offensive plays in the huddle — didn’t surface Thursday.
Here’s what we learned:
Dolphins go to third-team RG and it hurts
Right guard Kion Smith, the replacement for right guard James Daniels, got replaced by Daniel Brunksill in the third quarter, meaning the Dolphins were down to their third-team right guard. It turned out to be costly as Brunkill missed a block on Bills defensive tackle Deone Walker in the fourth quarter. Walker was in Tagovailoa’s face when he threw a game-deciding interception to linebacker Terrel Bernard with 3:00 left.
Smith, who might be better at left tackle than right guard, struggled through the New England game and apparently the first half against Buffalo. Smith missed last season with a knee injury. He ditched the knee brace last week, saying it was restrictive and made him think about his ailment. Smith played mostly left tackle during the latter part of training camp. — Chris Perkins
Sieler has costly roughing the punter penalty
The Dolphins’ defense made what appeared to be its third consecutive third down stop in the fourth quarter when defensive tackle Zach Sieler, after plowing over long snapper Reid Ferguson, the brother of ex-Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson, got called for roughing the kicker. The Bills scored five plays later on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen to wide receiver Khalil Shakir to take a 28-21 lead.
It’s the second time the Dolphins have been called for that penalty twice this season. The first time was against linebacker Matthew Judon in the Indianapolis game. That penaly extended what turned into a 17-play drive that resulted in a field goal and a 20-0 halftime lead for the Colts.
Tua runs . . . and slides
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had an eight-yard run in the second quarter that showed some football smarts. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was covered to Tagovailoa’s right so he pulled the ball down and ran it, sliding just after he crossed the first down line to gain. It was smart of Tagovailoa not to force the ball to Hill and even smarter of him to slide.
Last year Tagovailoa got concussed when he ran into Buffalo safety Bamar Hamlin while trying to run for a first down.
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Ollie gets early action
Rookie running back Ollie Gordon (nine carries, 38 yards) got action on the game’s first drive, getting an eight-yard gain and a 2-yard loss among his plays before his 2-yard touchdown run. That represented a big change from the first two games.
Gordon’s touchdown followed a 54-yard kickoff return by Dee Eskridge and capped a well-executed 10-play, 54-yard drive that took 6:29. Gordon had trouble getting snaps in the first two games because of the Dolphins’ deficits and because coach Mike McDaniel said he didn’t play well without the ball (blocking, pass protection, etc…).
Dolphins take early, rare lead
The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead against Buffalo and held it for four minutes, 27 seconds, which meant for the season they’ve held the lead for just 11:16 through three games. The Dolphins held the lead for 6:49 against New England and never had the lead against Indianapolis.
QB difference early and late is huge
Through their first eight passes Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was 7 of 8 for 64 yards with two touchdowns and a 139.6 passer rating. Tagovailoa was 5 of 8 for 30 yards and a 69.8 passer rating. Allen ended 22 of 28 for 213 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 134.1 passer rating. He also had four carries for 25 yards. Tagovailoa ended 22 of 34 for 146 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 83.2 passer rating. He had two carries for 10 yards.
Chubb racking up sacks in low-key fashion
Edge rusher Bradley Chubb had a second-quarter sack, bringing his season total to 3.0 sacks in three games. Chubb, who missed all of last season, had 11.0 sacks in 16 games in 2023 before sustaining his season-ending knee injury, and 2.5 sacks in eight games for the Dolphins in 2022 after being traded from Denver.
So, Chubb has a respectable 16.5 sacks in 27 games for the Dolphins.
Dolphins improve first-half performance on scoreboard
The Dolphins and Bills were tied at 14 at halftime, which signalled progress for the Dolphins considering they trailed at halftime in each of their first two games. The Dolphins trailed Indianapolis, 20-0 at halftime and trailed New England, 15-14.
Kickoff returners doing their job
Kickoff returners Dee Eskridge and Malik Washington were effective in the first half, totaling 97 yards on three kickoff returns. Eskridge had two for 75 yards, including a 54-yarder on the game’s opening kickoff. Washington, who had the 74-yard punt return touchdown last week, had one for 22 yards. Eskridge ended with three kickoff returns for 104 yards while Washington had two returns for 48 yards.
Dolphins run game gets battered again
The Dolphins run defense, which was No. 9 last season but entered Thursday’s game at No. 25 in the league allowing 139 yards per game, took another beating. Buffalo rushed for 27 yards on 157 carries. Running back James Cook led the way with 19 yards on 108 carries.
Indianapolis rushed for 156 yards on 40 carries (3.9 ypc) and New England rushed for 122 yards on 29 carries (4.2 ypc).
This is the ninth time a Dolphins team has started a season 0-3
None of the previous eight made the playoffs. So, who has made the playoffs in NFL history after starting 0-3?
There have been six such teams. Interestingly, none of those teams have come from previous four seasons, when the schedule was expanded to 17 games to go along with each conference having expanded to seven playoff teams in 2020. The 0-3 teams to have made the postseason are:
1981 New York Jets: Finished 10-5-1 and made the playoffs as an AFC Wild Card;
1982 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Finished 5-4 in a strike-shortened season and made the playoffs as an NFC Wild Card;
1992 San Diego Chargers: Finished 11-5 and won their division, the AFC West;
1995 Detroit Lions: Finished 10-6 and made the playoffs as an NFC Wild Card;
1998 Buffalo Bills: Finished 10-6 and made the playoffs as an AFC Wild Card;
2018 Houston Texans: Finished 11-5 and won their division, the AFC South.
This is how the Dolphins have finished in the eight previous 0-3 starts:
2019 (5-11);
2011 (6-10);
2009 (7-9);
2007 (1-15);
2004 (4-12);
1969 (3-10-1);
1968 (5-8-1);
1966 (3-11).
* Note 1: The 2016 team started 1-4 and made the playoffs; ** Note 2: A Don Shula-coached team never started 0-3. — Steve Svekis
It has been a while since a Dolphin has had least one sack in three straight games
Before Bradley Chubb grabbed a sack in games 1-3 this season, Randy Starks, near the end of the 2011 season, was the most recent Miami player with The most recent Dolphin with a four-game streak? Cameron Wake from Nov. 18-Dec. 12, 2010. Hall of Famer Jason Taylor owns a club record with six streaks of at least three games with a sack, with a club-record eight-game string in 2002.
It has been more than a minute since the Dolphins had a TD drive of at least 16 plays
Pro-football-reference.com provides drive data dating back to 2001, and according to that site, the Dolphins’ second touchdown marked the first time the aqua-and-orange had scored six points on a possession of at least 16 plays in almost 14 years (a 21-play leviathan on Jan. 1, 2012 vs. the Jets).
It is rare for multiple Dolphins with kickoff and/or punt returns of longer than 50 yards
For the 12th time in team history, the Dolphins have had two players with kickoff and/or punt returns of at least 54 yards, as Dee Eskridge returned the opening Bills kick 54 yards, joining up with Malik Washington’s 74-yard touchdown punt return last week against the Patriots. The only other time the trick was turned in the season’s first three games was in 1968. The other times multiple players have had such returns: 2016, 2004, 2000, 1989, 1981, 1977, 1976, 1970 and 1966. And, in 1983, three Dolphins hit that length on returns, with Fulton Walker logging a 78-yard kickoff return, Tommy Vigorito logging a 62-yard runback off a punt, and then-rookie Mark Clayton taking a punt return for 60 yards and a score against the then-Baltimore Colts.
Another low-pressure game from the pass rush
Entering Thursday night, the Dolphins were 19 games into the defensive coordinator term of Anthony Weaver. In that time, Miami has had an almost non-existent pass rush and, thus, pass defense. Heading in to Thursday night, the Dolphins under Weaver had 39 sacks in 19 games. Last year’s 35 sacks were the sixth-fewest in the NFL, and this season’s four has them ahead of eight other teams. Thank heavens for Bradley Chubb.
On deck: New York Jets, Hard Rock Stadium, Monday, Sept. 29, 8:15 p.m.
If Justin Fields clears his concussion protocol in the next 11 days, the Dolphins’ procession of uber-mobile opposing quarterbacks will continue next Monday night. In his one past game against Mike McDaniel’s Dolphins, Fields roasted Miami, leading his Bears offense to 32 points as he threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as part of his 179 rushing yards on only 14 non-kneeldown carries (12.8 yards a run).
