The depleted Buffalo Bills faltered late in their game against the Miami Dolphins and absorbed their first loss of the season, 21-19, at the Hard Rock Stadium. Here are some critical takeaways from their Week 3 loss.
During this game, two things were clear. Buffalo's offense can be stopped, and Miami, led by first-year head coach Mike McDaniel, is a serious threat to make noise in the AFC.
The Dolphins actually withstood a Tua Tagovailoa injury, a late special-teams gaffe, and a late-game rally by the Bills to move to 3-0 and grab control of the AFC East. They also survived Josh Allen, who had an absolutely fantastic game. Sadly for the Bills, even Allen's monster outing wasn't enough to secure their third win.
Here are our four takeaways from the Buffalo Bills' Week 3 loss vs. the Dolphins.
A tough loss in Miami. #BUFvsMIA | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/JfXVrzrsgo
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 25, 2022
4. Heating up the bad way
The Bills lost many starters due to heat-related ailments throughout the game. In fact, there were several instances of Buffalo players cramping or feeling the heat. The trainers were fast with the drinks, and Buffalo had people giving shade on their sun-drenched sidelines. However, even these couldn't keep the players in the game.
In the second half, wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie and tight end Dawson Knox even went to the locker room for IV fluids. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs also exited the game with 8 minutes remaining and attempted to gut it out. However, he was ineffective down the stretch and kept stepping off the field. Spencer Brown, the right tackle, walked to the locker room and was also shortly declared out of the first half due to heat exhaustion. It was tough to watch, especially for Bills fans used to colder weather up north. Still, it was part of playing the game on the road in South Florida. Lessons learned.
3. Banged up Bills secondary held up okay
The Bills' banged-up secondary was one of the team's main issues heading into Week 3. Keep in mind that Micah Hyde's season ended on Saturday due to a neck injury. Jordan Poyer was also declared out for Week 3 due to a foot ailment.
Consequently, Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin enter the fray. However, they gave Buffalo a mixed bag. With these two in the Bills defensive backfield, much was expected from Miami's offense.
Hyde and Poyer were sorely missed. Johnson committed an egregious penalty near the goal line, and Miami receiver Jaylen Waddle split these two safeties up. That allowed him to score on a deep throw. The banged Bills secondary was just carved up like Thanksgiving turkey.
2. Backs as receivers was a good move
Josh Allen had some eye-popping passing stats. More on that later. These figures, however, meant that Buffalo's offense didn't rely heavily on the running game. The Bills only passed the ball to running backs 15 times.
Those players, though, were still a part of the team's overall strategy. Devin Singletary led the Bills in receiving with nine receptions for 78 yards. In fact, his lone touchdown came after a grab. Along with Singletary, rookie James Cook and Zack Moss each had four catches. Reggie Gilliam, the fullback, also had a pair of his own.
This tactic seems sustainable for the Bills. It maximizes Allen's arm while also keeping opposing teams guessing. We should expect them to continue moving in this direction in the weeks to come.
1. Josh Allen is a special kind of beast
Without a question, Josh Allen had some miscues in this game, but the Bills surely wouldn't even be in a position to win without him. The superstar QB completed 42-of-63 passes for 400 yards (!!!) and two touchdowns. Interestingly enough, he also led the Bills in running yards with 47 on eight carries.
Allen stepped up to the plate after the Bills put all their eggs in his basket. He produced highlight-reel play after highlight-reel play despite a weak rushing game and a shaky offensive line. Take note that he was sacked four times.
Allen froze opponents in the backfield on a regular basis, prolonging plays and scooping up yards with his legs. Diehard football fans can certainly get used to this kind of greatness, and Bills Mafia surely likes what it can see moving forward.
There is no question that Allen is a special kind of beast built to dominate this sport. He set the team record for attempts in a game, and we'll definitely see some more crazy figures from him by the time this season ends. Despite this tough loss, he should still be QB1 on planet football.
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