Despite touchdown drives of 70 and 81 yards to tie the game twice in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins fell short of toppling their rivals as Tyler Bass' 61-yard field goal at the buzzer made Buffalo 30-27 winners.
Despite the loss, offensive trends of the last two weeks paint a brighter future for the Fins, though they now have a 2-6 hole to climb out of. Here are the three takeaways from the Week 9 loss to the Bills.
- To a tee (Tua T.)
Yards and points were difficult to come by in the absence of QB1, but since his return, the Dolphins offense is playing like many fans expected in the third year of the marriage of Head Coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
While records have fallen the last couple of years with this high-powered passing attack conducted by Tagovailoa, Sunday was one of his most impressive showings. Just three of Tagovailoa's 28 passes hit the turf, and two of those were passes intentionally thrown away. While he still had several big throws in the deep and intermediate areas of the field, it was the quick decision-making of Tagovailoa that impressed, especially how quickly he was able to get deep into his progression.
"I thought Tua played one of his best games since we've been working together on finding those eligibles and taking what the defense was giving them, and that was a lot of double (teams) on 10 (Tyreek Hill) and 17 (Jaylen Waddle) for a good amount of the game," McDaniel said.
The Dolphins have possessed the ball just 15 times in the two games since Tagovailoa's return. Those 15 drives have produced six touchdowns and four field goals, totaling 54 points. That's good for 3.6 points per drive, nearly double the league average (1.9).
- Balance and physicality
Those efficiency metrics aren't the doing of one individual, but rather an offense that has developed an identity. Certainly, at 2-6, this could fall on deaf ears, but in the third year of the program, the Dolphins have shown an offense that can attack every area of the field in both the run and pass. The offensive line is thriving through continuity and connectivity in the trenches. The backs are hitting gaps with conviction and churning out big performance after big performance.
The Dolphins have run for 149, 150, 188 and 193 yards in the last four games. Backs have found the perimeter in the bread-and-butter outside zone runs, but make no mistake, this Dolphins front has established versatility to execute across any scheme. Cut the tape and find wash out blocks from the entire group – Terron Armstead, Rob Jones, Aaron Brewer, Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson – all playing high-level football. They helped running back De'Von Achane find the end zone twice, giving him 19 touchdowns in 16 career games.
This has also opened the short passing game. Tagovailoa completed eight of his nine passes outside the numbers Sunday and the lone incompletion was a throwaway. Miami has established the physicality, balance and multi-layered passing attack to go after defenses in any form or fashion.
- One play away
Bills quarterback Josh Allen is no stranger to dramatics, and he seems to ramp it up against the Dolphins. So, when he gets sandwiched by two rushers as he throws for the end zone, and the ball comes off his hand rotating end-over-end like a punt, of course it lands in the waiting arms of his tight end for a touchdown.
All game long it felt like the Dolphins were close to making the game-changing play on Allen, especially on the game's final drive. Miami backed the Bills up to a third-and-14 with under two minutes to play, but a neutral zone infraction and personal foul gave Buffalo life and a fresh set of downs.
Akin to giving a high-powered baseball lineup an extra out, affording the Bills offense extra cracks at the ball is a recipe for defeat. Instead of Buffalo punting back to Miami – with a timeout and a minute and 40 seconds to work with – the Bills were awarded a first down just shy of midfield and proceeded to walk it off with a 61-yard field goal just a few plays later.
The Bills scored on their final five possessions, including a touchdown off a Dolphins fumble.
If Miami could've found one more play, this moral victory becomes an actual tally in the win column.
For more analysis, takeaways and breakdowns, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
