The Buffalo Bills improved to 5-2 on Sunday afternoon with a 26-11 win over the Miami Dolphins at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.
What went right and what went wrong for the Bills in the win? Check out my Arrows from Sunday's contest, starting with the Ups:
ARROW UP:
Josh Allen
It wasn’t the greatest first half stat line for Allen, but by the end of the game, he did what he does best - passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for another 55 yards and a score for a total of 304 yards of offense. He completed 69% of his passes, going 29-of-42, and averaged 6.9 yards per-carry. Allen, alone, accounted for 86% of the Bills’ 351 yards of total offense.
Second half offense
After a sluggish first half, the last 30 minutes of the game were much more resembling of what we’ve come to know, and expect, of the Bills' offense. They gained 229 yards, 19 first downs, were 5-for-7 on third downs, and scored 23 points, including scoring points on their last four possessions.
Cole Beasley
Beasley was absolutely huge for Allen and the Buffalo offense, collecting 10 passes for 110 yards, including three huge 3rd-and-long receptions in the second half. It was his first 100-yard receiving game of 2021.
Tommy Sweeney
Filling in for the injured Dawson Knox, Sweeney came up big for the Bills' offense when called upon, catching three passes for 30 yards.
Tyler Bass
Bass drilled a 57-yard field goal to get the Bills on the board late in the first quarter. It was the second-longest field goal ever made by a Bills kicker at Highmark Stadium. The ball went through the uprights so high up, it looked like it my have been good from about 70 yards out.
The second-year kicker also connected on a 39-yard field goal to put the Bills up two scores with 3:29 left in the game. A big, pressure kick after the Dolphins had just cut the lead to six points.
Red zone offense
After struggling in the red zone so far this season, the Bills offense converted three of their four trips inside the Dolphins' 20-yard line (75%) into touchdowns.
Run defense
The Bills held the Dolphins to just 68 total rushing yards and only 3.0 yards per-carry.
Third down defense
The Dolphins went 4-for-14 (28.6%) on third downs for the game.
Jordan Poyer
Poyer had the only interception of the game, picking off Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with just 2:32 left in the game and, essentially, sealing the win. Poyer also led all players on either team with nine tackles, including one for a loss, and was also credited with a pass breakup.
Tre’Davious White
White was credited with two pass breakups, but he was all over Dolphins receivers and the football, especially in the second half.
Ed Oliver
While only credited with two total tackles, including one for a loss, Oliver was disruptive and in the Dolphins' backfield several times.
Matt Milano’s hit
With 11:56 left in the third quarter and the score tied at 3-3, Tagovailoa hit running back Myles Gaskin with a short pass in the right flat on first down. Milano read it perfectly, and flew from his linebacker spot to make a big-time hit on Gaskin, resulting in a one-yard loss and a very excited Bills bench.
It was after that moment the game seemed to turn for the Bills. They forced a three-and-out on that series, and then scored on their next four possessions on offense.
ARROW DOWN:
First half game plan/play calling
The Bills opened their first couple offensive series with runs and very short passes, putting them in 3rd-and-5 situations both times. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll started the game too conservative against a clearly inferior opponent.
Matt Haack’s 19-yard punt
Haack punted the ball four times on the afternoon. He averaged 40.8 yards per-punt, including a 55-yarder, and placed one inside the Miami 20-yard line.
He also had a really bad miss that wound up going only 19 yards, allowing the Dolphins to start at their own 35-yard line. They eventually scored three points on the ensuing drive.
Isaiah McKenzie’s muffed punt
McKenzie botched a punt return deep in his own territory during a 3-3 game early in the third quarter. Luckily for him and the Bills, the football eventually went out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.
First half offense
As good as the second half was for the Bills offense, they needed all of it, because the first half was the opposite. They gained only 122 total yards, five first downs, and went just 1-for-6 on third down. Buffalo didn’t even cross the Dolphins' 20-yard line, while scoring only three points.
Running game
The Bills' running game wasn’t good, outside of a couple Allen runs. Devin Singletary and Zack Moss combined for 15 carries for 47 yards, an average of just 3.13 yards per-carry.
Penalties
The Bills committed nine penalties for 80 yards. That's far too many for too much.
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