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WKBW sports staff predicts Bills vs. Dolphins Week 2 match up

Josh Allen Dolphins
Posted at 3:28 PM, Sep 18, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-18 15:30:05-04

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (WKBW) — Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have won their last five head-to-head match ups against the Miami Dolphins heading into Sunday's game in South Florida.

Here are the predictions from the WKBW sports staff.

Matt Bove

I didn't think we'd be talking about the Bills looking for their first win of the year but here we are. After an uninspiring start to the season, the Bills need to rebound against the Miami Dolphins. But despite their recent dominance of the Dolphins, this will be no easy task.

Miami boasts a strong defense loaded with playmakers. The Dolphins have forced at least one turnover in 23 consecutive games. If that streak continues, Buffalo could be in trouble unless they find a way to force a turnover or two themselves. Against the Steelers, the Bills lost the turnover battle and that played a big role in why they lost the game.

Buffalo will need a much better performance from their offensive line if they're going to leave South Beach with a win. Last week, the Bills big men committed six holding penalties and Josh Allen was pressured more than 20 times. Miami doesn't have the caliber pass rushers that Pittsburgh does, but they can still make plays. If Allen is running for his life, he could once again have a sloppy game.

But history tells us the Bills should be able to move the ball against the Dolphins, who tend to play a lot of man-coverage. In his last five starts against the Dolphins, Allen has played at an MVP level and has led the Bills to five consecutive wins. I think this will be a close game but i'll give the edge to the team with the more experienced quarterback.

Bills 27, Dolphins 24
Season record: 0-1

Jenna Callari

Before the season began, I thought the Bills would go 3-1 before their first two primetime games in weeks five and six.

I had that one loss to Miami.

Winning on the road in the NFL is never easy, and the Dolphins aren't a bad team. The Bills offense struggled with ball security in their season opener against the Steelers and when you're going up against a Dolphins defense that's forced a turnover in 23 straight games, you can't be sloppy. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has shown some strides as he enters another year under center, but still has work to do - just like any young quarterback.

A lot of eyes will be on Josh Allen and how this offense bounces back. Allen has a pretty good track record against the Dolphins with a 5-1 record and after a down week one performance, is poised to have a bounce back game. If he and the offense get hot, I don't see the Dolphins being able to keep up.

I originally had the Bills losing a few weeks ago, but I just don't see them starting the season with an 0-2 record. Give me the first win of the season for the Bills and the first career regular season sack for Greg Rousseau who'll be playing in his former collegiate stadium.

Bills: 27, Dolphins: 18
Season Record: 0-1

Adam Unger

The Bills have only lost back-to-back regular season games once in each of the last two seasons. In 2019, a loss to New England in December was followed by a throwaway game against the Jets; Buffalo had already clinched a playoff berth. In 2020, COVID-19 outbreaks forced the schedule for two weeks in a row to be thrown off. Those two games were against the Chiefs and the Titans, both of whom had played in the AFC Title game the year before.

Sean McDermott and company won't add to that tally this early in the season.

Last week, Josh Allen threw more passes than he ever had in a single game before. Buffalo could move the ball, but stalled when it counted most and were killed by penalties and a blocked punt that changed the entire complexion of the Bills' week 1 loss.

This era of Bills football doesn't make mistakes of that caliber often. And when the team does, it gets corrected, and corrected quickly. Josh Allen will have more time to throw against the Dolphins than he did against the Steelers. The secondary in south beach is a star studded one, but it's also a unit that Allen has found incredible success against recently.

Buffalo can't become one dimensional in their approach on offense, but the volume against a team Allen is somehow so good against will only help.

Bills: 24, Dolphins: 16
Season Record: 0-1

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