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The Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins 31-10 in their Week 2 clash to move to 2-0 in the 2024 season. After a short week, the Bills traveled to South Beach and found a way to win on Thursday night despite the muggy, uncomfortable weather typical of Miami in September. It wasn’t a perfect game and the tone of the game changed dramatically in the second half following an injury to Tua Tagovailoa, but the Bills made up the remaining time and focused on what was ahead.
Below, we recap the night’s events by looking at the most inspired performance, asking about injuries on Buffalo’s defense, examining why the Bills’ passing game needs a better performance, and discussing the most infuriating aspect of the night.
In his breakout 2023 season, James Cook only managed two rushing touchdowns. He’s already matched that total in this single game, along with a receiving touchdown. When Joe Brady took over play-calling last year, it was clear that the offense’s focus would be more on Cook and his ability to run the ball consistently. That commitment remains the same in the two games of 2024, and the ball carrier is rewarding that commitment with yards and now touchdowns. Cook was certainly far from finished when he arrived from Georgia in 2022 (like many of the Bills’ draft picks), but Buffalo likes to have balls of clay to mold, and running backs coach Kelly Skipper has certainly molded Cook into a top player in today’s NFL. Each year he has made significant strides in his vision and determination, and it’s paid off.
Additionally, two Bills cornerbacks combined for three interceptions, with Ja’Marcus Ingram making two of them (including one of the easiest pick-sixes a defensive player will ever make). After the Bills parted ways with stalwart cornerback Tre’Davious White and still unsure of what they had with 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam, there were questions outside of Buffalo about whether the starters should really be Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford. Douglas was an established starter before coming to Buffalo, but Benford had to overcome his draft status as a sixth-round pick to show that he could be more than just a starting cornerback in today’s NFL, but a plus-starter at the position; a true asset to his team, not simply a player who settles for the talent around him. The fact that former undrafted cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram caused two turnovers that night was simply the icing on the cake of a great performance by the Bills’ cornerbacks in this game.
Related: 5 lessons from the Bills’ convincing 31-10 win over the Dolphins
Another year and another season of the Bills dealing with injuries on defense. With Matt Milano already out with a torn bicep and Taron Johnson out last week with an arm injury, misfortune struck again when Terrel Bernard went down early in the game with a reported pectoral injury. It’s one thing to lose an All-Pro player before the season begins, let alone another just minutes into the opening game, but losing your own playmaker and head on the field presents a difficult situation for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich in his first season. How the Bills adjust to having their entire second level of defense (seemingly) reduced to backup players for the foreseeable future will determine their overall performance on defense this season. They’re still solid and well-positioned up front, which will help mitigate the losses incurred in those first two games, but it’s still a cause for concern.
Two weeks in, the Bills are still trying to improve their passing game. On one hand, the Bills were obviously comfortable attacking the Dolphins defense with the run game and were very successful at doing so. On the other hand, it was a good thing that the Bills’ run game was so strong because the passing game just didn’t contribute enough to the offense in this game. A few short passes to Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir kept the offense moving at times, and of course a 17-yard touchdown run by James Cook on fourth down got the night rolling, but other than that, there was very little that put the Bills in a position to win tonight.
When you win a game as decisively as the Bills did, that doesn’t always have to happen in every single phase of the game. Still, the Bills’ passing game leaves a lot to be desired after these first two games. Josh Allen is still the second-best quarterback in the NFL, and that was more than proven last week against Arizona, but the passing game definitely has room for improvement. With the extra time between now and their next game on Monday Night Football, Joe Brady and Co. will hopefully have found solutions to those problems.
It’s always difficult when the reality of a violent game sets in. After a 2023 season in which Tagovailoa stayed healthy, played a full season and led the league in passing, it seemed like the scary 2022 season in which he missed significant time due to multiple concussions was well and truly behind him. He found ways to protect himself from hard hits and still be an effective quarterback. As the third quarter wound down Thursday, Tagovailoa ran in the red zone for a fourth-down attempt and collided with Damar Hamlin, immediately going down and appearing stiff as he lay on the field. It was a scary and unfortunately familiar scene for those who have watched the Dolphins over the past few seasons.
It’s important to remember that despite their superhuman performances, these people still put their lives in danger on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays because they love the game. And it’s not just physical issues. When New York Giants fans decided to wait for Daniel Jones’ performance at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, only to boo him about his contract, it shows that some (and certainly not all) fans don’t always recognize the humanity of those on the field. It’s not fun to watch a bad season, and it’s not fun when a good player gets injured. Imagine being in the middle of that season yourself. You hear people joke about needing a million dollars from you, or you hear a stadium full of your fans fall silent, wondering if this is the last time you’ll see this.
If there is anything to truly take away from this game, it is that you should absolutely enjoy what you see on the field, live out the energy, and embrace rivalries as they develop. But there is also a point where the game ends and people are just people and sending nasty messages, snide remarks or death threats, etc. just shouldn’t be part of the thought process that gives you enjoyment in this game. This game is special and the community of fans you surround yourself with should be special too. They also shouldn’t be the ones cheering on the downfall of others, their careers, or their livelihoods. There are simply many better and healthier ways to enjoy this incredible game.
Related: Highlights and duds from Bills’ dominant win over the Dolphins in Week 2
After a much-needed 11-day break, the Bills are back home in Week 3, taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. This game is the first of a Monday night doubleheader, meaning it has a special 7:30 p.m. start time. A test for both teams, but with the Bills having more rest, it could prove to be just the edge they need to pull off a win over another tough AFC opponent, the Jaguars.
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