Two of the AFC's top contenders clashed on Thursday Night Football when the Buffalo Bills met the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Buffalo has dominated the series of late, winning 13 of the last 15 matchups, including one playoff game. The Bills (1-0), who rallied to defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 34-28 last Sunday, are looking to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2022, when they went 13-3. The Dolphins (1-0), who defeated Jacksonville in the opener, are looking to start 2-0 for the third consecutive season. Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert is out with a chest injury, while fellow back De'Von Achane will play through an ankle injury.
Kickoff from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. The Dolphins are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Bills vs. Dolphins odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 48, down from an open of 51. Before making any Bills vs. Dolphins picks, be sure to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 184-130 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 38-22 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022. The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Bills vs. Dolphins and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines for the spread, money line and over/under for Dolphins vs. Bills.
The Bills (2-0) picked up an early divisional win when they beat the Miami Dolphins (1-1) 31-10 on Thursday night. Running back James Cook got going early and ended the day with 78 rushing yards, two touchdowns on the ground and one through the air. Quarterback Josh Allen threw for 139 yards and 1 touchdown. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir led all Bills receivers with five catches for 54 yards. Safety Damar Hamlin, LB Dorian Williams and LB Baylon Spector led the defense in tackles with 10 each. Both DB Ja'Marcus Ingram and Christian Benford both caught interceptions, and Ingram ran one back for a touchdown.
Turnover-Filled First Quarter
Turnovers were the name of the game early for the Bills defense. After forcing no interceptions against the Cardinals, they were able to intercept Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa twice in the first quarter. This marked the first time in his career that Tagovailoa has been intercepted twice in the first quarter.
The first interception came on the first drive of the game when Tagovailoa was looking for WR Grant DuBose. Bills CB Christian Benford had excellent coverage and DB Ja'Marcus Ingram was able to pick off the deflection that set the offense up for their first touchdown of the game to RB James Cook.
The second interception of Tagovailoa came near the end of the first quarter. Tagovailoa overthrew a pass intended for WR Robbie Chosen that landed in the hands of Benford. The Bills then ran six plays that led to a K Tyler Bass field goal.
The Bills ended the evening with total three turnovers of the Dolphins.
Cook's Explosive Performance
After scoring no touchdowns in week one, RB James Cook found pay dirt three times in the first half, two on the ground and one through the air.
After the initial interception by Ingram, the Bills took over at the Dolphins' 37-yard line. The offense started to move the ball down the field and found themselves in a fourth-down-and-three situation. On the ensuing play, QB Josh Allen threw it short to Cook who ran the ball 17 yards for the touchdown.
After both teams took turns punting the football, the offense, aided by an unnecessary roughness flag, found themselves driving the football again. Allen found himself in some trouble on third-and-twelve and found RB Ty Johnson down the field, giving the offense first-and-goal from the one-yard line. Cook then ran the football in on the next play.
On his third touchdown of the first half, Cook broke loose up the middle, running for 49-yards, breaking away from a possible tackle from S Jordan Poyer, and flipping into the end zone.
Ingram's Stellar Night
Ingram made his impact known intercepting Tagovailoa twice, including taking one back for a touchdown.
Edge rusher A.J. Epenesa rushed Tagovailoa and forced him into a throw that landed right in the hands of Ingram. He took the interception back 31 yards to the end zone.
Bills Dominate in the Trenches
The Bills lost the time of possession battle, and the amount of offensive plays run, but they took advantage of the turnovers that the defense forced, including a turnover-on-downs.
The Bills front seven had a strong showing, generating pressure in key moments during the game. Even though they ended the day with 2.0 sacks, the pressure generated from the defensive line affected Miami's offense the entire game.
A rush from Epenesa led directly to the interception by Ingram.
When the Dolphins looked to have a promising drive after a 17-yard run from RB De'Von Achane, the defense held strong and forced the Dolphins into a fourth-down situation. On the fourth-down, DT Ed Oliver took Tagovailoa down to force the turnover-on-downs.
After Tagovailoa left the game in the third quarter, due to a concussion, backup QB Skylar Thompson found himself in another fourth-down situation, this time in the red zone. This time EDGE Von Miller took Thompson down giving the Bills offense the ball once more.
A Concussion for Tagovailoa
The game took a concerning turn in the third quarter when Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the game due to a concussion after taking a hit from Bills linebacker Dorian Williams. Tagovailoa, who has a history of concussion concerns, was evaluated on the sidelines before being ruled out for the remainder of the game. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson came in to replace him, but the Dolphins offense struggled to find its rhythm without Tagovailoa's playmaking ability. This incident has brought back concerns about the safety of NFL players, particularly concerning head injuries. It will be crucial to monitor Tagovailoa's health and recovery in the days to come.
Looking Ahead
The Bills will look to continue their winning ways in Week 3 when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night, while the Dolphins will aim to bounce back in their Week 3 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This game is a reminder that the AFC East is a fiercely competitive division, and the Bills and Dolphins will likely be battling for the division title throughout the season.
This matchup showcased a dominant defensive performance from the Bills, particularly their ability to generate pressure and create turnovers. The Dolphins, on the other hand, struggled offensively in the absence of their starting quarterback, highlighting the importance of having a reliable backup plan. The Bills will be looking to build momentum as they move forward in the season, while the Dolphins will need to regroup and find a way to improve their offensive performance if they want to compete in the AFC East.
This game also serves as a reminder of the importance of player safety in the NFL, with the concerning injury to Tagovailoa highlighting the risks that players face. It is critical that the league continues to prioritize player health and implement measures to protect players from head injuries.
