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The game next week or the Bills for the season?

This week at home

I was feeling a lot better about it before Buffalo had some big injuries and still destroyed the Titans by over 30 points. If our gameplan is to prepare for a shoot out and don't try to go 50-50 with rushing and we are healthy for the week, then:

Buffalo 31
Miami 21

I just don't see a win against that team right now but I honestly do think only losing by 10 and being competitive the whole game is a huge improvement we can build on. Another 40 point loss and all good will is gone from Sunday.

No guarantees but this is a huge trap game for Buffalo. Really hoping they come in half assed and struggle to stay with us. It's really hard to get motivated and keep beating up on the same team all the time. That an d the fact they are playing on a short week should help us.

Miami 31
Buffalo 28

I see us losing big.  Not to be all doom and gloom, but we kinda used up our good fortune and the Bills are on another level.  We'll get whipped, but that's OK.

Buffalo 34
Miami 20

unfortunately, BUF is still the top dog in the East and MIA has not played well against them of late.

entertaining game, but I think Miami comes up short

BU 35
MIA 24

If Buffalo takes a 14 point lead with 5 minutes left, I would still consider that progress. If they are up 34-0 in the 4th and sit Josh Allen while we get garbage time points, then definitely not.

This is the game that will set expectations for the season.

If MIA loses big, they are still a playoff contender.
If MIA wins, or loses on the final possession, we can start talking about the Dolphins as a team contending for the Super Bowl.

MIA 34
BUF 31

After what I saw on Monday, I think the Bills will win

Bills 42

Dolphins 17

Bills' complacency combined with Dolphins' motivation will keep the game close, until the Bills realize they're in a dogfight, turn on the juice, and that emotional advantage for the Dolphins then disappears.  At that point the talent differential will strongly favor the Bills and will likely make them pull it out, though an opportune random factor (turnover, special teams play, etc.) could win the game for the Dolphins.

I say a 30-30 tie.

Why would the Bills be complacent?  A 2-0 team playing an 0-2 team risks compliancy, not a team facing another 2-0 divisional rival. 

Bills are the stronger team.

Bills 35-24

I don't think team records matter much in determining these things at this point.  I think the Bills and the world believe Buffalo is the much better team, regardless of record.  That creates the complacency.

Bills are the better team.  But complacency (aka trap games) Don't happen early in the season.  Don't happen between two undefeated teams. Only happen under extreme cases between division rivals. Three independent reasons why complacency won't occur. 

Miami does have two things going for them.  1. Bills needing to travel after a Monday night game means less time to prep.  And 2. New OC and new HC means not a ton of film to work with.  (This is why you often see new HCs have a better year 1 then year 2 and 3.) 

Miami:   36
Buffalo:  30

Certainly if Buffalo played Detroit in game one -- i.e., early in the season -- they'd be far less motivated than if they played the Rams (as they did).  "Undefeated teams" means little at a mere 2-0.  Consider that just last week half the teams in the league were "undefeated."  Certainly if Buffalo played the 2021 Jets -- a division rival -- they'd be less motivated than if they played the Patriots circa 2007, another division rival.

Top 10 teams don't look past other teams in the top 10 of the power ratings, they look past teams in the bottom half.

Certainly you have some idea of how volatile power rankings are this early in the season?  Miami wasn't even a playoff team last year.  One convincing loss and they'll tumble down that list a good ways.  Buffalo on the other hand was 13 seconds and a highly improbable finish from playing in the AFC Championship last year and destroyed last year's SB champion on the road two weeks ago.

Miami 13

Buffalo 10

miami - 42
buffalo - 3

It appears ... at least to those "around the team" that Buffalo will be starting two rookie DBs for this game and the safety is questionable meaning it could be a back-up too. Still have to face that vicous defensive line but could mean another big day for Hill and Waddle.

Those guys have the potential to be equalizers against any team, especially against teams with problems in their pass defense.  If McDaniel can get his run game going this offense could be real difficult to defend all year long.  And if you get your customary performance from the defense as opposed to the one they threw out there last weekend, Buffalo could be limited offensively just enough for Miami to win this game.

Well, one of those "rookie DBs" started the first two games of the season and did just fine.

Dane Jackson was the victim of a brutal friendly fire hit to the head, snapping his neck back in an ugly way. He apparently escaped without major injury and he was back at the practice facility today (walking around, not participating), but the unofficial comments from the Bills insiders are using phrases like "a long road" and hopefully back "sometime this season". So unless it's a giant bluff, he's not playing Sunday.

The bigger question is safety Micah Hyde, also listed with a neck injury (also left the game, also went by the hospital - although not in an ambulance like Jackson). He's listed as DNP for both yesterday's and today's practice. The most recent reports out of Buffalo are that Hyde is seeking a second opinion "out of town" on his neck injury, which makes it seem likely he'll miss the game on Sunday. There's no word on the nature of the injury, other than "neck".

Neither player is officially listed as Out at this time.

Rounding out the Bills' injuries... The other safety, Jordan Poyer, was a DNP for today's practice after being limited yesterday with a foot injury. Officially questionable, it's not unlikely the Bills just rested the veteran to play it safe (he's 31). Former Dolphin Jordan Philips didn't practice Wednesday or today with a hamstring injury and is officially questionable. He's listed as backup to Ed Oliver, who's also listed as Questionable (elbow), but it seems like the expectation is that he will play (listed as limited participation both days).

I wouldn't mind facing a banged up Ravens defense, but it's a bit early to tell.

DT Jordan Phillips, DB Micah Hyde, S Jordan Poyer and CB Dane Jackson are all ruled out. I never root for players to get hurt, but if we're ever going to beat Buffalo in recent times, it's going to be when we're hot, at home and they're injured.

I see Poyer still just questionable on ESPN.

Same, but one of the knowledgeable guys on Twitter said he was out. He will probably be out but it's not official yet.

The injury to Hyde is serious, could be career threatening. So, it would be surprising if he didn't miss at least a few games.

Ed Oliver's status just flipped to out.

Hate to wish injury on players, but we need them and hopefully they are minor. If we can't beat Buffalo now as long as Xavier and Terron play, then forget about the game in Buffalo.

Additionally, DT Tim Settle, who missed the Titans game, is also questionable. Calf injury.

Micah Hyde is not only out for this game, but for the entire season. His neck injury is putting him on the IR.

Poyer is out

Miami 32
Buffalo 30