3 storylines shaping Expenses-Dolphins showdown

Trent Sherfield has viewable either side of the an increasing number of fierce AFC East contention between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills.

The Expenses large receiver performed with the Dolphins closing season — when the groups met thrice, together with within the postseason, with all 3 video games made up our minds through 3 issues or fewer.

Sherfield’s expectation for Sunday when the 2 groups meet at Highmark Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS)?

“It’s going to be a physical matchup, for sure,” he mentioned. “Obviously, when I was over there, it was something that we always knew that the Bills, us, we were gonna be ready to play. And I think that [coach Sean] McDermott has done a great job of just letting us know, ‘Hey, let’s just lock in on us, no game is too big. Let’s not let the outside noise try to hype us up and get us all bent outta shape. It’s just another game.'”

The historical past, then again, between the 2 groups would point out it is going to be excess of simply every other sport.

Day the Expenses, who’re a 2.5-point favourite, have overwhelmed the Dolphins in 11 of the 13 overall conferences since McDermott changed into head professor in 2017, the groups each and every received a regular-season sport at their house stadium (with warmth impacting a number of Expenses avid gamers in Miami and snowballs changing into all for Orchard Ground, N.Y.) closing 12 months, age the Expenses went directly to win a akin playoff sport that featured Miami extra quarterback Skylar Thompson. With the Jets coping with the lack of Aaron Rodgers and the Patriots nonetheless discovering their manner within the post-Tom Brady hour, the result of this Presen 4 sport will most probably play games a key function in serving to come to a decision the race for the AFC East crown that the Expenses have received the closing 3 seasons.

Right here’s a breakdown of the way the 2 groups stack up through Expenses reporter Alaina Getzenberg and Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques

Miami’s Deny. 1-ranked offense vs. Buffalo’s Deny. 2 protection

What makes the Dolphins’ offense to tough to secure? Their steadiness. Miami leads the NFL in passing yards in step with sport (362) and dashing yards in step with sport (188.3), which is against this to closing season, once they owned the league’s fourth-best passing offense however eighth-worst dashing offense. The 3 important landing scorers within the NFL play games for the Dolphins: Raheem Mostert (ranked Deny. 1, 7 TDs), De’Von Achane and Tyreek Hill (secured with two alternative avid gamers at Deny. 2, 4 TDs). They’ve proven this offense is a blackmail to attain from anyplace at the ground as evidenced through changing into the primary workforce with no less than 70 issues and 700 yards in a sport, and 5 dashing and 5 passing touchdowns in a sport when the beat the Broncos 70-20 in Presen 3.

Dolphins’ X issue: Mostert ran for 136 yards on 17 carries in closing 12 months’s Presen 15 matchup, however he neglected the wild-card sport. — Marcel Louis-Jacques

How has the Expenses protection close indisposed fighters? In McDermott’s first season as each defensive coordinator and head professor, the Expenses’ protection has gotten off to a powerful get started through making opposing offenses uncomfortable and profiting from errors. Regardless of having the second-lowest blitz charge within the league (15.7%), the Expenses top the league in quarterback power proportion (50.6%) and sacks in step with dropback (13.3%). Buffalo additionally leads the league in takeaways (9).

“The problem this day is the ball comes out so rapid [from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa], so we’ve were given to seek out by hook or by crook, a way,” McDermott mentioned. “I mean I think Tua’s been sacked one time all year if I’m not mistaken. So, it’s very impressive.”

Expenses’ X issue: The inner of the Expenses defensive form. Day the Expenses’ run protection is a piece in walk and one thing to look at on this sport — permitting a league-high 5.9 yards in step with raise to opposing rushers — each defensive tackles Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones have performed smartly early within the season, with Jones having a 27.3% move hasten win charge and Oliver secured for the second-most pressures within the league (15), in step with NFL Nearest Gen Stats. — Getzenberg

Josh Allen vs. Miami’s protection

What does Miami must do to comprise Allen? In 3 video games towards Miami closing season, Allen threw for 1,056 yards, 9 TDs, 2 INTs and ran for 144 yards. The Expenses went 2-1 in the ones video games.

After all, a handful of Dolphins avid gamers have some non-public historical past with Allen, specifically Christian Wilkins, who used to be fined closing season for an incident through which Allen used to be additionally penalized for unsportsmanlike habits. Wilkins and Allen additionally sparked a short lived skirmish between the groups all the way through their sport in December when Wilkins cancelled Allen nearest an interception, and the terminating took exception to it.

“That’s my guy. I love Josh. We’re cool, we’re tight,” Wilkins mentioned. “But no, he’s a heck of a competitor. I love playing against him. He definitely brings the best out of you as a defense, as an individual. His resume speaks for itself. But definitely a heck of a player and we’re going to have to be on it this week as a defense and as a team, because they’re a really good team and they play tough and we know them, they know us. There’s no secrets. Just have to go out there and ball, compete, and may the best man win.”

X issue: Bradley Chubb. If Jaelan Phillips is once more not able to play games Sunday, Chubb should force the Dolphins’ move hasten and follow power on Allen. — Louis-Jacques

How has Allen thrived towards Miami? Allen hasn’t simply been excellent towards the Dolphins, he’s made historical past. He has 11 instantly video games with two-plus passing touchdowns towards Miami — the longest such streak through a quarterback towards a unmarried opponent in NFL historical past. The quarterback has thrown 30 passing touchdowns to seven interceptions, age dashing for 4 extra rankings in the ones video games, compiling a 9-2 document towards them. Probably the most quarterback’s superb performances have come as opposed to the Dolphins.

“I think it’s a lot of familiarity, obviously. I do believe that they’ve got some very impressive guys on their defense,” Allen mentioned. “… We gotta be smart with what we’re doing.”

X issue: RB James Cook. McDermott has incessantly spoke of the Expenses having a balanced assault, and with the way in which the second-year rusher is taking part in, they’re off to a excellent get started. Heading into Presen 3, Prepare dinner is 0.33 within the NFL in dashing yards (267) and 5th in yards nearest touch in step with hasten (2.41). — Getzenberg

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McDaniel no longer purchasing into revenge as motivation vs. Expenses

Mike McDaniel discusses the incentive his Dolphins may have taking part in a govern workforce such because the Expenses.

Who’re the noteceable fresh faces to the contention?

Dolphins:The upcoming matchup between those groups in Presen 18 may just trait their marquee addition from this date offseason: cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who continues to be sidelined nearest having offseason surgical operation on his left knee. However every other newcomer erupted onto the scene closing day —rookie operating again De’Von Achane, who used to be named AFC Offensive Participant of the Presen nearest a 233-yard, four-touchdown efficiency in Presen 3. It’s non-transperant what his function shall be in the future, however he and Mostert may well be in for every other weighty month. — Louis-Jacques

Expenses: This isn’t the similar Expenses protection from closing season. Defensive finish Leonard Floyd, a sovereign agent signing from the Los Angeles Rams, has already made a vital affect — a team-best 3.5 sacks and 27.6% move hasten win charge — regardless of coping with an ankle shock.

“Just excellence. I mean, [Floyd] is coming off the edge, he’s so fast, he’s so long, and just got so much talent,” defensive finish A.J. Epenesa mentioned.

A query getting into the season used to be whom the Expenses would in finding to exchange heart linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who signed with the Chicago Bears. Terrel Bernard, a 2022 third-round pick out who’s important the workforce in tackles (24), has temporarily erased the suspicion nearest back-to-back video games with an interception and coming off a dominant performance towards the Las Vegas Raiders. — Getzenberg