Stay updated with the latest odds and insightful picks for the Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Get ready for game day!
Neither the Buffalo Bills nor the Miami Dolphins had an easy go of things in Week 1. Miami didn’t lead the Jacksonville Jaguars for all but the final second of its season opener, while Buffalo trailed Arizona 17-3 at home late in the first half before coming out strong in the second half and holding on for the win in the end. Now one of these two teams will be the first to move to 2-0 on the season and will be solely atop the AFC East standings.
Week 2 Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills +2
Miami Dolphins -2
Total 49
Miami hasn’t beaten Buffalo since September 2022. The Bills have won the last four games against their divisional rival, including a playoff victory at the end of the 2022 NFL season. Three of those four Buffalo wins came by just one score though, and three of those games were in Buffalo too. Despite their lack of recent success, the Dolphins are a slight favorite by the NFL betting odds as northern teams heading to Miami in September don’t tend to fare well in the heat and humidity.
Buffalo Bills Overview
It was a tale of two halves for Buffalo on Sunday. The Bills allowed three drives of 60 or more yards that ended in points for the Cardinals in the first half, but they only gave up one long drive in the second half that ended in a field goal. Arizona only covered the number thanks to a kickoff return touchdown as Josh Allen showed why he is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
Allen completed 18 of 23 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Any fears that the Bills would miss Stefon Diggs were unfounded in Week 1 as rookie Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir were more than capable of handling the load and Allen remains an exceptional runner for a signal caller.
The defense remains strong too, especially up front, but the Bills will not have Taron Johnson available against the Dolphins. Miami’s offense Is predicated on the passing game, so the pass rush will need to get there if Buffalo is going to slow down this offense.
Miami Dolphins Overview
The Dolphins are dealing with a lot of injuries at the skill positions right now. Miami’s top two running backs are questionable to suit up on Thursday, and five receivers are either on injured reserve or listed as out. Fortunately, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will be available for Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa got off to a sluggish start against the Jaguars last week, but he settled down and hooked up with Hill and Waddle often. Hill had seven catches for 130 yards and a touchdown, while Waddle caught five passes for 109 yards in the narrow win.
It doesn’t look like Hill will face any real trouble after being arrested prior to Sunday’s game, so that will allow Miami to stretch the field in the passing game. However, the star receiver hasn’t posted great numbers against the Dolphins in his career and has just 21 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns in four games.
Miami had a top ten defense in yards and points last season. The Dolphins played well on that side of the ball against the Jaguars in Week 1, but it was a bit worrisome to see Jalen Ramsey get burnt shortly after becoming the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. Ramsey should play better this time.
Thursday Night Football Prediction
This is a good spot for Miami. The Dolphins will benefit from their environment and the playing conditions to pick up a win against the Bills early in the season. Allen said that “breathing was tough” when the Bills faced Miami in September two years ago, and that weather is just not something Buffalo has to deal with on a regular basis. There were several Bills players that needed to be hooked up to an IV during that game, so keep that in mind even though this will be a primetime game that’s out of the scorching midday sun.
Final Score: Miami 24, Buffalo 19
