The Buffalo Bills (6-2) will host the Miami Dolphins (2-5) in their upcoming Week 9 matchup.
In this divisional clash, the games within the game will make all the difference.
Here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Dolphins contest:
Keon Coleman/Amari Cooper vs. Miami CBs
The Dolphins have one of the better cornerback duos in the NFL. Jalen Ramsey is still performing like one of the best in the NFL and Kendall Fuller is no slouch either. According to Pro Football Focus, Ramsey grades as the 13th-best corner in the league while Fuller grades 42nd-best.
They are going to make the Bills’ boundary receivers work for their catches. Insert Coleman and Cooper. We know what Cooper is capable of at wideout, and in the last couple of weeks, Coleman has emerged as well. These two can make catches with the best of them, and with Ramsey and Fuller in coverage, they might need to come down with some contested catches.
De’Von Achane vs. Bills’ front seven
Running back De’Von Achane is performing well despite Miami’s recent offensive struggles. He has averaged 87 rushing yards and almost seven yards per carry in their last two games. And, when the Bills visited Miami in Week 2, he was the lone bright spot for the Dolphins on offense.
In Week 2 he accounted for 165 yards from scrimmage and scored their only touchdown. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry and caught all seven of his targets.
The Bills have had an up-and-down season defending the run. They’ve had some games where they can’t defend it and some games where they can. In all, they rank middle of the pack in the NFL, allowing 120 yards per game on the ground. Last week, they completely shut down one of the better runners in the league, Kenneth Walker III, so it will be interesting to see which form of the Bills’ run defense shows up in Week 9.
Bills offensive line vs. Dolphins defensive line
Despite losing standout edge defender Jaelen Phillips to a season-ending injury earlier this year, the Dolphins still have a solid group on the defensive line. Calais Campbell, described by PFF as an “ageless wonder,” is still wreaking havoc on the interior of the line. Zach Sieler is another guy who can move bodies on the interior, but he is questionable with a facial injury.
On the edge, Emmanuel Ogbah and 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson have shown flashes at times. The Dolphins’ defensive line currently ranks 13th-best in the NFL according to PFF. They have dropped seven spots in the rankings after back-to-back disappointing efforts.
The Bills offensive line is looking elite at the moment, coming off of a one-sack performance against the Seattle Seahawks. They have given up only ten total sacks in 2024 which ranks best in the NFL. According to PFF, the offensive line as a whole currently ranks seventh-best. There will be a lot of talent fighting in the trenches when the Bills are on offense.