Mike McDaniel knew precisely what he was doing when he whispered respect into Sean McDermott’s ear Sunday. He’s been around the game long enough to understand when a team and coach are brewing something special. As perhaps the NFL’s premier offensive mind, McDaniel is also keenly aware of when he’s just been stumped by a better unit and better team. (Note: If an opposing team’s receiver is smashing beer cans mid-game, take a hint.)
After their 48-20 dismantling of McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins, that is precisely what the Buffalo Bills and their defense are — a dominant unit on another Super Bowl-caliber squad.
Entering Sunday’s AFC East battle, the Dolphins were the talk of the NFL. They just finished dropping a remarkable 70 points on the Denver Broncos, with Tua Tagovailoa playing like an MVP candidate. Miami possessed pro football’s top offense by every traditional and advanced metric. No one seemed to have an answer for McDaniel’s uniquely electric scheme. No one knew how to attack an offense that was seemingly always playing at least three steps ahead, if not more.
That is except for the Bills, of course.
Setting aside an early back-and-forth of touchdown swaps, the Bills were very ready for the Dolphins offense. They showed that, contrary to popular belief, Tagovailoa, McDaniel, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle are all quite fallible. They are not impossible to stop. Who would’ve thunk?
The Bills, that’s who.
After Miami scored a touchdown on its first two possessions, here’s how it fared the rest of the game against McDermott’s rowdy Buffalo defense. A 393-yard performance in total (empty) yards oversells what the Dolphins “accomplished”:
- Punt (three-and-out)
- Punt (three-and-out)
- Fumble (three plays, seven yards)
- Punt (three-and-out)
- Touchdown (11 plays, 75 yards)
- Interception
- Turnover on downs
- Turnover on downs
- Turnover on downs
How did this happen? The answer is elementary, dearest reader. Front four pressure.
Up until Sunday, Tagovailoa had been one of the league’s cleanest passers, rarely seeing his white Dolphins jersey receive so much as a scratch, let alone any grass stains. He was sacked just once and hit a total of five times through three games.
The Bills would not give him this luxury, notching nine quarterback hits (!) and four sacks with an impeccably deep defensive front led by Matt Milano and Greg Rousseau. Then when Tagovailoa and Co. were forced to press, that’s when an opportunistic defense began to pounce and finish the job.
You can run, but you can't HYDE!
📺: @CBS | @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/abQNrGfnNq
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 1, 2023
Hmm, all of that seems pretty good and well, but I’m not quite sure yet. What about this handy expected points added (EPA) chart where Buffalo is in the top five in both rushing and passing EPA allowed? (Hint: The Bills’ cumulative defensive EPA per play of -0.192 is fourth in the NFL after playing the league’s most productive offense.)
Let’s be honest. Most early October NFL games are largely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Not everyone is playing a game that matters this time of year. What happened on Sunday in Western New York did not feel inconsequential. This Bills-Dolphins was billed (no pun intended) as an early-season litmus test of AFC contenders, a Round 1 of a season-long heavyweight fight between two of the league’s marquee teams.
It was anything but. The Bills’ defense turned it into a riotous fest of haymakers and vicious southpaws, never letting the Dolphins catch their breath while laying on the ropes. It was as emphatic of a statement as we might see from any singular team all year.
There were questions about whether Buffalo’s defense had been beating up on inferior competition in the Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders. Those feel so silly to ask after they humbled the Dolphins without breaking a sweat. Lest I forget, they’ve been accomplishing this dominance without Von Miller — perhaps the most effective pass rusher of the 21st century and a bona fide future First-Ballot Hall of Famer.
When he returns to full capacity from an ACL injury, all bets are off. There should be no cap to the baseline of success that this Bills defense could afford Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and the rest of the Buffalo offense. Even with the loss of star cornerback Tre’Davious White to injury, it is thoroughly Super Bowl-caliber. It is the ultimate cushion.
The Dolphins’ offense under McDaniel might be revolutionary and cutting-edge, but there’s nothing groundbreaking about the way Buffalo shut it down. As such, the Bills look destined for a fourth consecutive AFC East title and perhaps much more this winter.
They can and should thank Allen and their shutdown defense.