The Dolphins play the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, in the second installment of the AFC East matchup this season.
The last meeting between the teams saw the Dolphins lose 35-0 to the Bills in what was a dominant performance from Buffalo. Miami went into the Week 2 game off the back of a road win against the New England Patriots. Buffalo had lost their week one opener to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They now meet in week eight with the Bills on a 4-2 record. Meanwhile, the Dolphins go into this game with a six-game losing streak.
Buffalo are the clear favorites in this game. Miami fans should expect nothing less. The Bills made the AFC Championship game last season. They are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl this year. The Dolphins need to be careful they do not face another ten to twenty years with an NFL powerhouse in their division.
Dolphins fans were subjected to a division featuring the New England Patriots, who won six Super Bowls with the duo of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. They now have to face Bills head coach and quarterback duo Josh Allen and Sean McDermott. They have a brilliant strength in depth, with a plethora of talent on the defensive side of the ball. The Bills are stacked in every area.
New England’s dynasty is well and truly over. This is despite Belichick uncharacteristically spending big this offseason in Free Agency. The New York Jets are the New York Jets. Miami was expected to be the biggest challengers to the Bills this season after going 10-6 in 2020. However, they are 1-6. They have just as many losses as the entirety of the previous campaign. There is still time to fix things to ensure the AFC East is not another division with a lack of competition for years to come.
Miami must be aggressive during the next offseason. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy was let go just a year into his four-year contract. Whilst the performances on the field didn’t have the productivity of previous years, his leadership was second to none. He has been a big miss this season. Getting someone in during the 2022 Free Agency period will seriously help this team get back to being the defensive force we all saw in 2020.
Offensively, Tua hasn’t been perfect, but he is far from the problem. It feels like years since the last time Miami had a good offensive line. First-round draft pick Austin Jackson has been a disappointment in his first year and a half in the league. Lead running back Myles Gaskin has been fairly productive in the receiving game. He has been limited when it comes to rushing due to a sheer lack of run blocking from Miami.
If Miami can get good offensive lineman in Free Agency, they have a chance to be competitive next season. As well as a leader on defense and an elite offensive weapon to play alongside wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and tight end Mike Gesicki, if the latter signs a new deal, then all is not lost..
Sometimes, you have to spend big if you want to win championships. Right now, Miami has to spend big just to win games.
