The Dolphins travel to Buffalo for a Thursday Night Football meeting with the Bills, the second of an early-season three-game stretch against divisional opponents for the Dolphins. Miami hosted New England for Week 2 and will face the New York Jets on Monday Night Football in Week 4 at Hard Rock Stadium.
But this week, the focus is on the Buffalo Bills.
"I think it starts with the team plays as a team, their franchise quarterback continues to develop and get better and they fight through adversity," Head Coach Mike McDaniel said. "I think the consistency from the head coach and the quarterback is absolutely on the forefront… it's always sound ball that's ultracompetitive so you do that over time and you find a formula for success… They don't hope to win it; they force them to beat them and that's why it's a great matchup for our team trying to get a win because we're going to have to earn it."
Quarterback Josh Allen is 12-2 against Miami and unbeaten when the Dolphins visit Buffalo. He won his first NFL MVP award in 2024 despite career lows in passing yards (3,731) and touchdown passes (28) in seasons in which he played 17 games. The reason for that dip, and the coinciding spike in efficiency, was the balance the Buffalo offense found in the first year of Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady.
Buffalo showcased that balance in Week 2 in their 30-10 win over the New York Jets. Allen threw for just 148 yards in the game while the Bills rushed for 224 yards, including 133 from star running back James Cook.
Miami's defense will have to find a way to slow Cook down, limit Allen as a runner, and account for the dynamic vertical passing game.
On the offensive side, the Dolphins found a rhythm in the Week 2 loss to the Patriots. They hit pass plays of 47, 29, 22 and a pair of 18-yard gains. However, this game could call upon more balance.
Buffalo is expected to be without defensive tackle Ed Oliver and linebacker Matt Milano. Those absences compound the suspensions to defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and linebacker Michael Hoecht, and the season ending injury to DeWayne Carter, a backup defensive tackle.
Last season, the Miami offense had one of the best days against a Sean McDermott-coached defense since he was hired in 2017. The Dolphins scored a pair of game-tying touchdowns in the fourth quarter of that game with running back De'Von Achane scoring twice.
Achane has scored 25 touchdowns in 30 career games. He's scored in both games this season with 197 yards from scrimmage. In addition to the two scores last season in Buffalo, he added 122 yards from scrimmage.
This game, like most in the NFL, could come down to the turnover battle. The Dolphins are in search of their first takeaway this season, but the Bills are on a historic run. They've won the turnover battle in 24 consecutive games, the longest such streak in NFL history.
This will be Miami's final game at Highmark Stadium in the storied rivalry, as the Bills will move into their new digs at the start of the 2026 season. Miami and Buffalo have been battling it out on the shores of Lake Erie since 1973. The first meeting between the Dolphins and Bills at "The Ralph" was a shutout victory for the eventual Super Bowl VIII Champions over Buffalo.
The Dolphins are seeking their first win against Buffalo since 2022 and their first at Highmark Stadium since 2016. Buffalo is searching for their second-straight 3-0 start while the Dolphins are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2019.
Make sure to check out the Injury Report and the team's official social media accounts 90 minutes before kickoff to see who is active for the game.
Watch the game live on Thursday, September 18 at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video and locally on CBS Miami; and listen on the Dolphins Radio Network and view the Game Center for the latest coverage.
