The Dolphins beat the Bills 30-13 Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, snapping several streaks in the process. Gone is Buffalo's seven-game winning streak over Miami.
The 17-point margin was the Dolphins' largest against the Bills since a 35-8 victory over Buffalo in November 2011. Miami found the winner's circle by playing complementary and dominant football in all three phases.
1. Balance breeds explosive plays
Running back De'Von Achane further cemented his superstar status with arguably one of the best performances of his young career. He tallied 225 yards from scrimmage, his second-highest career total, and scored on game-sealing runs of 59 and 35 yards. He joined Indianapolis's Jonathan Taylor as the only players in the NFL this season with three touchdown runs of longer than 35 yards.
Achane's big runs were the product of a commitment to the ground game, which provided balance to get the entire offense rolling. Miami's first scoring drive was a 12-play march that featured 10 runs between Achane, running back Jaylen Wright and wide receiver Malik Washington.
Washington caught one of two passes on the drive, a 9-yard touchdown rip from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The next two passes from Tagovailoa were to his favorite target, Jaylen Waddle. A 14-yard catch-and-run started the drive. They connected again two plays later for a 38-yard touchdown.
Following the run-heavy 12-play drive, both Waddle connections came off play action, exploiting the space created by the fake. Tagovailoa was a perfect five-for-five with 130 yards and touchdown pass when throwing on play action.
"When you are running the ball good, man, I feel like don't go away from it," Achane said. "When they was stacking the box and playing single high, now we're going to '17' (Waddle). When it's single high, that means he's one on one and we like him against whoever we're playing. I feel like we complement each other, the pass game and the run game; when we are a balanced offense, I feel like we do whatever we want."
2. Chubb and the takeaways
It's impossible to highlight any one individual from the Dolphins dominant defensive showing. Twenty-one players took snaps on a Dolphins defense that caused three turnovers, sacked Bills quarterback Josh Allen three times and hit him seven times total.
Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb had his statement game of 2025. He registered four quarterback hits with one sack and three tackles in the game. When Chubb wasn't hitting the quarterback, he was moving Allen off the spot. No player in the NFL had more quarterback pressures this week than the 10 produced by Chubb, according to Pro Football Focus.
"It's just about the belief, man," Chubb said. "Everybody in there believing in each other, believing in the process, believing in how we're going to take the field."
Josh Allen averaged 3.53 seconds to throw on his 43 drop backs, his highest single-game mark since 2023. The Dolphins consistently distributed their zone responsibilities then plastered to their man when Allen left the pocket trying to win off script. It helped the Dolphins keep the Bills off the scoreboard for their first seven possessions.
Cornerback Jack Jones had his best game as a Dolphin with a forced fumble, six tackles and two for a loss. Cornerback Julius Brents recovered a fumble and was glued to his coverage responsibilities all game. He was targeted five times allowing two catches for a measly 12 yards.
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick added a pass breakup on a fourth down stop. He also made a critical stop at the goal line on a two-point attempt by Buffalo. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepted his first pass as a member of the Dolphins. He ended a nine-minute Buffalo drive with a pick in the end zone.
3. Putting the special in special teams
Punter Jake Bailey has had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025. His three punts totaled 153 yards for an average net of 42 yards, including two punts that backed the Bills up inside their own 15-yard-line.
Safety Elijah Campbell covered a 61-yard Bailey punt allowing a return of just seven yards. Bailey's encore came at the end of the third quarter when he stuck a 39-yard punt on the 2-yard-line like a well-placed 9-iron cozied up to the cup. Campbell was on the scene to down that one as well.
For more analysis, takeaways and breakdowns, download the Drive Time Podcast with Travis Wingfield, available on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
