The most encouraging part of Bills' Week 2 win over Dolphins is being overlooked

The Buffalo Bills played an incredibly disciplined game against the Miami Dolphins.

Connor Allen | Sep 13, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills secured a statement win Thursday night over their division rival Miami Dolphins, consistently controlling the contest only to find themselves on top 31-10 when the dust settled on a chaotic night in South Florida.

Lost in all of the late-game commotion regarding Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's diagnosed concussion (hopefully he makes a swift recovery) and Bills quarterback Josh Allen posting his worst statistical game against the Dolphins yet still walking away with the win lies an unnoticed, but paramount statistic that has largely gone uncovered in all the post-game reporting.

The Bills only sustained ONE penalty for five yards throughout the entire game. The penalty came with 8:01 to play in the second quarter when Bills right tackle Spencer Brown committed a false start penalty on a 2nd-and-11.

Outside of that moment, the Bills did not commit any additional penalties all night long. All sides of the ball played to near perfection with regard to discipline and keeping cool heads, even when they were challenged in that area when Dolphins (and former Buffalo) safety Jordan Poyer committed an egregious hit on Khalil Shakir early in the game. What could have erupted into a brawl turned into nothing more than trash talk as the Bills kept their heads down and focused on winning the game.

This encouraging game with regard to discipline comes after Buffalo committed nine penalties for 65 yards in its Week 1 win over Arizona. The Bills have encountered flag troubles in the past, finishing in the top 10 in the league in penalties against in five of the last six seasons; they finished in the top five in two of those campaigns. It’s long been said that the only team that can consistently beat Buffalo, is Buffalo; it didn’t get in its own way Thursday night.

This is a testament to the culture in the locker room, one built over the years by head coach Sean McDermott and amplified by the personalities of the players. If the Bills can play at this level of discipline all year and maintain consistency on both sides of the ball despite injuries to cornerback Taron Johnson and linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, the Bills could be poised to go further than anyone expected.

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