4 takeaways from Bills' thrilling 30-27 win over Dolphins

Here are four takeaways from the Buffalo Bills' Week 9 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Ronnie Eastham | Nov 3, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills have owned the Miami Dolphins since quarterback Josh Allen came into the league, and the two teams' Week 9 bout was no different (despite it being a nail-biter). The Bills were presented with an opportunity to all but secure the AFC East crown with a win, and few doubted Buffalo would come away victorious. A slow first half from the Bills prompted some doubts and concerns to creep in early, but they were eliminated when veteran kicker Tyler Bass shocked Bills Mafia (in a good way) by making a 61-yard game-winning field goal to secure the 30-27 win over the Dolphins.

With that, here are four takeaways from Buffalo's win over Miami.

Bills run defense is still a huge problem

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Buffalo's run defense showed up last week against the Seahawks but returned to its usual form this week against the Dolphins. Miami ran for 149 yards and averaged 4.7 yards per rush. Lead Dolphins backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane combined for 119 yards and averaged 5.6 and 5.3 yards per carry, respectively. Time after time, the Bills gave up key runs. There are a lot of inconsistencies with this run defense, and it starts in the middle with DaQuan Jones and Ed Oliver. However, A.J. Epenesa and Von Miller weren't present, either. Only Gregory Rousseau showed up for this game. Buffalo should seriously consider adding bodies to the middle of its defensive line ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.

Bills struggled with self-inflicted errors early

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Some flags thrown in the first half were questionable, but penalties against the Bills' offensive line have become an issue this season regardless of the quality of the calls. The penalties prevented the Bills from getting a late first-half touchdown. Buffalo also had some problems with dropped passes, particularly one from Keon Coleman that resulted in an interception and one from James Cook that likely would've ended in six. Games aren't easy to win in the NFL, and they're even harder to win if you're nursing self-inflicted wounds.

Bills defense keeps Waddle and Hill under 100 combined yards

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Despite an injury that kept lockdown corner Christian Benford sidelined, Buffalo was still solid against the dynamic duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, holding them to a combined six receptions for 99 yards. Waddle did score the late touchdown, but the Bills' pass defense was generally terrific and did not allow these two to dictate the outcome. Part of this can perhaps be attributed to Miami focusing on the run and short passes that essentially simulated the run game, but hey, Hill and Waddle being limited is a win.

Tyler Bass comes through with the kick of the year

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Tyler Bass has been a focus of Bills Mafia ire this season. He's been perfect this season inside 39 yards; however, he was only two for five from 40 and beyond and has missed a couple of extra points. But when the Bills needed him to step in a pressure moment, he absolutely drilled a 61-yard field goal and sealed the victory. The kick was impressive, right down the middle, and likely would have been good from 70. It should provide a boost in confidence for the veteran, who has been struggling since last season.

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