The 6-2 Buffalo Bills are excited to pack their bags and head to sunny South Florida to face a desperate 2-7 Miami Dolphins team looking to bounce back from their loss last week to the Baltimore Ravens.
While the Bills have faced the Dolphins 124 times, the Dolphins lead the series (62-61-1). This will give the Bills an opportunity to even the series and potentially regain control of first place in the AFC East (if the New England Patriots lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) this week.
3 important matchups Bills' fans should know in Week 10 vs. Dolphins
1. QBs: Josh Allen vs. Tua Tagovailoa
Similar to facing QB Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bills are 5-1 against Mahomes, who has also dominated Tua Tagovailoa, with a regular-season record of 9-1. The difference is that the Bills face the Chiefs annually in the playoffs and are 0-4, whereas the Bills beat the Dolphins in the 2022 wildcard game.
It's really no contest when these two face off. Josh Allen is a big 6-foot-5, 237-pound quarterback with a laser for an arm and is an incredible athlete, especially as a runner.
Allen is also not afraid to play "Superman" to earn a first down with his legs. That was proven in 2018 against the Minnesota Vikings, when the rookie hurdled over linebacker Anthony Barr, sending ooos and ahhhs across NFL fanbases.
As for Tua, he is not as athletically gifted as Allen, but he is a solid passer and can get rid of the ball quickly. He, too, is not afraid of contact, but this has also led to a variety of concussions for the former Alabama Crimson Tide standout.
If Tua wants to start catching up to Allen, then he should start by trying to put his body out on the line less and try to slide more when taking off.
2. RBs: James Cook vs. De'Von Achane
Both of these backs are great at running with speed and finesse, and are on pace for career seasons. At 5 feet, 11 inches, 190 pounds, Cook is a speed back, but over his three years as a starter, he has learned to be physical, especially between the tackles.
He currently has 867 yards rushing and is second in the league behind the Indianapolis Colts' running back Jonathan Taylor, who has 895. This year, Cook is on pace for over 1,800 yards rushing and has shown why he earned his 4-year, $48 million extension this past offseason.
Achane from day one was going to be an intriguing draft prospect. He was dominant at Texas A&M, playing for then-head coach Jimbo Fisher.
His stellar play earned him the honor of being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. So far, it has been feast or famine. He has a slight build at 5 feet 9 inches, 191 pounds, which allows him to be a quick-twitch, fast runner in space. He needs to improve on being tougher in between the tackles, and that's where Cook has the advantage.
The speedster still has 606 yards on 121 carries and 3 touchdowns on the season.
While the Dolphins have tried to run the ball more ever since WR Tyreek Hill went out with a season-ending knee injury, this scheme isn't built for a power running game, despite RB Ollie Gordon III trying to fill that role. Luckily, there's a light at the end of the tunnel, as head coach Mike McDaniel is most likely to be gone at the end of the year or if the Dolphins lose this game.
3. Buffalo's OL vs. DE Bradley Chubb
The Bills have built their offensive line over the last three years into a physical unit that has helped Allen and Cook run right through opponents' defensive lines. While that is a strength they play to very well, they will once again have to face Pro Bowl pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
Chubb has just come back from an injury, and when he's healthy, he's a game wrecker on the edge of the defensive line. At 6 feet 4 inches, 269 pounds, he is a big, strong pass rusher with the athleticism to be able to rush the quarterback.
The Bills are used to playing Chubb, as every time the Bills and Dolphins have met, the Bills' O-line neutralizes the big pass rusher when the Bills let Cook run the ball for most of the game. If they play Cook like they have the last two games, it will spell trouble for Chubb.