Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Final Score: Dophins 30, Bills 13
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp)
In one of the most surprising upsets of Week 10, the Miami Dolphins dominated the Buffalo Bills with a 30-13 victory. Miami exploited Buffalo’s struggling run defense, controlling the game with a balanced attack and suffocating defense.
While the Dolphins’ passing game had its share of inconsistencies, running back De’Von Achane stole the spotlight with explosive runs that broke the game open in the second half. Miami’s defense complemented the ground game by forcing Josh Allen into uncomfortable situations and limiting the Bills’ offensive rhythm for most of the afternoon.
Buffalo’s inability to establish the run against what was perceived as a vulnerable Dolphins front proved costly. By the time Allen found a groove, the deficit and defensive lapses had already sealed their fate.
This result raises real questions about whether the Bills are true contenders — or if Miami just exposed some critical flaws that playoff-caliber teams will look to exploit down the stretch.
Two Up
- De’Von Achane — The star running back ran for 174 yards and was the key force of the Dolphins’ offense.
- Jaylen Waddle — Miami’s WR1 continues to perform like a top receiver with another terrific game and a big touchdown early.
Three Down
- James Cook — Cook was supposed to dominate the Dolphins’ run defense, but he was only able to gain 53 yards on the ground and fumbled.
- Ollie Gordon — Either his injury is worse than they said, or Jaylen Wright has earned more playing time.
- Keon Coleman — Yes, he caught a touchdown, but Coleman remains unsure if he can be the Bills’ WR1 in the offense.
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen : 28/40, 306 Yards, 2 TDs, INT | 4 Carries, 31 Yards, FUM (LOST)
Early in the game, Josh Allen struggled to get on the same page with his receivers. His timing and ball placement were off, and Miami’s front consistently forced him out of the pocket. Normally, those off-script situations are where Allen is most dangerous — but in this one, he hesitated to run and tried to make throws on the move instead. He didn’t record a single rushing attempt in the first half, and most of his passes were quick 5- to 10-yard throws under heavy pressure.
The second half showed some improvement. Allen finally began using his legs to extend plays, though even that came with setbacks — including a 15-yard scramble wiped out by a holding call. Turnovers also plagued him: an end-zone interception that appeared to stem from a miscommunication with Dawson Knox, and a costly fumble on a fourth-and-1 run that ended up going for 15 yards before the ball popped loose.
Eventually, Allen settled down and found some rhythm late. His back-shoulder touchdown throw to Keon Coleman was a beauty, showcasing his arm strength and placement. His second score, a chaotic toss to rookie tight end Jackson Hawes, was more fortunate than precise — a wild play that turned into six thanks to Hawes breaking a tackle after the catch.
Overall, this was a game where pressure dictated the outcome. Miami’s defense kept Allen contained, forced mistakes, and prevented him from creating the kind of explosive plays we’ve come to expect. If the Bills can clean up protection and establish more balance on offense, Allen should bounce back quickly — but this performance showed how vulnerable Buffalo can be when he’s under siege early.
Mitch Trubisky : 1 Carry, 4 Yards
Running Back
James Cook: 13 Carries, 53 Yards, FUM (LOST) | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 24 Yards
Heading into Week 10, James Cook looked poised for a strong outing against what was believed to be a vulnerable Dolphins run defense. However, Miami has quietly tightened up against the run over the past month — and it showed in this matchup.
Cook struggled to find consistent running lanes all afternoon. Each time he seemed to have daylight, Miami’s defensive front quickly closed the gap. His longest run of the day came on a 14-yard burst where he showcased his short-area quickness and ability to bounce outside, but that proved to be the highlight of an otherwise quiet performance.
Most of Cook’s production came as a receiver, with Allen checking down frequently under pressure. Those short catches salvaged his fantasy output, though the efficiency on the ground was minimal. Cook also had a costly second-quarter fumble on what initially looked like a promising gain — a momentum-killing play that summed up Buffalo’s frustrating afternoon.
The game script didn’t help, either. Falling behind early forced the Bills to abandon the run, leaving Cook with limited rushing volume in the second half. Still, the usage was there early, and better matchups ahead could allow him to rebound quickly.
Ty Johnson: 1 Carry, 2 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 24 Yards
Ray Davis: 2 Carry, -2 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Receptions, 0 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Khalil Shakir: 9 Targets, 7 Receptions, 58 Yards
Allen’s top target, Khalil Shakir, got off to a quiet start in this one. He didn’t see his first target until early in the second quarter and didn’t record a catch until later in the frame. Once he got involved, though, Shakir became a steady presence for the Bills’ offense.
From that point forward, he caught seven of eight targets, putting together a classic Shakir performance — high catch volume with modest yardage totals. Shakir operated primarily in the short and intermediate areas, serving as Allen’s safety valve and moving the chains with several key first-down receptions.
His best play of the day came on a 24-yard gain, where he showed his YAC ability by turning a short throw into an explosive play upfield. Outside of that, most of his production came from underneath routes and timing throws, which has become the identity of his role in this offense.
Keon Coleman: 8 Targets, 3 Receptions, 46 Yards, TD
Keon Coleman’s Week 10 performance was a disappointment, especially in a game where the Bills needed a playmaker to step up. While he did deliver one highlight — a beautiful back-shoulder touchdown catch, showing great body control and adjustment to the ball — the rest of his day left plenty to be desired.
Outside of that score, Coleman caught just two passes for 12 yards, struggling to make an impact in key moments. He and Allen never seemed to find a rhythm, particularly early in the game when the offense needed someone to spark momentum.
For a receiver with Coleman’s size and physical tools, he didn’t assert himself the way you’d expect. He failed to win on a few contested jump-ball opportunities where he typically should have the advantage. One of the more frustrating sequences came on Allen’s end-zone interception — Coleman had a chance to grab the deflection and potentially save the play but couldn’t secure it.
Dalton Kincaid: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 37 Yards
Dalton Kincaid’s night was cut short after leaving in the early third quarter due to injury. Before that, he had been one of the few bright spots in a sluggish Bills offense. After a quiet start, Kincaid came alive in the second quarter with back-to-back receptions of 15 or more yards, helping spark some offensive rhythm before the drive ultimately ended in a fumble. With Allen struggling early, Kincaid’s reliability stood out as one of the only consistent elements in the passing game. Hopefully, the injury isn’t too serious and he’ll be ready to return next week.
Dawson Knox: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 37 Yards
Jackson Hawes: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 26 Yards, TD
Tyrell Shavers: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 24 Yards
Curtis Samuel: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 21 Yards
Elijah Moore: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards | 1 Carry, -1 Yard
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback
Tua Tagovialoa: 15/21, 173 Yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs | 2 Carries, -1 Yard
Tua Tagovailoa entered this matchup with a history of inconsistency against the Bills, and while some of those issues resurfaced, his good plays outweighed the bad in this one. Tagovailoa started strong, completing 10 of 14 passes for 133 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the first half. Despite facing constant pressure, he handled it well early, delivering a beautiful 38-yard touchdown strike to Jaylen Waddle and another scoring throw to Malik Washington.
His first interception came on an ill-advised throw into double coverage — a pass he simply shouldn’t have attempted. The second pick was slightly overthrown to Waddle, who slipped on the route, allowing the defender to make the play. After that, Miami leaned on the run game, limiting Tua’s second-half volume as they controlled the tempo.
Tagovailoa remains capable of high-level play when protected, but he continues to mix in too many mental mistakes to fully trust on a weekly basis. We’ll see which version of Tua shows up next week.
Running Back
De’Von Achane: 22 Carries, 174 Yards, 2 TDs | 6 Targets, 6 Receptions, 51 Yards
The star of the game was undoubtedly De’Von Achane, who exploded for over 200 all-purpose yards in a dominant performance against the Bills. On the ground, Achane showcased exactly why Buffalo ranks among the league’s worst in explosive run percentage (runs of 15 or more yards). He consistently ripped off chunk gains of 6-8 yards, using his elite twitch and burst to make defenders miss in tight spaces.
In the second half, Achane’s trademark speed took over. He broke free for touchdowns of 59 and 35 yards, turning routine runs into instant highlight plays once he found daylight. When he hits open space, few defenders in the league can catch him.
Achane also made his presence felt as a receiver, catching all six of his targets on a variety of screen and outlet plays that let him work in space and keep the chains moving. Outside of a few late carries from Jaylen Wright (including an impressive 18-yard run), the backfield was all Achane — and it’s clear Miami’s offense runs at its best when he’s the focal point.
Ollie Gordon: 1 Carry, -3 Yards
Jaylen Wright: 5 Carries, 17 Yards
Alec Ingold: 1 Carry, 6 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jaylen Waddle: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 84 Yards, TD
Jaylen Waddle delivered another strong outing against the Bills, setting the tone early with several key plays in the first half. Most of his production came in the opening quarter, highlighted by a 38-yard touchdown on a contested catch down the sideline. He later added a 24-yard reception in the second quarter, consistently flashing his ability to win deep. Waddle appeared to be Tagovailoa’s most trusted target on vertical routes, as both incompletions in his direction resulted in interceptions that weren’t his fault. With Miami controlling the game in the second half, the passing volume dipped, leading to a quiet finish for Waddle — but his early impact was instrumental in the Dolphins’ offensive success.
Greg Dulcich: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 22 Yards
Greg Dulcich didn’t have a major impact on the box score, but it’s clear he’s emerging as Miami’s starting tight end. He saw four targets — third-most on the team — and flashed some of his old YAC ability on a 22-yard catch that he turned upfield for a big gain. While his role remains limited, Dulcich could see increased involvement in game scripts where the Dolphins are playing from behind. He’s a name worth monitoring moving forward as he gains comfort in the offense.
Malik Washington: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards, TD | 1 Carry, 4 Yards
Malik Washington wasn’t featured as heavily in the game plan as he had been in recent weeks. His main contribution came on a 9-yard touchdown grab, which salvaged his fantasy day despite limited involvement. Washington’s role remains inconsistent within the Dolphins’ offense, making him a difficult option to trust for steady production going forward.
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards