Bills' offense shameful, Hairston outmatched, rapid reaction from loss to Dolphins

A shameful performance.

The Buffalo Bills dropped to 6-3 following a significant setback dealt by the Miami Dolphins (3-7), 30-13, which sent the Bills into an even deeper hole within the AFC East. It was the first win for the Dolphins over the Bills since September 25, 2022.

The Buffalo offense was abysmal, while the defense struggled to get the stops needed to move past the lowly Dolphins, who rode a solid first-half performance to their third win of the year. After a massive win over the Kansas City Chiefs the week prior, the Week 10 loss at the hands of the Dolphins is about as low as it gets for a Buffalo team that has ridden a roller coaster into the second half of the regular season.

The Bills silenced the doubters with a victory over the Chiefs, but those critics are back in full force following Buffalo'slatest embarrassment.

Let’s take a look at the Bills’ crushing loss to the Dolphins with a Rapid Reaction to Sunday’s game:

Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) hands off to running back James Cook III (4) during the first half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Allen, offense invisible

The Bills’ offense had a terrible day against the Dolphins, beginning with a dreadful first-half performance that put them in a two-possession hole entering halftime.

Buffalo finished the first two quarters 0 for 6 on third down and 0 for 1 on fourth down while gaining just 90 total yards on an average of just 3.8 yards per play. James Cook also recorded his first lost fumble of the season during the first half, which he finished with just seven carries for 21 yards. He totaled 13 carries for 53 yards on the day, his lowest yardage total since a Week 5 loss to the New England Patriots.

Josh Allen also had a tough first half, finishing 9 of 15 passing for 73 yards. Allen completed just one pass to a wide receiver during the first and second quarters combined. He finished the game 28 for 40 for 306 yards and two touchdowns before exiting the game in the fourth quarter when the game was out of hand. He was also sacked three times. Allen has now been sacked 12 times the past four games.

The offense came to life to begin the second half, traveling 77 yards in 14 plays while using 9 minutes 1 second of game time to put itself on the doorstep of scoring its first points of the game. But the drive ended in Allen’s first of two turnovers on the day, an interception made by Dolphins safety Ifeatu Melifonwu. Allen later lost a fumble on the Bills’ third possession of the second half. He is now up to seven turnovers on the year.

The final numbers will tell a different story, but if you watched this game, Allen was not his best self and cost the Bills a couple of times while they tried to make a comeback. The Bills' quarterback performed far from an MVP-caliber performance on Sunday.

MORE: Dalton Kincaid OUT with hamstring injury in Buffalo Bills' Week 10 game vs. Dolphins

Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) makes a touchdown catch against Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Hairston outmatched

Despite recording a fourth-quarter interception, Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was outmatched in his first career start, particularly during a torrid first-half effort from Dolphins’ wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

The speedy Waddle finished the first half with four receptions for 77 yards and a 38-yard touchdown in which he left Hairston in the dust before hauling in the big catch. Waddle finished with five receptions for 84 yards.

After a solid performance against the Chiefs last week, Hairston looked like a fish out of water for much of Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. It’s been a hot and cold start for Hairston to begin his career, as there appears to be still a long way to go for the first-year pro before he can be considered a bona fide NFL starter.

Hairston was thrust into a starting role on Sunday due to a groin injury that kept starter Christian Benford out of the game against Miami. Moving forward, it may be wise for the Bills to continue deploying him in a rotational role alongside Tre’Davious White, which we saw from him during the first two games of his career. And that’s a concern, as many fans were hoping Buffalo found a potential fix to its coverage woes in the rookie speedster.

Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs for a touchdown against Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Run defense worrisome

The Bills’ run defense has been a problem throughout the season, and that was once again the case against Miami. Buffalo allowed Dolphins starting running back De’Von Achane to rumble for 174 yards on 22 carries, a swollen average of 7.9 yards per tote. His big day included touchdowns of 59 and 35 yards. Miami finished with 198 yards rushing on the day, which included a game-sealing drive late in the fourth quarter.

The Dolphins' explosive rushing performance comes as no surprise, as injuries along the defensive line have besieged Buffalo. And while reports surfaced early Sunday morning that Buffalo made a play for a defensive tackle before the trade deadline, that really does nothing for the current state of the team’s trench unit, which has displayed immense flaws throughout the year despite an improved pass rush.

That report also stated the Bills offered a 2027 first-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to the Dolphins in exchange for Waddle, but Miami was unwilling to deal unless Buffalo upped the first-rounder to a 2026 selection. And it appears as if the Bills declined to do so. After Waddle's big day and the big day from the Miami running game, there is sure to be plenty of regret in the Bills' front office regarding their failure to land either of their reported pre-trade-deadline targets.

MORE: Buffalo Bills made blockbuster offers for two superstars before NFL trade deadline

Stockpiling injuries

The Bills lost two players due to injury during Sunday’s game, including tight end Dalton Kincaid and rookie edge rusher Landon Jackson, both of whom were declared out for the game. The significance of each ailment remains unclear, but Jackson was seen on the sideline during the second half using crutches to move around, while Kincaid hobbled off with a hamstring injury before heading to the locker room.

If Kincaid is out for an extended time, that would be a killer for the Buffalo passing game, which has relied on the second-year target for his downfield ability, which has proven incredibly productive for the Bills this season.

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