Despite pre-game optimism Bills without 2 key injured players in Week 10 vs. Dolphins

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Despite teasing fans by doing on-field work hours before Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, two key contributors for the Buffalo Bills won't play after all.
In addition to starting cornerback Christian Benford, receiver Joshua Palmer and cornerback Taron Johnson are included on the Bills' inactive list ahead of the 1 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium. Palmer remains out with knee/ankle injuries while Johnson is nursing a strained groin.
MORE: Bills inactive list leaves Buffalo dangerously thin at CB vs. Dolphins Week 10
The Bills, however, dodged their biggest bullet when running back and leading rusher James Cook was not on the list. He missed practice during the week with an ankle injury. Edge rusher Joey Bosa is also expected to be in uniform after being limited in a couple of practices with a shoulder injury.
Bills WR Joshua Palmer (knee/ankle) and NCB Taron Johnson (groin) going through warmups with strength and conditioning staff two and a half hours before the game. Both are questionable. pic.twitter.com/dnkVBEG230
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) November 9, 2025
Without Benford and Johnson and even Brandon Codrington, the Bills will enter Sunday's game thin in the secondary. Johnson has started three games, while Benford is fourth on the team in tackles including a key sack of Patrick Mahomes in last week's statement win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Signed as a free agent last offseason, Palmer has been a disappointment. He will miss his third game because of injury on Sunday, and has only 14 catches for 234 yards and no touchdowns.
MORE: Buffalo Bills' QB Josh Allen absolutely 'owns' Miami Dolphins
The Bills enter the game on a streak of dominance over the Dolphins. With Josh Allen at quarterback since 2018, they are 14-2 against Miami including a seven-game winning streak. They beat the Dolphins by 10 points in Week 3 at Highmark Stadium.

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Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.
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