Bills Central

5 things you need to know about Bills vs. Dolphins in Week 3

The Bills have won their first two games for the third time in four years. On Thursday night they host the Dolphins, who they have owned for nearly a decade.
Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) rushes the ball past New York Jets safety Andre Cisco (8)
Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) rushes the ball past New York Jets safety Andre Cisco (8) | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills are one of 10 teams that have opened 2-0. The Miami Dolphins are one of 10 clubs that have dropped their first two games this season.

Both teams are coming off divisional clashes, with opposite results. Sean McDermott’s club overwhelmed the Jets at MetLife Stadium, 30-10, as running back James Cook ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Off an ugly performance at Indianapolis in Week 1, the Dolphins trailed the visiting New England Patriots, 15-7, in the second quarter, grabbed a 20-15 advantage in third quarter but eventually succumbed to Mike Vrabel’s club, 33-27.

Miami is off to a 0-2 start for the first time since 2020, and the heat is apparently on in South Florida.

History

The Bills continue their game of payback when it comes to this series that began in the American Football League. The franchises initially met in 1966, Miami’s inaugural season. From 1966-79, the Dolphins amassed an impressive 23-4-1 advantage in this series. That includes the entire decade of the 1970s, the most consecutive victories (20) by one NFL team over another in league annals.

Since 1980, it’s the Bills who own a 56-39 overall edge, and that includes wins in four of the five times they have clashed in the playoffs. Since Sean McDermott was hired by Buffalo in 2017, the Bills have won 15 of the last 17 meetings—including a wild card victory in 2022.

What’s in a Number(s)?


Dolphins: The last time the ‘Fins won a game at Buffalo was back in 2016 when Adam Gase was the club’s head coach. That’s nine straight losses, including the wild card setback in 2022. They’ve been outscored a combined 323-198 in those games, but three of the last four losses have been by three points each.

RELATED: Final Bills' injury report forces players on rookie contracts to step up vs. Dolphins


Bills: Quarterback Josh Allen has amassed big numbers in his 15 meetings (including playoffs) vs. Miami. He’s thrown for 4,089 yards and 40 scores, plus rushed for 667 yards and five touchdowns. The Bills have won 13 of those 15 meetings, including six straight, and have reached the 30-point mark on 11 occasions.


Keep an Eye On…

Dolphins: He has almost been a one-man show on offense for McDaniel’s club after two games. Running back De’Von Achane leads the Dolphins with a modest 86 yards rushing, and also has a team-high 11 receptions. He’s scored two of Miami’s three offensive touchdowns, both via passes from Tua Tagovailoa.

Bills: Defensive end Joey Bosa has certainly made his presence felt in two games with his new team. The five-time Pro Bowler with the Chargers had plenty of problems staying healthy in recent years and it’s obviously very early. Bosa has totaled four tackles and one sack, and has already forced three fumbles.

Joey Bosa forced fumble
Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) causes a fumble on New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) | Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.