Dolphins 2020 Opponent Breakdown: Week 2 — Buffalo Bills
As the Miami Dolphins continue to prepare for the 2020 regular season as best they can during this most unusual offseason, we will be dissecting their upcoming opponents.
Next up will be the Buffalo Bills for a Week 2 game at Hard Rock Stadium.
BUFFALO BILLS
2019 Record: 10-6, Second in AFC East (lost at Houston in overtime in the wild-card playoffs)
Last Dolphins-Bills Meeting at Miami: 2019 — Bills 37, Dolphins 20
The Bills completed their season sweep of the Dolphins with their second victory in five weeks. Quarterback Josh Allen continued his mastery against the Dolphins by passing for three touchdowns and no interceptions (117.7 rating) and rushing for 56 yards and another score. Wide receiver John Brown was Allen's biggest target with nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns. The highlight for the Dolphins was the performance of Jakeem Grant, who scored on a 101-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and a 7-yard run out of the Wildcat formation in the fourth.
Season in Review: The Bills got off a to great start by winning their first three games and rode one of the best defenses in the NFL to a second playoff berth in three seasons, though their inability to beat New England forced them to settle for a wild-card spot. Though he remained criticized for his accuracy inconsistencies, quarterback Josh Allen took a big step in his second season. He improved his passer rating from 67.9 as a rookie to 85.3 and led all quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns for a second consecutive season. Cornerback Tre'Davious White, who earned All-Pro honors, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds led the defense.
Key Veteran Additions: WR Stefon Diggs, T Darryl Williams, DE Mario Addison, DT Vernon Butler, CB Josh Norman
The Bills have built up a pretty impressive roster in the past couple of seasons and they added some proven depth in the offseason with all their moves. Trading a No. 1 pick for former Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs was the biggest move by far, as he's expected to team up with John Brown to give Josh Allen a deep threat on each side. Mario Addison is a proven pass rusher — he had 39 sacks for the Carolina Panthers over the past four seasons. Tackle Darryl Williams, defensive linemen Vernon Butler and Quinton Jefferson, and cornerback Josh Norman all were good veteran depth additions.
Key Departures: RB Frank Gore, DT Jordan Phillips, DE Shaq Lawson, LB Lorenzo Alexander
All three of those players have a connection with the Dolphins, with Gore and Phillips having played in Miami before and Miami being Lawson's new team in 2020. While Gore deserves a ton of credit for his longevity, the truth is he's no longer an impact player on offense. Phillips' 2019 season probably wasn't as good as his nine sacks would seem to indicate. Lawson had his moments in Buffalo as a former first-round pick, but he never became the impact player the Bills had hoped. The Bills will miss the leadership of Lorenzo Alexander, who retired, but they have plenty of depth at linebacker.
Notable 2020 Draft Picks: DE A.J. Epenesa, RB Zack Moss, QB Jake Fromm
Getting Epenesa in the second round would qualify as a good value pick for the Bills considering he was projected by many analysts as a likely first-round selection. Moss will replace Gore in the backfield and team up with 2019 third-round Devin Singletary out of FAU to give the Bills what should be a productive running back tandem. We mention Fromm only because of his college production; he lasted until the fifth round of the 2020 draft mostly because of his lack of arm strength, which is not exactly the kind of scouting report you want for a quarterback headed to the tricky winds of New Era Field.
Prognosis: With the Bills on the rise and Tom Brady gone from the division, there's this sense that it's now or never for Buffalo to make its move to the top of the AFC East. Buffalo returns practically every key player from the team that went 10-6 (including a loss against the Jets in the finale when starters were rested) and added several veterans who should make immediate contributions. The offensive and defensive lines probably are the best in the division. If Allen continues to progress the way he did from his first to his second year, this team has the potential to give AFC powerhouses Kansas City and Baltimore some problems.
