MIAMI GARDENS — Just when you thought nothing went as expected for the Miami Dolphins this season, they had a Sunday where — well, nothing went as expected.
Here are 10 thoughts on the win:
1. Sequence of the day: Buffalo’s Josh Allen tried a deep pass on fourth-and-1 from Buffalo’s 49 late in the first quarter, but Minkah Fitzpatrick out-bodied tight end Jackson Hawes on a jump ball to force an incompletion. It was Dolphins ball and, three plays later on the first play of the second quarter, Tua Tagovailoa threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle for a 13-0 lead.
2. Stat of the day: Thirteen Buffalo points. Buffalo averaged 32.9 points a game during its seven-game win streak against the Dolphins that ended Sunday. That 13 points doesn’t tell how well the Dolphins defense played considering Buffalo got its second touchdown with 3:36 left in the game when trailing 23-6. The Dolphins defense has been a problem spot this year, but it had three takeaways, three sacks, held Buffalo to 5 of 15 on third-down conversions and shut out Buffalo in the first half.
3. De’Von Achane is the team MVP, and there’s not a close second right now. The latest evidence was his 22 carries for 174 yards on Sunday, including 59- and 35-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. That’s a 7.9-yard average. It helped that coach Mike McDaniel stuck with the run from the start, running on nine of 12 plays against Buffalo on their 92-yard drive to open the scoring. Achane had five carries for 40 yards on that drive. He also had five catches for 51 yards to give him 225 total yards on the day (second-highest of his career). Achane entered the day as the seventh-leading rusher in the league and now has 780 yards rushing.
3. Buffalo entered Sunday with the best rushing offense (161.5 yds per game) and the Dolphins entered with the 30th-ranked rushing defense (145.6 yards allowed). So, just as expected in this wacky season, the Dolphins defense dominated even after trading a top lineman in Jaelan Phillips. Buffalo ended with 84 yards rushing on 21 carries, but that doesn’t tell the story. It had 23 yards at half. This Dolphins defense that gave up 206 yards to Carolina’s backup running back, Rico Dowdle, and 124 yards to Chargers third-stringer Kimani Vidal held James Cook to 53 yards on 13 carries.
4. Jaylen Waddle had seven catches for 84 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown Sunday – and he did it for the Dolphins. Buffalo reportedly offered a 2027 first- and 2026 third-round pick for Waddle at the trade deadline on Tuesday, according to the NFL Network. The Dolphins had to decline. Why? In order: a top, in-division rival, a 2027 first -round pick and Waddle is signed at a comfortable salary-cap number ($11 million for 2026). Finally, more teams should be interested if the Dolphins want to trade Waddle in the offseason, and the new regime will be in place. Assuming there is a new regime.
5. You did see why Buffalo wanted to to trade for Waddle. Their wide receivers aren’t just unproductive but there’s no speed element to even stretch the defense and open areas. The Dolphins were without their top cornerback in Rasul Douglas. JuJu Brents, signed in August, started in his place. When Brents went out, Ethan Bonner came in. And while Bonner gave up a touchdown, the Bills’ lack of downfield playmakers shows just how limited this team can look. It also meant …
6. … Dolphins-killer Josh Allen had his worst game against them of his career. He completed 28 passes for 306 yards with two touchdowns and two turnovers. He’s now 14-3 against them in the equivalent of an NFL season where he’s thrown 45 touchdowns (Joe Burrow led the league with 43 TD passes in 2024). Sunday was unlike anything Allen has seen against the Dolphins considering his two previous losses came on a final-play incompletion in the end zone and being a second late spiking the football to set up a winning field goal attempt. He was down 16-0 at halftime in this one. He then willed the Bills on a long drive in the third quarter, but it ended with safety Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepting him in the end zone. Then, as Allen rumbled 15 yards downfield after a tush-push run in the fourth quarter, he fumbled and Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered it. Allen is a one-man band for Buffalo. When he isn’t carrying this team, it has no chance as Sunday showed.
7. Tua Tagovailoa was asked this week about being benched (won’t happen) or released after this year (probably won’t happen). But after a bad, jump-ball interception on the first series, he delivered what the day asked in completing 15 of 21 passes for 173 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The two TD passes opening the scoring to set the tone of the day. The first was a threaded, 9-yard pass to Malik Washington in the first quarter. The second touchdown pass, as previously mentioned, was the 38-yarder to Waddle.
8. It was such a good win for the Dolphins it seems inconsequential to quibble. But … what’s up with the timeout issues? This slides into the ongoing operational issues they’ve had this year. They used their first timeout before the first play from scrimmage. A second hadn’t run off in the game. That came after an illegal procedure penalty somehow was called on fullback Alec Ingold. But a timeout? They used their third timeout with more than nine minutes left in the half. That came when Buffalo was going for it on fourth-and-1, linebacker Willie Gay stood on the field with an am-I-in-or-out? look and McDaniel turned to the ref and called timeout. The second timeout also came in the first quarter before a fourth-and-1 by Buffalo.
9. Quick Hits:
The Dolphins’ 16-0 lead at half was Buffalo’s biggest deficit this season.
Zach Sieler had his first sack of the year.
The Dolphins’ Bradley Chubb was penalized for taunting in the fourth quarter. Taunting?
10. Next week: Dolphins vs. Washington in Madrid. What looked like a great game to export a couple months ago is decidedly different now. Washington went to the NFC Championship Game last year, but was 3-6 and on a four-game losing streak entering Sunday’s game against Detroit. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is out with an elbow injury. Its defense ranks 20th in points allowed. So, again, this wasn’t the game it was hoped to be.
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks celebrates a fumble recovery Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and interim general manager Champ Kelly talk at the end of the game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins fans celebrate at the end of the win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, right, and CEO Tom Garfinkel talk at the end of the game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins interim general manager Champ Kelley celebrates with Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zeek Biggers Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leaves the field after the win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is pressured by Miami Dolphins linebacker Andre Carter II Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane leaves the field after the win over the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane runs in a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane runs in a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane runs in a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones breaks up a first down pass intended for Buffalo Bills tight end Jackson Hawes Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb takes the field against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa takes the field Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane is chased out of bounds by Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver during the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa reacts to a penalty called on the first play of the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop intercepts a pass intended for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and wide receiver Malik Washington celebrate Washington’s touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington catches a touchdown past former Dolphin Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle celebrates a touchdown catch against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and head coach Mike McDaniel chest-bump after Waddle scores a touchdown Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle catches a touchdown over the defense of Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Retired Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Capt. John Fischer is seen at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Boca Raton, Thursday, May 23, 2024. He will be leading a Bagpipe band/team of Firefighters and police officers to Bastogne, Belgium, the American cemetery in Luxembourg and cemeteries in France for memorials commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross walks onto the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins interim general manager Champ Kelly is seen before the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and interim general manager Champ Kelly take to the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa takes to the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Buffalo Bills fans enter before the game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen warms up before the game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A Bills Mafia banner flies Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens before the Miami Dolphins-Buffalo Bills game. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold signs autographs before the game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Miami Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks celebrates a fumble recovery Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)