Joe Dolfan
Active Roster
2022 NFL season, Week 3: What We Learned from Sunday's games
Around The NFL breaks down what you need to know from all of Sunday's Week 3 action.
www.nfl.com
- Dolphins D holds down explosive Bills offense to secure 3-0 start. The "Butt Punt" safety pulled the Bills within a field goal of winning, but Miami's defense stood tall, stopping Buffalo short as time expired. The Dolphins' defense played well all game, not allowing the Bills' big-play offense to stay on track after a fast start. Miami made big plays in the red zone to keep Buffalo from stacking touchdowns as it had in the first two weeks. The Dolphins bamboozled Buffalo's offensive line, bringing blitz after blitz and swarming Josh Allen. The Fins compiled 20 QB pressures, 10 QB hits, and four sacks of Allen, generating a 29.9 pressure percent (16.4% in Weeks 1-2), per Next Gen Stats. Emmanuel Ogbah (seven QB pressures) and Melvin Ingram (five QB pressures, two sacks) lived in the Bills' backfield. The secondary was equal to the task, with Xavien Howard playing well Stefon Diggs and Jevon Holland continuing to be a playmaker at every level. Despite being on the field all day, the Dophins made pivotal plays. The Bills came in scorching hot. The only thing hotter than the weather Sunday afternoon in Miami was the Dolphins D when it counted.
- Bills kicking themselves over miscues. Allen had a potential go-ahead TD late skip off the turf. The play was one of the few Allen wasn't pressured on. He just missed the throw. It was that sort of day for Buffalo. Allen fumbled inside his own 10-yard-line on the second possession, giving Miami an easy first score. The QB mishandled the snap on a spike to end the second quarter, negating a chance for a field goal. Kicker Tyler Bass shanked a 38-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Matt Milano dropped a would-be pick-six. Gabe Davis couldn't hang onto a late TD. Then on the final drive, Isaiah McKenzie was tackled in bounds, and the Bills couldn't get lined up quick enough to spike the ball before the clock ran out. Allen threw for 400 yards, and the offense generated 497 yards and 31 first downs, but Buffalo scored just 19 points. It was enough to make Buffalo offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey go berserk in frustration in the press box after the loss.
- Tua Tagovailoa exploits missing Bills DBs late to lead another comeback. It wasn't a big day for Tua and the Dolphins' offense, but the QB made two big plays in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Tagovailoa exploited the Bills missing both starting safeties, zipping a pass to Jaylen Waddle for 32 yards to get the driving going. Then he hit Waddle streaking deep between the replacement safeties for a 46-yard game to set up the go-ahead TD. Earlier in the game, Tua rifled a bullet TD to River Cracraft in traffic for a key TD. The QB was knocked out briefly to be checked for a concussion but was cleared to return in the second half. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Tua was dealing with a back injury. Fortunately for the undefeated Dolphins, the starter was able to return to spearhead the victory. On a day when the offense was outgained 497-212, Miami made the most of its chances, going 3 of 3 in the red zone, while Buffalo went 2 of 4.
