The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills faced off in the Thursday Night Football kickoff to Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. The AFC East rivals entered the game headed in opposite directions, with Miami looking for their first win of the year while Buffalo was looking to remain undefeated.
The game was not the blowout many expected, with Miami putting up a fight until late in the game. Two big mistakes in the fourth quarter sealed the game for the Bills, but the Dolphins looked a lot more competitive than they had in the first two games.
Buffalo advanced to 3-0 with the win while Miami drops to 0-3. Buffalo hosts the New Orleans Saints in Week 4, while Miami hosts the New York Jets on Monday Night Football.
Dolphins 21 – 31 Bills
The Bills won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, giving Miami the ball first. The Dolphins offense came out looking to silence the naysayers and the Highmark Stadium crowd. Wide receiver Dee Eskridge started things off with a 55-yard kickoff return, giving the Dolphins the ball at the Bills’ 46-yard line. Over 10 plays, Miami threw the ball four times, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completing all four for 29 yards and a combination of running backs De’Von Achane and Ollie Gordon II picking up 23 yards on six carries. Gordon finished the drive with a two-yard power run up the middle for the score.
That is a great start for a Dolphins team that has been slow in the opening periods for the first two weeks this year. It is just one drive, but that felt more like an effective team that can compete. Can the defense do the same now?
Dolphins 7-0.
The Bills opened their drive at their own 15-yard line after an unnecessary roughness penalty on the kick return. They regained the lost yardage on the first play as Miami cornerback Jack Jones was called for defensive pass interference after he grabbed wide receiver Keon Coleman’s collar and never let go. Buffalo turned the drive over to running back James Cook for much of the drive, picking up 30 yards on three runs, before quarterback Josh Allen threw to tight end Dalton Kincaid for nine yards, then two plays later, found Kincaid again for a 20-yard touchdown pass.
The defense was getting run over out there. They should be strong at stopping the run, but they did not look like it on that drive. And, tight ends causing problems for the Dolphins – what is new?
Tied 7-7.
Miami opened their second possession at their own 15-yard line after a 29-yard return from wide receiver Malik Washington was negated by an illegal block above the waist penalty. Miami could not do anything on the possession, missing on a first down pass, then gaining five yards on an...
