The Buffalo Bills play their second consecutive AFC East foe Thursday night, squaring off against the Miami Dolphins.
Buffalo (2-0) looks to add to Miami’s (0-2) early-season misery.
The Bills have had the best of the recent matchups, winning six-consecutive games against the Dolphins. Going a bit further back, Buffalo’s has had a stranglehold in this series, winning 14 of the previous 16 matchups.
Which Bills have the potential to play a massive role in continuing the team’s dominance?
Here are three X-factors for Buffalo’s offense ahead of Thursday’s game.
Josh Allen
This seems like a no-brainer. Miami is Allen’s favorite team to face. Allen sports a 13-2 record against the Dolphins. The last game he lost to Miami? The infamous heat game, in which the Bills lost by two points in the scalding Miami sun.
The other was when former Bills tight end Charles Clay dropped a game-winning catch in the end zone.
During 15 games, Allen averages 272 passing yards and has totaled 45 touchdowns.
Allen will be sporting a clear visor this week after injuring his nose against the New York Jets. He might not run as often. However, it wouldn’t be shocking if Allen defaults to Superman mode against a team he has owned.
James Cook
It has been fun watching Cook break out early in this 2025 campaign. Cook’s 44-yard scamper through the Jets defense was one of the top highlights from last week’s victory.
Cook is showing he can handle the snap count of a No. 1 running back. He is averaging 20 touches per game thus far this season.
Cook may be relied upon to take some of the pressure off Allen. The Dolphins defensive line is the strength on that side of the ball, so Cook’s success could neutralize the line’s effectiveness.
Dalton Kincaid
The Dolphins gave Colts rookie tight end Tyler Warren quite a bit of space to work with in Week 1. Warren caught seven passes for 76 yards. In Week 2, Miami allowed Patriots tight end Austin Hooper to catch three balls for 38 yards. While modest, Hooper made timely catches to help quarterback Drake Maye move the ball down the field for New England.
While Kincaid may draw a tough matchup, it just feels like he can win battles over the struggling Miami secondary. Allen may be leaning on some intermediate passing routes if Miami’s defensive line finds a way to put pressure on the Bills. It’s a perfect breakout time for Kincaid.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 3 potential X-factors for the Buffalo Bills offense vs. the Miami Dolphins in Week 3
Reporting by Justin DiLoro, Bills Wire / Bills Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
