3 Bold Predictions for Dolphins vs. Bills in Week 3

The Miami Dolphins are off to a 0-2 start, but they can remove a lot of the bad vibes around the team with a win on Thursday night in Buffalo against the Bills. 

The Bills have dominated this rivalry in recent years and are one of the best teams in the entire conference. It would be a monumental win for the Dolphins, and if they’re going to get it done, they’ll need some of our bold predictions to go their way. 

Here are some bold takes for the Dolphins vs. Bills Week 3 matchup. 

Tua Tagovailoa Throws 3+ TDS, Zero INTs

Tua is 0-5 in Buffalo since entering the league, but his last three appearances have actually been solid performances. He’s recorded five touchdowns and just one INT in his last three trips to Western New York. 

Last year’s performance was particularly impressive. He posted a completion percentage of 89.3, had two touchdowns, and a passer rating of 124.9. Overall, Miami’s offense has scored points in these recent matchups; the defense just hasn’t been capable of stopping Buffalo. 

Tua got off to a bad start against the Colts, but he looked much closer to his usual self against the Patriots. He was hitting some deep out-breaking routes to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and was playing much more on time. 

As for Buffalo, this defense is vulnerable on the back end. Slot cornerback Taron Johnson was on the injury report this week, linebacker Matt Milano and defensive tackle Ed Oliver both will be out, and the Bills’ safety room is incredibly underwhelming. 

Tua has played well against Buffalo on the road before, but it just hasn’t led to wins. We’ll see if that trend continues. 

Miami’s Defense Gets a Turnover 

This might not seem like an overly bold prediction, but Miami’s defense has struggled in this department this season. The unit hasn’t forced a single takeaway, and that’s despite adding players with a history of creating turnovers this offseason. 

However, in the team’s last 10 matchups against the Bills, it has forced at least one turnover in seven games, including in three of the last five matchups. 

As good as Josh Allen is, he’s prone to taking some calculated risks at times, leaving the door open for some INTs. He’s gotten a lot better about it through the years, but he can be a bit reckless every so often. 

Bills running back James Cook has already fumbled once this season, so that’s another area the Dolphins could attack. 

Ultimately, if Miami’s defense wants to be an effective unit, it’ll have to force some turnovers at some point. Players like Jack Jones, Rasul Douglas and Minkah Fitzpatrick have made a career out of that, and the team’s top pass rushers all have strip-sack potential. 

It won’t be easy against a talented Bills team, but we think this could be the week for their first one. 

Miami Runs for 120+ Yards 

Our previous predictions on the running game haven’t gone well, but Miami can’t keep falling behind by two scores instantly in every game, right? 

A potential jinx aside, the Dolphins’ running game showed signs of life against the Colts and early against the Patriots. The second half of the game last week wasn’t great, leading to the team abandoning the run. 

Oliver is Buffalo’s best interior defender by a comfortable margin, so it’s a pretty big break for the Dolphins for him to be missing the game.

De’Von Achane will get most of the team’s carries, but we could see more Ollie Gordon II if the score is a little closer early in the game. If the Dolphins can hit a few big gashes against an inconsistent Bills’ run defense, getting 120 yards feels obtainable.