Coming into the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend, the Bills versus Dolphins matchup was the game with the biggest point spread, as most believed the Bills would handle the undermanned Dolphins with ease.
But that’s why we play the game, as the Dolphins with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson went to toe-to-toe with America’s favorite MVP candidate Josh Allen.
Did Skylar Thompson Outplay Josh Allen?
After falling into a quick 17-0 hole, Miami battled back to take a 24-20 lead early in the third quarter, thanks to Josh Allen turnovers and big plays by the Dolphins offense. A scoop and score on a sack-fumble by Allen put the Fins ahead.
But the Bills finished the game on a 14-7 run to get the win and advance to next week’s AFC Divisional playoff game where they’ll face the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the NFL playoffs, no one gets style points for wins. You either advance or go home.
”It’s the playoffs…We found a way, that’s all that matters,” Allen told Tracy Wolfsen of CBS following the game.
But in order for the betting favorite Bills to reach and win this year’s Super Bowl, the talented unit will need to play better. And that begins with Allen, who despite passing for 352 yards also accounted for all three Bills turnovers, which all led to Dolphins points.
Head coach Sean McDermott shared those same sentiments in his postgame presser.
“I give our guys credit,” McDermott said. “They hung in there and figured out how to get a win. That’s one of the things they have been really good at.”
Josh Allen Broke Dan Mariano’s Record
While Allen broke Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s record for most consecutive games, 11, with multiple touchdown passes against a single opponent, on Sunday, it wasn’t his best effort.
Josh Allen recorded his 11th straight multiple Pass TD game vs the Dolphins, most by any player vs an opponent all-time (including playoffs). He surpassed Dan Marino's 10 straight games with multiple Pass TDs vs the Jets. H/T @eliassports pic.twitter.com/kRrdkg2nou
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 15, 2023
It took a few missed throws by Thompson who was under center with starter Tua Tagovailoa still in concussion protocol and backup Teddy Bridgewater nursing a broken index finger on his throwing hand. But the moment of the game was the Dolphins not getting the play call in on time as they faced a fourth-and-1 with just over two minutes to go, putting them at fourth-and-6, which they missed on an incompletion.
Buffalo also misses edge rusher Von Miller, who’s out for the season with a torn ACL. Without him Thompson had plenty of time to throw the football, and he just missed some throws that were there. One would think Tua or Teddy makes throws in that situation, so you know Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow will.
Bills Have Been On Emotional Roller Coaster The Past Two Weeks
Sunday’s effort by the Bills, albeit in a win, could be a direct result of a team whose emotions have been all over the place the past 13-14 days. From one moment with teammate Damar Hamlin fighting for his life, to him awakening and sending out tweets that’s he’s OK, it’s been surreal for them. Prior to last week’s season finale Hamlin was shown watching the game from his hospital bed. Then on Saturday Hamlin showed up at the team’s facility in a whirlwind turnaround from two weeks ago in Cincinnati where he lay there lifeless on the turf at Paul Brown Stadium.
The Bills will get another shot to clean some things up and play better in the Divisional Round.
