5 takeaways from the Bills’ 21-17 loss to the Dolphins
Here are five takeaways from the Buffalo Bills’ 21-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3:
Bills secondary played young but well
Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde (23). (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
The storyline of the day heading into Week 3 was the banged up secondary the Bills have. Micah Hyde (neck) had his season come to an end on Saturday. On Sunday, Jordan Poyer (foot) was ruled out for Week 3.
Enter Jaquan Johnson and Damar Hamlin. Buffalo got a mixed bag from them.
Hamlin had half a sack and you’d expect a lot more from Miami in terms of points scored with these two in the Bills defensive backfield.
Having said that, Hyde and Poyer were missed on occasion. Johnson took a silly penalty near the goal line and Miami receiver Jaylen Waddle split these two safeties setting up a touchdown.
Missed opportunities
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) . (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
While the Bills lost a tight one, Buffalo could have easily been ahead in the fourth quarter in Miami.
The Bills had some missed opportunities. Some of those included a missed kick from Tyler Bass, a drop from receiver Gabe Davis in the end zone, and a terrible throw from quarterback Josh Allen late near the goal line.
Those were pretty uncharacteristic of this team.
Injury bug is brutal
Bills wide receiver Jake Kumerow (15) Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
The injury bug was never ending for both teams in this one. The heat really got to players on the Bills and Dolphins.
Included in that bunch was offensive lineman Spencer Brown, who left the game due to a heat illness. Receiver Jake Kumerow was also ruled out due to an ankle injury.
Bills Wire will provide updates on the entire injury situation throughout this upcoming week.
Josh does it himself
Quarterback Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Allen made mistakes, no doubt about it. But without him, the Bills aren’t in this game.
The QB was 42-for-63 passing with 400 total yards and two touchdowns. Allen had one fumble, but regardless, this was a game you are blown out of without a threat like him under center.
Back involved as pass catchers
Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary (26). (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee )
With Allen’s passing numbers, clearly the running game wasn’t under much by Buffalo on offense. In total, the Bills handed the ball off to running backs only 15 times.
But those players still were part of the plan. Devin Singletary led the Bills with nine catches and 78 yards. His touchdown was a catch.
Along with Singletary, rookie James Cook had four catches while Zack Moss added another. Fullback Reggie Gilliam had a pair of his own.
