Miami Dolphins have been looking rough 

If you thought 0–2 felt bad, welcome to 0–3 — aka the NFL’s version of getting friend-zoned after buying the drinks.

The Dolphins rolled into Orchard Park like they were starring in a Discovery Channel special — spears sharpened, survival kit packed, ready to wrestle a buffalo. For about three quarters, it actually looked like maybe, just maybe, Miami could drag Buffalo into the mud and make this ugly.

But Josh Allen had other plans. He turned Miami’s “hunt” into a National Geographic clip where the predator gets absolutely smoked by the herd. Final score: Bills 31, Dolphins 21.

Survival is out the window. Now we’re just hoping the fire doesn’t burn out before someone accidentally dumps beer on it.

1. First Strike, False Hope

The Miami Dolphins actually punched first — which, for once, didn’t feel like shadowboxing. Ollie Gordon bulldozed in from two yards out to cap a 10-play drive, giving Miami a 7–0 lead.

For a hot second, the run game had rhythm, the script was clicking, and McDaniel looked like he’d actually found the cheat codes. It almost felt like Miami knew what they were doing… which, of course, was the setup before Buffalo ripped the controller out of their hands.

Dolphins Head coach Mike McDaniel agreed:

“I think the guys ran hard. De’Von (Achane) and Ollie (Gordon II) were connected… Guys made the most of them. We’ve got to improve to get this in the right direction.”

De’Von Achane echoed that edge:

“I just run hard and trust my guys up front. We felt like we could hit them outside and we did early. We just didn’t finish.”

And Ollie Gordon II reminded what was missing:

“We showed we can move the ball, but moving the ball isn’t enough. We’ve got to end every drive with points.”

But Buffalo didn’t even blink. Josh Allen marched the Bills right back down like he was on autopilot, zipping a 20-yard dart to Dalton Kincaid, and suddenly the herd was stampeding.

One spear doesn’t kill the buffalo — especially not this buffalo. You don’t get to poke it once and call it a day. You’ve got to keep stabbing… and Miami brought a butter knife.

2. The Barrage Fizzles

The plan was simple: blitz Allen, hit him early, make the big guy flinch. For a minute, it even looked like Miami might pull it off. They actually got home three times, chased him into a couple scrambles, and for a brief, glorious stretch it felt like the “barrage” was landing.

But rattling Josh Allen is like trying to spook a bouncer — he just smiled, adjusted his headset, and started dealing like it was dollar blackjack night.

Bradley Chubb broke it down bluntly:

“We’ve just got to start faster. When you give Allen comfort early, he’s going to find his rhythm.”

Josh Allen’s rhythm wasn’t just clean — it was straight-up surgery. Twenty-two of 28, 213 yards, three touchdowns, and a passer rating of 134.1. That’s not a stat line, that’s a Yelp review for “guy who just carved you up and left no tip.”

He spread the ball to eight different receivers like he was running a Costco sample stand, and Miami’s so-called “barrage” turned into more of a sad little drizzle. Think Super Soaker commercial — except the Dolphins showed up with a leaky garden hose.

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks summed it up:

“It’s probably one guy off here, one guy off there. Against a team like that, one guy off is the difference between a stop and six points.”

The worst part? Miami actually dragged it back to 21–21 after Tyreek’s touchdown grab — hope was alive, shots were being ordered, and for one fleeting second it felt like maybe this team had some fight.

Then the defense broke containment like a Walmart inflatable on Black Friday. Khalil Shakir slipped wide open, Allen found him for the backbreaker, and boom — party over.

If you’re not relentless, the herd doesn’t just trample you… it stomps your cooler, steals your beer, and leaves you staring at hoofprints.

3. The Ranged Arsenal Misfires

On paper, Tua was fine — 10/15 on third downs, three red-zone touchdowns, dishing it to Hill and Waddle like a short-order cook at brunch. For a while, it all looked amazing. The 16-play, 71-yard drive before halftime? That was peak Miami: tempo, clock control, surgical ball movement. Waddle capped it with a clean 3-yard grab, and for once the hunt actually felt balanced.

But when it mattered? The bowstring snapped like a Dollar Tree rubber band.

Down 28–21 in the fourth, Tua tried to force one more arrow into the fight, and instead gift-wrapped it for Tyrel Bernard. That wasn’t an interception, that was Amazon Same-Day delivery. And just like that, Miami’s hunt face-planted in the dirt.

Tua didn’t dodge it afterward:

“That one’s on me. We had momentum, we had a chance, and I forced it. You can’t do that in this league.”

McDaniel piled on with his own perspective:

“I wanted to protect the ball… you’ve got to ditch the ball to the flat in moments like that and that’s what we have to learn from.”

You can’t miss your shot when the bull charges.

4. The Barricade Collapses

Special teams did Miami dirty again. Just like New England, momentum swings were gift-wrapped for the other side. A brutal roughing-the-kicker penalty extended Buffalo’s drive, setting up the Shakir TD dagger. McDaniel didn’t mince words:

“We had a turnover in a critical situation. We had a critical penalty on a punt… that’s how these types of games are decided.”

Minkah Fitzpatrick explained the mood on the field:

“It’s extremely deflating… you finally grab momentum with a big play and then give it right back. But at the end of the day it’s football.”

Throw in Cook’s 108 rushing yards (at 5.7 per carry) and Miami’s shield wall crumbled where it mattered most: the trenches.

If the barricade falls, the camp doesn’t stand.

5. The Tanking Truth – miami dolphins Blackout by Jameson

0–3 isn’t just a record, it’s a gut punch with brass knuckles. At this point, Dolphins fans aren’t daydreaming about playoff pushes; we’re whispering about draft boards like they’re lottery tickets. Another fourth-quarter collapse, another shot down the drain, and now we’re staring blackout territory right in the face. Jameson. No pickle back. No chaser. Just raw burn and regret.

And right on cue, the mock drafts start getting pulled up at the bar. You know it’s bad when dudes are scrolling Tankathon between rounds like it’s Tinder. Buffalo feasts, Miami rations — famine season in South Florida.

Once that Jameson bottle cracks in September, you’re not talking about January football anymore. You’re talking about April… and maybe calling your therapist.

Final Word

The Miami Dolphins had the tools to make this a fight — early run game, third-down efficiency, and flashes of speed from Hill and Waddle. But in the end, Buffalo was bigger, sharper, and cleaner.

McDaniel’s postgame tone said it all:

“Frustration turns to focus… you have a young team, and you need them to not be young for very much longer… You have to go through tough times and not splinter.”

Miami’s hunt ended face-first in the mud — trampled by Allen’s poise, Cook’s legs, and about a dozen of their own dumb mistakes.

The season isn’t dead yet… but the fire’s down to a couple of sad sparks. And if McDaniel doesn’t figure it out fast, the only thing left for Miami to hunt won’t be wins — it’ll be mock drafts and bartabs.