The AFC East was supposed to be a closely contested division in 2021, but after seven weeks of action, that hasn’t materialized.
The Buffalo Bills have been elite following a Week One loss to Pittsburgh, entering Sunday with a stellar 4-2 record. They’ve used their bye week effectively and will be looking to further take a stranglehold on their struggling divisional rivals from Miami.
The Dolphins have not endured a good season to date. The allure of Brian Flores has quickly faded, and this injury-riddled 1-6 group isn’t showing much signs of promise. QB Tua Tagovailoa has not fared all that great in his sophomore campaign, and rumors surround the franchise going out and looking at maligned quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Texans.
Despite the disparity in talent and record, the Dolphins and Bills represent one of the NFL’s most historic rivalries. It’s only that certainly will be worth watching, and we’ve got your betting needs covered right here at The Sports Geek.. For added insight, live odds, trends, and the latest data – keep reading below for our betting analysis on the Bills vs. Dolphins as we look to open up the Sunday slate of Week 8 with another winner.
Tua Tagovailoa since returning from injury:
? 89.0 PFF Grade (4th)
? 620 passing yards (3rd)
? 74.7% completion percentage (3rd) pic.twitter.com/vrL9bWIX1y— PFF (@PFF) October 27, 2021
Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills Live Odds & Betting History
*These odds are provided by BetOnline.ag
TEAM DATA | DOLPHINS | BILLS |
Overall Record | 1-6–0 | 4-2–0 |
ATS Record | 2-5-0 | 4-2–0 |
Home/Away Record | 1-2-0 | 2-0-0 |
Points Per Game | 18.2 | 33.8 |
Points Against Per Game | 29.6 | 16.3 |
Passing Yards Per Game | 227.3 | 280.6 |
Rushing Yards Per Game | 80.1 | 130.6 |
Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills Prediction
Despite the disparity between these two teams in recent data and historical trends, the Miami Dolphins know this is simply a massive game for the remainder of their season. They’ve struggled out of the gate, but an emerging Tua Tagovailoa offers some optimism. Many see this outing as a ‘kitchen sink’ game for the 1-6 ‘Fins, a match where they’ll likely throw everything at the Bills in an attempt to vault back into a playoff push with a successful second-half.
Easier said than done though, but if Tua can avoid the big mistake – this remains an offense that can move the chains. His accuracy has been solid, his athleticism remains elite – though unfortunately inconsistency and poorly timed errors have derailed Miami’s success in recent weeks.
One area that Miami could use to hang around will be the run game. Myles Gaskin has again emerged as the lead back in South Beach, and is coming off back-to-back stellar outings. Buffalo has just placed big run-stopped Malcolm Brown on the IR, meaning holes should be there for Miami to exploit in the ground game. WIth a successful rushing attack, that should open things up for Tagovailoa through the air, and put him in favourable passing spots.
And while it’s nearly impossible to truly stop Josh Allen and this Buffalo passing attack, the Dolphins might have a shot at limiting them through the air with their impressive defensive personnel.
Both Xavien Howard and Byron Jones remain two of the top corners in football, and should make things tough on the Buffalo aerial attack. That tandem should do well in stifling both Stefon Diggs and Emmanuel Sanders in the passing game.
Buffalo could turn to the run game, an area where Miami has had some difficulty of late. Neither Zack Moss or Devin Singletary are prolific rushers, but the Dolphins will need to contain this element. Still though, in a game with a 14-point spread, running kills the clock and could make things tighter than one would have initially expected in this contest.
One of the wildest interceptions of the season ? @Iamxavienhoward
?: #ATLvsMIA on FOX
?: NFL app pic.twitter.com/OsnVzBSs4d— NFL (@NFL) October 24, 2021
Bills vs. Dolphins Trends To Know:
- Dolphins are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games following a bye week.
- Dolphins are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a road underdog.
- Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 8.
- Under is 4-0 in Dolphins last 4 games following a bye week.
Recent history and trends suggest this will be a closer game than many pundits are anticipating. The Dolphins should be better prepared coming out of their bye-week, and have effectively shaken off the rust/time change from heading to London weeks ago. The Dolphins should do well to limit Allen through the air, and their skill and talent will be able to hang with Buffalo across four quarters.