Two Dolphins Weaknesses the Bills Need to Exploit in Week 9

The Buffalo Bills are riding high with a 6-2 record after a dominant win over the Seahawks in Seattle, putting them comfortably atop the AFC East. This week, they’ll face the Miami Dolphins at Orchard Park for their second divisional showdown of the season. Both teams have had drastically different seasons: Buffalo has looked strong with an explosive offense led by Josh Allen, while Miami, currently at 2-5, is desperate to turn things around.

For the Bills, an early season slump against Baltimore and Houston was countered by a trade for Amari Cooper and two impressive wins over Tennessee and Seattle. Now, they look poised for a strong second half. Meanwhile, the Dolphins welcomed Tua Tagovailoa back last week, but his return didn’t save them from a loss to Arizona, and now, without a win this week, their season may be beyond recovery.

Here are two areas the Bills should target to take advantage of Miami’s weaknesses:

1. Targeting Jalen Ramsey

While Jalen Ramsey remains a productive cornerback, he’s not the shutdown player he once was. This season, he’s allowed a passer rating of 114.8 and 11.1 yards per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. If Amari Cooper is healthy, he would likely be Ramsey’s primary matchup, but if not, Kalil Shakir could be in line. Forcing Ramsey to work hard early on could cause safety shifts and open up other opportunities downfield.

2. Pressure on Tua Tagovailoa with the Front Four

In Week 2, the Bills blitzed Tua Tagovailoa zero times, yet they managed to sack him once and limit him to just 145 passing yards with three interceptions. Buffalo’s formula for success seems to be letting the front four apply pressure and forcing Tua to beat them with his arm. With Von Miller back in the lineup after serving a suspension, the Bills’ pass rush is bolstered, especially on third downs. If the Bills’ defensive line can replicate last week’s disruption of Geno Smith, they’ll be well-positioned to handle Tua and the Dolphins.