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Dolphins (2-0) vs. Bills (2-0), Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS, Hard Rock Stadium
Latest line: Bills are favored by 5 1/2 points; over/under is 45.
Dave Hyde, Sports Columnist (Season record: 1-1): Dolphins 27, Bills 24
Buffalo has the better roster and best player on the field in Josh Allen, but Miami is capable of pulling off the upset. For the last two decades South Florida has been a hibernating Dolphins town due to their mediocrity. Beating a heavyweight like Buffalo to cap a 3-0 start would unleash a wave of Dolphins love that hasn’t been around for decades.
Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist (Season record: 1-1): Bills 24, Dolphins 21
It’s definitely a winnable game for the Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa and that explosive offense. There won’t be any blowouts such as the Bills have had in each of their first two games. Yeah, Buffalo is on a short week in a hot, humid 1 p.m. game at Hard Rock Stadium. But the Bills’ start has been scary on both sides of the ball (36 points per game offensively, first in NFL; 8.5 points a game defensively, second in NFL).
David Furones, Dolphins Writer (Season record: 1-1): Dolphins 31, Bills 27
I originally had Buffalo extending its win streak over the Dolphins to eight games, but with all the Bills’ injuries in the secondary, I don’t see them keeping up with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The September heat and humidity of South Florida, plus the extra day and a half of rest Miami has after Buffalo played on Monday night and traveled to Miami Gardens, work in the Dolphins’ favor. Xavien Howard will need to play and keep up with Stefon Diggs to an extent, and Miami either needs Terron Armstead in at left tackle or to adjust in dealing with Von Miller should he not be available.
Kathy Laughlin, Sports Editor (Season record: 2-0): Bills 31, Dolphins 27
It’s so tempting to think the Dolphins can keep riding this wave of Tua Tagovailoa and the one-two punch of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle past another tough opponent — especially one that just played on Monday night and must travel and endure the South Florida heat. However, the Bills have been scorching hot themselves, running up the score in their first two victories. The Dolphins aren’t going to roll over, but they don’t have enough at this point to win.
Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 0-2): Bills 24, Dolphins 20
The Bills are favored by nearly a touchdown for good reason. The Bills cruised past the defending Super Bowl champion Rams and last season’s No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Tennessee Titans. They have beaten the Dolphins in seven straight games, outscoring Miami by a combined score of 61-11 in the two meetings last year. Tua Tagovailoa and the suddenly high-powered Dolphins offense should keep the game close. Tagovailoa is 0-3 against the Bills.
Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record: 1-1): Bills 27, Dolphins 22
The Bills and their all-world quarterback Josh Allen have a seven-game win streak against the Dolphins and have annihilated the Rams and Titans to start the season, but some intangibles are in Miami’s favor: The Dolphins come into the matchup with their most well-earned confidence in years after the earth-shaking fourth quarter by Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle; Bills to travel to the heat and humidity with more than a day and a half less rest heading into the game than Miami; and, finally the Dolphins’ defense, while failing at the end of last year’s couple of games vs. the Bills, was pretty stout in the first 30 minutes each time (allowing 17 points total in those two first halves). Can they play a complete game this time?
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