NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The NFL trade deadline has come and gone and the Miami Dolphins are the clear winners on paper. With the deal that landed them LB Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins put themselves in the talk for the best team in the AFC, maybe even the NFL. I know, their record says otherwise, but there is an asterisk next to that as well.
When the Dolphins were cooking in the early stage of the season, they were healthy. When QB Tua Tagovailoa went down, the Dolphins lost 3 straight with reserves at the helm. But Tagovailoa is back and things are looking up for the Phins. But still, the Buffalo Bills are parked in their way with a 6-1 record, right?
Not so fast. If we recall, the lone loss on the Bills’ record did come at the hands of the Dolphins. And while many are labeling the Bills the best, not only in the AFC but the NFL, the Dolphins have plenty of claim to that title as well.
Injuries are a part of the game. That’s understood across the sports world. However, the Dolphins and Bills at full strength (offense vs offense) proved that the Dolphins do have the advantage. Forget the eye test or analytics, it was proven to be true on the field. And that’s where it matters most. No other team can say they beat the Bills but the Dolphins. In Week 3, the Phins played the Bills down to the wire and won 21-19. But why are they being labeled as the best in the AFC when Buffalo has the advantage, record-wise?
To be the best, you must beat the best, right?
In their first matchup, the Buffalo Bills did what the Bills do. Josh Allen passed for 400 yards and 2 TDs while rushing for 47 yards on 8 carries. Pretty standard Allen stats. The Bills as a unit, rushed the ball 23 times for 115 yards. Stefon Diggs caught 7 passes for 74 yards, and Gabriel Davis caught just 3 passes for 37 yards. The main contributor on the offensive end was Devin Singleterry who caught 9 passes for 78 yards and a TD. Once again, the standard of the Bills.
Are The Miami Dolphins Now A Complete Team?
On the other side of the coin, the Dolphins were not able to get their offense going. Tagovailoa passed for just 186 yards and 1 TD. Tyreek Hill caught just 3 passes for 33 yards but Jaylen Waddle managed 102 yards on 4 receptions. The Bills were on their normal grind while the Dolphins had a bad offensive outing. And yet, they still won.
The moves made by the Miami Dolphins during the trade deadline were to make sure, if they happen to meet the Bills again in the playoffs, that score would not be as close as it was earlier in the year. The thought is that the addition of Chubb was made just for the notion of getting to Allen. Well, the Dolphins did manage 4 sacks that game. If Chubb is to be the Phins version of Von Miller, then things will get pretty interesting.
This does pose a problem for the Bills and others in the AFC. The Miami Dolphins, with Tua at the helm, are undefeated (5-0). They have beaten the Bills (Home) and the Baltimore Ravens (Away). They have not matched up against the Kansas City Chiefs but if the Bills are the so-called standard of the AFC, the Dolphins are one-up on them.
Another thing to factor for the Dolphins was their ground game. On the season, the Phins are ranked 28th in Rushing Attempts and 28th in Rushing Yards. Changes were needed. Besides adding Chubb this week, they also made a move to land Jeff Wilson from the 49ers for Chase Edwards.
That’s a big move as they look to gain more control of the clock. The hope is that adding a two-headed attack of Raheem Mostert and Wilson will change that. The moves made, were more in line with what’s expected. The team expects to be there at the end of the season. Much is the same for the Buffalo Bills and the other powerhouse teams in the AFC. The issue the Bills and Ravens are facing is that they know they haven’t beaten a Tua-led Miami Dolphins team this season. And that’s a fact.
