Miami Dolphins’ 48-20 loss in Buffalo and defensive nightmare a reality check in AFC East | Opinion

If this was indeed one of those so-called statement games (and it was), the statements on either side were succinct.

“Our time,” declared the Miami Dolphins, hopefully.

“Not yet,” countered the Buffalo Bills, with a big brother’s smirk.

The football map has not changed.

The AFC East still goes through Buffalo.

There was doubt about that coming into Sunday afternoon’s game in western New York, but much less coming out of it.

Bills, 48-20.

A nemesis reaffirmed, Buffalo’s victory was its eighth consecutive home win over Miami and its 12th victory in the past 14 meetings overall in the old rivalry dating to the AFL days of the 1960s.

Coming into the game national media accounts had begun to sprout that the Bills’ window was closing on its championship hopes — the rise of Miami making it an easy story line.

The window banged back wide open on Sunday.

“Tough loss vs. a great team,” tweeted Tyreek Hill right afterward, from the postgame locker room. “We will be better.”

Denied: What would have been Miami’s first 4-0 start to a season since 1995.

Instead: Fresh doubts about the Dolphins’ defense.

One week after a 70-20 win by Miami for the most points in a single game by any NFL team since 1996, the Dolphins defense on Sunday allowed more first-half points by Buffalo (31) than the Bills had scored in 30 years.

“I would say it’s very humbling for a lot of people to be able to have the highest high [last week] and then you lose, and in a manner like this,” said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. “I promise you one thing. We will definitely be better than this.”

The Dolphins offense bogged down with seeming communications issues after scoring TDs on its first two drives. Tagovailoa took some blame as QBs tend to. But...

“Tua’s teammates need to know the ins and outs of their responsibilities,” said coach Mike McDaniel.

It was the Game of the Week and perhaps of the early season in the league.

For the Dolphins it had more the feel of the Game of the Century or Millennium, considering the Fins’ last playoff victory happened in the 2000 season, when most current players were toddlers or navigating grade school.

This was the litmus test game.

Miami’s defense failed, miserably.

Dolphins second-year cornerback Kader Kohou especially had a nightmare performance in a futile attempt to cover star Bills receiver Stefon Diggs, who scorched him for three of Josh Allen’s four touchdown passes. Kohou’s frustration showed in personal foul and pass interference penalties.

Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey (the former Miami Hurricanes quarterback), deployed two tight ends Sunday (not usual), and that drew Dolphins safety coverage that otherwise might have gone to help Kohou in double coverage against Diggs. It was a strategy by Dorsey that worked masterfully and left Kohou alone. Miami had no answers.

It figured as an offensive show and was.

When Buffalo led 21-14 after the teams traded TDs on the first five combined possessions — both Fins scores on De’Von Achane runs — you sensed whichever team arose on defense first might win. Or that a turnover might be the pivot point.

Sure enough, Buffalo’s D forced a couple of punts, and the Bills followed one with a 55-yards Diggs scoring play that busted the game open at at 28-14. Kohou and safety Brandon Jones watched Diggs break both their tackles on a catch-and-run that embarrassed the two Fins defenders named.

Later, a Raheem Mostert lost fumble led to a field goal and a 31-14 hole.

And when Miami drew within 31-20 on a Tagovailoa scoring pass to Braxton Berrios, a Tagovailoa interception on an overthrow soon led to Diggs’ third TD catch.

Buffalo’s defense was authoring Miami’s frustration, but the Fins’ own mistakes were contributing.

The Dolphins had fourth down and a foot near midfield, lined up in shotgun formation and Tagovailoa got sacked attempting to pass. Wait. A Miami team that had 300 yards rushing the week before doesn’t trust itserlf to run for 1 yard?

Later a TD pass to Jaylen Waddle was negated by illegal man downfield by center Liam Eichenberg. Penalties hurt Miami all day. That drive would end on another sack — the third of four against Tagovailoa after he hadd been sacked only once in the first three games combined.

Then left tackle Terron Armstead left the game, and left the stadium on crutches with a knee injury.

A lot went wrong for the team that seized America’s attention with 70 points just seven days earlier.

None of it means the Dolphins stopped being a really good team, playoff good, with Sunday’s loss. Way too soon for any must-win hyperbole.

And Tagovailoa did OK, the loss not on him despite being under siege for the first time this season.

But his counterpart Allen was spectacular: 21 for 25 for 320 yards, four TD passes and another score on the ground.

Maybe Sunday’s statement wasn’t just Buffalo’s response for Miami perhaps overtaking he Bills in the AFC East, but also to any notion Tagovailoa was the next big thing relegating Allen to yesterday’s news.

Not yet.