Bills vs. Dolphins Point Spread: NFL Week 2 Odds, Prediction
The Fins opened as 2.5-point favourites on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Patriots aren’t contending for the AFC East title this year, and it’s hard to know what the Jets are with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Thus, the division crown likely comes down yet again to Buffalo and Miami. The Bills won their fourth straight East title in 2023 thanks to an 18-14 upset in South Florida in the regular-season finale to sweep the season series.
Miami led 14-7 entering the fourth quarter, but a Deonte Hardy 96-yard punt return for a score early in the fourth for the Bills completely changed the game. Josh Allen finished with 359 yards and two touchdown passes for Buffalo, which out-gained Miami 473-275.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has largely struggled in the few big games of his pro career and wasn’t particularly good in that one, completing 17 of 23 for 173 yards with a TD and two picks. That loss dropped Miami from the AFC’s potential No. 2 seed at home for at least one playoff game to the sixth seed and a trip to Kansas City in the Wild-Card Round, which Miami lost.
Bit of a break here for the Dolphins in welcoming Buffalo when it’s incredibly hot and humid in South Florida instead of a late game like last season when the weather wasn’t a factor for the home side. The Bills are 9-1 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings overall.
Buffalo Bills
The big question for Buffalo is the status of Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen after he injured his left (non-throwing) hand in Sunday’s 34-28 home comeback win over Arizona. Allen says the injury is fine and that he will play, but he was to get tests on Monday. He was terrific vs. the Cardinals, completing 18 of 23 for 232 yards and two scores while also rushing for two TDs. Allen joined Hall of Famer Steve Young as the only players to have multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in four career NFL games. Allen has thrown multiple touchdowns in all 13 career games vs. Miami, the longest streak vs. a single team in NFL history. Mitchell Trubisky is his backup.
Cornerback Taron Johnson left Sunday’s win with a forearm injury and is in question with the quick turnaround. Buffalo trailed Arizona 17-3 at one point. It was the team’s first 14-point comeback win at home since 2011. It was Allen’s third career comeback win when trailing by at least 14 points. Buffalo improved to 18-15 in one-score games since 2020 compared to 31-3 in all others.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins trailed 14-0 in the second quarter at home Sunday to Jacksonville but rallied for a 20-17 victory on Jason Sanders’ 52-yard field goal as time expired – he had missed another potential tying kick earlier in the fourth. It was Miami’s fourth comeback win from at least 14 points down since 2022, the most in the NFL in that span. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 336 yards and a touchdown and led Miami on an eight-play, 31-yard drive over the final 2:09 to get into field-goal range. Tua had an 80-yard TD pass to Tyreek Hill, who was handcuffed by police before the game driving to the stadium. Hill then naturally performed a handcuff-type celebration after his TD. Both Hill and Jaylen Waddle reached 100 yards receiving.
In his first game since tearing an Achilles last November, pass-rusher Jaelan Phillips recorded a sack and three pressures. Miami is without top pass-rusher Bradley Chubb and No. 3 WR Odell Beckham Jr. for at least the first four games of the season. The Dolphins are now 7-1 in September under Coach Mike McDaniel.
BUF
MIA