The first official version of Thursday Night Football features a compelling matchup. It's a battle of division rivals, as the Buffalo Bills travel to Miami to play the Dolphins.
In a conference where everyone is basically chasing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, both of these teams have fallen short of success in especially painful ways. The Dolphins froze up in the Kansas City cold last year, as their high-powered offense stalled and Miami lost, 26-7.
Buffalo was the next Kansas City casualty. They disposed of Pittsburgh easily in the wild card round, 31-17, then came up achingly short once again against the Chiefs, losing by a field goal, 27-24. The road to a division title goes through each other, though, so this is a significant early game that will likely have playoff ramifications down the line.
Game Details
Fixture: Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins
Date and Time: September 12, 2024 @ 8:15 PM EST
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Buffalo Bills Team Review
Buffalo got off to a slow start in their home opener against Arizona, falling behind 17-3 before quarterback Josh Allen rescued them from their early malaise.
What happened after that was all too familiar for Bills opponents. Allen went off, running for two TDs and throwing for another two, and when it was all over Buffalo had a 34-28 victory.
The one problem with this stirring comeback was that Allen hurt his hand while extending it over the goal line on one of his rushing touchdowns. He shook off the injury and downplayed it in his postgame media access, but it's definitely something to watch closely given that this is a Thursday night game with a quick turnaround early in the season.
Miami Dolphins Team Review
Miami fell behind, too, in their interstate opening battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags began by moving the football impressively while the Dolphins struggled, and the Fins found themselves down 17-7 at the half.
That was when QB Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill kicked things into high gear. An 80-yard catch and run by the streaking Hill brought Miami within striking distance, and kicker Jason Sanders provided the heroics after that, adding a pair of field goals, including the winner as time ran out.
Tagovailoa had a big day, justifying his new contract extension by throwing for 338 yards, but Hill was the focal point of the day in more ways than one. He was briefly arrested and handcuffed during a traffic stop that has been the subject of controversy this week, but fortunately for the Dolphins he was released in time to lead Miami to victory.
Who to Watch
Buffalo Bills
More than ever, it's all about Josh Allen with the Bills. Even with star target Stefon Diggs having departed for Houston, Allen simply made play after play with both his arm and his legs.
The hand injury is cause for concern, but Allen is so indispensable to Buffalo's success that in a strange way it almost doesn't matter. They're going nowhere without him, and if Allen is out for any significant period of time, the Bills season is basically over.
Miami Dolphins Team Review
As electric as Hill was, Tua is still the man to watch here. He has a lot to prove after Miami's meltdown against Kansas City, and he needs to show he can provide the same kind of high-level performance on a weekly basis here. This is one of those games that looks like it could easily turn into a shootout, especially given how early in the season it is, and if that happens Hill will undoubtedly play a key role as well.