Bills’ No. 6 rushing offense meets Dolphins’ No. 5 run defense

Orchard Park, NY - An AFC East matchup between Miami and Buffalo brings together two teams searching for traction, but its defining confrontation may come when the Bills run the ball. Buffalo enters with the league's No. 6 rushing offense, averaging 162 yards per game, while Miami counters with the No. 5 rushing defense at 110.7 yards allowed per game. That strength-on-strength test at Highmark Stadium could shape how each side approaches Week 11.

The Dolphins arrive at 3-6 after a road loss to the Colts, while the 1-8 Bills are coming off a road defeat against the Jets. Miami has gone 2-3 over its last five games, alternating wins and losses throughout that span. Buffalo is 1-4 across its last five, with its lone victory in that stretch coming on the road against the Vikings in Week 9. Both teams enter on a one-game losing streak.

James Cook III gives Buffalo a central figure in the rushing matchup. Cook has gained 803 yards and scored seven touchdowns on 132 attempts this season. His production leads an offense that has been much more effective on the ground than through the air. The Bills rank 29th in passing offense at 199.4 yards per game, compared with their sixth-place standing in rushing yards. Miami's ability to keep that contrast intact and force Buffalo away from its preferred production could be crucial.

Josh Allen has completed 176 of 265 passes for 1,911 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. DJ Moore leads Buffalo's listed receiving production with 22 catches for 394 yards and two touchdowns. Together, they face a Miami defense that ranks seventh in total yards allowed at 343.2 per game and 14th against the pass at 232.6 yards allowed. Buffalo averages 361.4 total yards, ranking 18th, but its 22.2 points per game rank 25th.

The matchup looks different when Miami has possession. The Dolphins rank 31st in scoring at 18.9 points per game and 28th in total offense at 309.6 yards. Buffalo, however, enters ranked 31st in scoring defense, allowing 33.7 points per game, and 23rd in total defense at 387.6 yards allowed. That creates an opportunity for Miami to find more consistency against a defense that has had difficulty keeping opponents off the scoreboard.

Malik Willis has completed 107 of 181 passes for 1,305 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Marvin Mims Jr has 28 receptions for 436 yards and four scores, while De’Von Achane has rushed 102 times for 396 yards and three touchdowns. Achane's matchup with Buffalo's 19th-ranked rushing defense would normally be a prominent part of the plan, but he appears on Miami's injury report with a foot fracture. Willis is also listed with an abdominal tear, adding uncertainty around two important pieces of the Dolphins' offense without establishing either player's game availability.

The injury report is an especially significant variable for Miami. Beyond Willis and Achane, the Dolphins list several offensive linemen, including Aaron Brewer with a torn labrum, Austin Jackson with broken ribs, Patrick Paul with a broken ankle and Kadyn Proctor with a dislocated knee. Buffalo's report includes defensive tackle Landon Jackson with a broken collarbone. None of those listings establishes a player's status for the game, but the number of Miami injuries adds another layer to an offense already trying to improve on its No. 31 scoring rank.

These teams produced a dramatically different kind of game when they met in Week 16 of Season 35. Buffalo won that previous matchup 44-42, with Achane rushing 20 times for 297 yards and four touchdowns. Allen completed 11 of 17 passes for 134 yards and one touchdown. That result belongs to last season, but it provides recent history for two division opponents preparing to meet again.

This time, the central question begins at the line of scrimmage. Buffalo will try to establish Cook and its No. 6 ground game against the highest-ranked unit in this matchup, Miami's No. 5 run defense. On the other side, the Dolphins will look for their 31st-ranked scoring offense to capitalize against a Bills defense carrying the same ranking in points allowed. How those contrasting weaknesses and strengths intersect could determine the direction of this AFC East game.