Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins rivalry renewed. Josh vs Tua & McDermott vs McDaniel

Summary

Buffalo Plus Podcast Summary

Episode: Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins rivalry renewed. Josh vs Tua & McDermott vs McDaniel
Date: September 28, 2023
Hosts: Mike Catalana, Jenna Cottrell, Dan Fetes
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Overview

This episode dives into the renewal of the heated Buffalo Bills–Miami Dolphins rivalry, focusing on the evolving identities of both teams, the marquee quarterback battle (Josh Allen vs. Tua Tagovailoa), and the strategic chess match between coaches Sean McDermott and Mike McDaniel. The trio discusses each team's strengths, the significance of this early-season divisional clash, and what it reveals about the AFC East landscape.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. Rivalry Refreshed: Contrasts & Stakes

• Mirror Images: The hosts highlight the contrasting identities—Miami as the “flash and sizzle” with a high-powered, speedy offense, and Buffalo as the “steak,” relying on solid fundamentals and a methodical defense.

  • Jenna: “Miami has all of that sizzle, like flashy, you know, these explosive plays, all the speed. Then you look at this Buffalo defense, and it's more of, like, playing fundamental football...” (02:14)
  • Mike: “They're kind of opposites. They're almost mirrors of each other. Both with outstanding quarterbacks, though. So I love the matchup.” (00:40)

• Big Divisional Implications: Despite being a Week 4 matchup, the hosts stress its importance given the competitive AFC East.

  • Dan: “It's a massive Week 4 matchup because falling to 0–2 in the division is a tough hole to dig out of.” (01:18)

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2. Offensive Explosions: Do Scores Lie?

• Parsing Big Wins: The Dolphins' historic 70-point game is discussed, but the hosts question the level of opposition (Denver), much like people question the Bills' dominance over Washington.

  • Mike: “70 to nothing is just ridiculous, right? ...Denver, you're just awful. And Miami is really good. Really good. And they are lethal. They are a fast break offense.” (05:09)
  • Jenna: “It's interesting how people are parsing that Bill's win over Washington and not kind of doing the same to the Dolphins.” (04:48)

• Sample Size Caution: Both teams have yet to face top-tier competition consistently, making it hard to judge who’s “dramatically better.” (03:43)

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3. Quarterback Comparison: Josh Allen vs. Tua Tagovailoa

• Tua’s Leap and Debate Over “System QB”:

  • Jenna: “He has been having a phenomenal season. And…I mean, he's MVP right now…the leader in terms of the odds?...Tua is kind of asserting himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, whether fans like that or not.” (07:14)
  • Dan: “You know, I feel like ‘game manager’ is a dirty word to call a quarterback. ‘System quarterback’ could be...” (07:57)

• Mike’s Defense of Tua:

  • “Watch him. His decision making is first elite, not all first reads...He'll stand in there for a guy who's taken a bunch of hits...I like for Tua, he's got a little cockiness to him right now. Yeah, he knows he's good.” (09:02)

• Allen’s Mentality:

  • Jenna: “Josh, by the way, Josh plays his game. You know that he's cocky. And I don't mean that as a dig…you need to be.” (09:44)

• How Coaching Sets Them Up:

  • Dan: “What Mike McDaniel is doing is what I want somebody to do for Josh Allen. Give him throws that guys are wide open...” (08:21)
  • Mike: “McDaniel…is a little mad Professor-ish. But man, he knows [how to get his guys open].” (12:50)

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4. Coaching Chess Match: McDermott vs. McDaniel

• Contrasting Styles:

  • Jenna: “You have McDaniel calling the offense, younger guy, interesting character...McDermott calling the defense, more of old-fashioned, disciplined.” (24:54)

• Mad Scientist Vibes:

  • Mike: “When I see [the Dolphins], …[McDaniel] is a little wacky, but this guy knows what he is doing, right? Yeah, he really does. …they just find the fastest guys at every position.” (12:50 & 13:35)

• Player Relationships:

  • Dan: “Players respect and respond to you when you’re true to yourself…Sean’s not going to try and dance to hip hop music...he relates as a family man.” (28:47)
  • “McDaniel…is a football nerd…not only this passing attack and that sort of innovative, he also respects the guys up front.” (28:52)

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5. Dolphins Speed—A Unique Problem

• The Influence of Tyreek Hill & Waddle: The Dolphins' multiple elite speedsters create unusual stress for opponents.

  • Mike: “Tyreek Hill…he just moves differently than everybody else…you make one step the wrong way, he's gone.” (17:28 & 18:12)
  • Jenna: “When is he gonna slow down? And he always looks like he does something to his hamstring, and then he's fine. It's just like clockwork.” (18:12)

• Scheme Complexity:

  • Dan: “All of the pre-snap motion that they throw in…I hope Ken Dorsey watches their film and says, ‘Hey, we should do some of this stuff.’” (20:32)

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6. Defensive Countermeasures: The Buffalo Adjustment

• Going Smaller and Faster:

  • Dan: “They saw the speed that Miami has had. …You went from a big middle linebacker to a small agile guy that can cover and run…it’s like you kind of have a Matt Milano and a poor man's Matt Milano.” (14:09)

• Coaching Admits Limits:

  • Dan (on McDermott): “He’s almost kind of like, ‘I don’t know. If you guys have any suggestions, I’ll be happy to take them.’ …It’s gotten to that point.” (19:32)

• Press vs. Soft Coverage Dilemma:

  • Dan: “If you press them and throw off timing, great. If not, they’re by you. …If you play off, they’ll just hit you for quick stuff. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.” (19:32)

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7. Game Expectations & X-Factors

• High-Scoring Outlook:

  • Dan: “I see this game being played in the 30s because I like both offenses against these defenses.” (24:45)
  • Mike: “The Chargers got to them. …Chargers scored a bunch and Dolphins pulled it out.” (24:49)

• Defensive Tests for Miami:

  • Dolphins D (with Vic Fangio, Javon Holland, Xavien Howard) not yet truly tested by an offense like Buffalo's—“have they really been challenged by an offense like this?” (24:00)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On narrative-driven comparisons:

  • “Miami has all that sizzle…Buffalo defense…more like playing fundamental football…one is the flash, one is the sizzle, and …one is more the steak.” – Jenna (02:14)

• On coaching innovation:

  • “This guy’s a little wacky, but this guy knows what he is doing…he’s a little mad Professor-ish.” – Mike (about McDaniel) (12:50)

• On Tua’s confidence:

  • “I like for Tua, …he’s got a little cockiness to him right now. Yeah, he knows he's good.” – Mike (09:02)

• On defending the Dolphins:

  • “If you are able to press them, that’s great…If you don’t…and try to play off, then you can’t be physical with them. So it’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t.” – Dan (19:32)

• On Tyreek Hill’s video-game speed:

  • “He just moves differently than everybody else…It’s not like Tua is throwing the ball up 70 yards in the air. He’s getting them to him. And these guys make plays.” – Mike (17:28 & 18:12)

• Comment on head coaches’ personalities:

  • “Players respect and respond to you when you’re true to yourself…Sean’s not going to try and dance to hip hop music and act like he can do any of those…he relates…as a dad.” – Dan (28:44)

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Important Timestamps

• Rivalry Introduction and Contrasts: 00:40 – 03:30
• Parsing Both Teams’ Quality of Opponents: 03:43 – 06:34
• Tua vs. Josh Discussion: 07:14 – 11:29
• Coaching Styles & Schemes: 12:50 – 14:09, 24:54 – 26:36
• Dolphins’ Offense & Speed: 17:28 – 21:37
• Defensive Adjustments & Press Coverage Dilemmas: 19:32 – 21:37
• Coaching Dynamic & Relationships: 28:04 – 29:48
• Score Predictions & X-Factors: 24:45 – 24:54

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Final Thoughts & Outlook

The panel agrees that this Bills-Dolphins clash is a hallmark moment early in the season, likely to have implications for the AFC East title race. Both teams present unique, contrasting strengths, and the matchup pits innovation versus discipline on both sides of the ball. Expect a high-scoring duel, with both defenses facing their steepest tests thus far.

Notable Closing Thought:

• “To be the best, you gotta beat the best. And it's going to be a huge test for this Bills team.” – Jenna (16:52)

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Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This is the Buffalo plus podcast, brought to you by Connors and Ferris.

[A]

All right, welcome back to the Buffalo Plus Podcast, presented by Connors and Ferris, Mike Catalana, Dan Fates. I am Jenna Cottrell. Please be sure to like, comment and subscribe to the podcast, as well as share with your friends if you enjoy our work. All right, gentlemen. Bills, Dolphins. What a game weekend will be. Let's talk about these two teams. Mike, I want to start with you. Just where do you see these two teams stacking up heading into Sunday?

[C]

I. I like the 180s on these teams. Right. I think if you looked at it and said the Dolphins are the offense, the Bills are the defense. Now, the Bills still have Josh Allen, and the Dolphins still have talented players on defense. So it's not totally one way or the other, but, Jenna, I look at them as just being one's Buffalo, one's Miami. You know, one's got Mike McDaniel, the other has Sean McDermott. They're kind of opposites. They're almost mirrors of each other. Both with outstanding quarterbacks, though. So I love the matchup. I'm hoping that this is just what we get for Bill's Dolphins for a long time.

[B]

It's a little bit in the sense of what we thought the jets matchup week one would be in the sense of you have a team like Miami trying to prove themselves. Now, look, they made the playoffs last year, but they're trying to prove that that wasn't a fluke and that Tua and McDaniel and this offense are legit and they're one of the best in the league. And again, it's going up against Bill's team, which is again trying to prove, like, hey, this is still our division. And I know It's a Week 4 matchup, and I know that it's just. We're checking it one game at a time. It's a massive Week 4 matchup because falling to 02 in the division is a tough hole to dig out of. That's our. That's when. Mike, as you've always said before, looking back, we may look back at that jets game come week 18. Say and say, damn, they really missed a chance to lose to Zach Wilson. But right now, again, it's the Bills proving that this is still their. This is still their time.

[A]

I think it's so funny looking at these two teams because I feel like Miami has all of that sizzle, like flashy, you know, these explosive plays, all the speed. Then you look at this Buffalo defense, and it's more of, like, playing fundamental football, getting pressure on the quarterback. The defense kind of has been leading the way. And I think it's kind of indicative of, like, what people think of the two cities. I just think that's kind of an interesting, like, thought that I have going into that, because it's like, one is the flash, one is the sizzle, and Mike, one is more the steak.

[C]

I don't think there's any doubt. And I think Buffalo fans were dying for years of going, why can't this team be good? It's Miami, you know, I mean, the Heat have been good. I will Manso, we did an interview with him. It'll be on the channel on Friday. And, you know, he's been covering the Heat going to the finals. He's been covering the Marlins trying to make the playoffs. You know, they've had a lot going. They got Messi playing in Miami, like, and all the stars and everybody hangs out down there. Buffalo. And we love it. But it's a little different against Miami. Yeah, it is a little different.

[A]

Dan, do you think that where these two teams are at right now, do you think in your opinion, you're like, one team is dramatically better, or how do you. How do you view that?

[B]

Not dramatically better. And it's also tough because I'm still trying to figure out where each team, like, we're still so early in the season.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's why I think that, like, they're coming off scoring 70 points. And then you're like, well, Denver really sucks. And you're like, well, the Bills have played two crappy kind of teams, too, in the Raiders and the Commanders. So, like, you're kind of sitting there. And again, the jets meeting is.

[C]

It's.

[B]

The jets game is just weird. It's just going to be a weird game that we look back on. Like, Mike and I always like to say we still think the Bill is going to win that Jacksonville game from two years ago. Like, Like. Like we're still kind of confused about that game. I think we're still.

[A]

Urban Meyer. Yeah.

[B]

Like, we're still going to sit there. And I hate to keep bringing up the jets game as we're looking forward, but, like, it all kind of ties in of, like, what team is this Bill's team going to show up as? And they're. I, I think they're figuring out an identity which I like for the first time under Ken Dorsey, but I still think they're still trying to manufacture one. As we move towards a massive game.

[A]

I get Annoyed, though, Mike, because people talking about the Bills defense, like, well, it was against the commanders. And I get that the Dolphins put up 70, but I was like, well, it was against the winless Denver Broncos. Like, it's interesting how people are parsing that. That Bill's win over. Over Washington and not kind of doing the same to the Dolphins.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, look, 70 to nothing is just ridiculous, right? So against an NFL team with an NFL head coach, maybe you don't score 70. Oh, I'm sorry, Sean Payton. Did somebody do the worst job in the history of pro football last year coaching the team? And then you give up 70. And you know what's the craziest thing about that game? 10 touchdowns, five offense, five defense. Like, they didn't have a pick six. They didn't have a punt return. No, Denver, you're just awful. And Miami is really good. Really good. And they are lethal. They are a fast break offense. And Tua looks fantastic. I gotta give him that, man. The guy looks so in control, so confident. He's got a little mahomes to him, the way he's moving around in the pocket, you know, and everybody says you got the, you know, injuries. Yeah, sure, everybody's got to worry about that. He's got his own set of worries. But in that case, it's great. But yes, you say that because it's easier to look at a bad defense or a bad offense, like, say, Washington. I don't think they're terrible. The Bills made them look terrible. You know, it's the Ron Rivera shutout game. Like, sorry, Ronnie, that three points doesn't mean anything. The Bill shot you out. Yeah, the Bill shut him out.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And. And with a few more plays in the red zone, he could have put up 40 plus easily 50 in that game. So it's very. It was a very impressive game. I'll put it to you this way, Jenna. If that game ends 53 to nothing, or 53 to 20 or whatever, you'd be like, wow, the Dolphins offense is good. I mean, they hit 70, so it does add that whole other wow factor to the game.

[A]

Oh, sorry, Dan. I thought you were going to talk.

[B]

No, I didn't know that was talking. I'm showing restraint. People in the comments are like, finally.

[A]

Dan's not talking so disciplined of you. I mean, Mike, you mentioned Tua. He has been having a phenomenal season. And I mean, he's. What is he, the MVP right now? The leader in terms of the odds? I think that's upsetting a lot of Bills. Fans, because obviously Josh Allen has never won an mvp. He's been in the conversations, but kind of tailed off at the end of seasons. Where do we make of Dan? This TUA Josh rivalry early out the gate. We know Josh dominated the Dolphins, but as of late, I mean, last season, the two teams split, and I feel like Tua is kind of asserting himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, whether fans like that or not.

[B]

Yeah, you hate to say the word. You know, I feel like game manager is a dirty word to call a quarterback. System quarterback could be.

[A]

Could be possibly thrown around with Tua enough credit.

[C]

Oh, ouch.

[B]

Ouch.

[C]

What, you're calling him a system quarterback?

[B]

If you put Tua on another team with another oc, where does he stack up? I guess that's my point. I'm not. I'm not trying to take away. I'm trying to take the whole picture. I'm not trying to knock Tua down. I. I understand what he's doing. He's doing really well in what Mike McDaniel is scheming up like. He is. What. What Mike McDaniel is doing is what I want somebody to do for Josh Allen. Give him throws that guys are wide open. Like, that's all I'm saying is that two has a lot of things going for him.

[C]

No.

[B]

Is that not fair to say? Why can't I.

[C]

You're. You're fine. You're fine on that.

[B]

You're fine.

[C]

But I'm going to tell you, watch him. His decision making is first elite, not all first reads. He is quick. He goes left, right back to the left. He's great movement. His movement in the pocket has been great. And I'm not talking about running around. I'm talking about getting to a spot. He'll stand in there for a guy who's taking a bunch of hits. You know what I like about him right now, Jenna? And he doesn't seem like that kind of guy, but I. I like for two of these. Got a little cockiness to him right now. Yeah, he knows he's good. And I hadn't really heard that out of him. You know, you never hear that out of Josh, but come on, we all know.

[A]

I mean, Josh, by the way, Josh places game. You know that he's cocky. And I don't mean that as a dig. I mean that you need to be. You have to be.

[C]

Yeah, you have to be. But Tua is almost a little outward. Like, you know what? I've taken a lot of crap. First of all, from the Dolphins themselves, who we've talked about who handled him so poorly and you know, then people telling him he's got to quit and he gets his himself back in and he is dealing right now. Now, again, it's three games in this year and he does have Tyreek Hill and he's got a lot of speed around him, but he's playing with. I swear, Janet, I think he plays a little at the moment like Mahomes plays, and I don't think Josh plays like Mahomes, but it's. It's like those, you know, the little shovel passes and stuff like that. That's a guy with. Yeah, that's a guy with a lot of confidence right now.

[B]

Yeah, well, that's my point is that, is that the confidence comes from Mike McDaniel in the scheming and the confidence in, hey, throw it here. Because he's going to be open. Like there are guys open. Very open. Part of that's because of the speed. Yes. I know that Tua has a quick release. He's getting the ball out very quickly. Part of that. I'm not saying Tua is not a great quarterback. I'm not saying he's not even in the, you know, he's top playing in the top three tier. Top. You know, you have the Mahomes tier and then you kind of have the Allen tier. And then I can see Tua in the Herbert tier in that. In that range. But he has a lot of things around him that set him up for success.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

That's all I'm saying. And part of it is the freebies, as I've talked about going back to last year, that Mike McDaniel schemes up and going back to Jenny, your games. The last. The last. When they split the games last year, I remember saying it on the pod going into the playoff game, I thought the better team lost both games. I thought that the Bills were the better team that actually, yeah, the Bills were the better team in the heat in week three and just came up short, ran out of literal gas in IV bags. And then I thought the Dolphins for the most part were better than the Bills for three and a half quarters in the snow in Orchard Park. So this is a. And then obviously the playoff game, it was Skyler. Forgot Skyler. So, yeah, so this is. It's a real rivalry. And again, when you're comparing quarterbacks, yes, two is playing at a very high level.

[C]

Well, three games in, he's the number one quarterback in the NFL.

[A]

I think if you look at his Games and the results. It's hard to argue with that.

[C]

I mean, I'm just talking about this three game sample.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Because Joe, Joe Burrow would be what, 27th? And we know how good he is and that's not really.

[A]

Yeah. It's not indicative of his talent, who he is. Yeah.

[C]

But I, I will give Dan this. I, I think McDaniel, let me get another shot at the 49ers here because we got to hear all the time about. Shanahan is a genius. Shanahan is a genius. Look, he's making it work with Brock Purdy. But when I see the Niners, I see them, Purdy gets the ball out and every one of those guys seems to break eight tackles on their way to the end zone. I look at Miami and I'm going, you know, this guy is a little wacky, but this guy knows what he is doing, right? Yeah, yeah, he really does. And he's. He's a little odd. He's a little mad Professor Ish. But man, he knows. And, and by the way, do they just. Just find the fastest guys at every position? Is it.

[A]

I think they do.

[C]

I mean, they just do.

[A]

Hard to argue.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I was just on a Dolphins Twitter space and they were talking about, wow, no one's before.

[A]

That's a wild.

[B]

I got asked, I got asked to be on it.

[A]

I wasn't just like killing on a Twitter space. How is was fine.

[B]

It's just like a Q A. Yeah. People ask questions.

[A]

Who's sneaking in, waving to Zach. He's getting.

[C]

You.

[B]

My thought was we always know that the Bills have their eye out around the rest of the NFL and around other teams and what they're doing. And you're. For the most part, the Bills have kind of been having their fastball with their offense, but they are. Have been aware of the trajectory of the league going back to what the Chiefs did and the pass catchers and the speed and all those things. I think they also saw what Miami was doing with a healthy TUA and thought, oh crap. Like they're not. Like they're not. The league's not getting slower. And with what, you know, Terrell Bernard has been able to do is I, I go, you went from a big middle linebacker to a small agile guy that can cover and run. And it's like you kind of have a Matt Milano and a poor man's Matt Milano and. And I think they saw the speed that Miami has had.

[A]

What I would rephrase that I think of Matt Milano is. Doesn't Seem very.

[B]

A poor man's All Pro. I think Terrell Bernard would like to.

[A]

Be known as a poor man. A great value. Matt Milano, I just think he's a lighter, faster linebacker.

[B]

Okay. Like ideal is Matt Milano. My ugly penny.

[C]

Whatever.

[B]

I, My comparison always gets like.

[A]

I just feel like if you were being described as like, yeah, he's like a. Again, he's like a. I gotta call.

[C]

Out a little bit.

[A]

Dan Orlovsky is not really would love it.

[C]

Dan has some old man phrases. Jenna doesn't like the old man phrase. She doesn't really recognize old man phrases. Dan's got a few, by the way, Dan, a couple of things. One, again, it's bad penny, not ugly penny. And two, you said the Bills ran out of literal gas at the game, which.

[A]

And then he added ivy bags.

[C]

I know, but like, what, did they eat something bad before the game? No, it's kind of like.

[B]

Yeah, my literal and exaggerations are good. They're good. They're good.

[A]

Okay. I know we got off on this side.

[C]

No, but this game is, this is awesome. And it's Sunday, 1 o', clock, 75 degrees. Because obviously Jenna's on the field shooting the game. So the weather is going to be perfect. This is awesome. I, I say to you guys, I, I can't wait for the game Sunday. I think it's going to be great. I think it's gonna be a great game. Yeah, but it's. This game would usually get hijacked by the network to be 8 o' clock on a Sunday night. And I kind of like, wow, let this one go early. Maybe they weren't sure what the Dolphins were going to be. And I think it's awesome that it's in Orchard park at one o' clock with great weather.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, I think that's. I think this sets up for what the division will be for maybe years to come. And that makes it exciting because we've seen the division get so much better over these last couple of seasons. But, you know, we always talk about it, like, to be the best, you got to beat the best. And it's going to be a huge test for this Bills team. And I think there's a lot to be. You can learn so much from this game. Like, this could be where you realize what you do well, what you need to improve on. Almost like a benchmark game. Because let's be real, the Dolphins are playing really, really great football.

[C]

Yeah. And you know what? It is too. I mean, Tyree Kill I is incredible.

[A]

Yeah. He's so.

[C]

And you remember Dan Bean talking about him with speed? He's like, hey, if there's a Tyreek Hill out there, you know, tell me where I can find him. And, yeah, I mean, he tortured the Bills in Kansas City. And, you know, it's funny, he hasn't been that. That great against the Bills for the Dolphins. Like, I think Waddle. I'd have to look at the exact numbers. I think Waddle's actually been a little better. But Hill is. He's just. He is one of those guys, Jenna. When you watch the game, he just moves differently than everybody else.

[A]

When is he gonna slow down? And he always looks like he does something to his hamstring, and then he's fine. It's. It's just like clockwork.

[C]

The only guy I ever remember moving on the field with his speed, that almost looks like a video game to me. And there's been a lot of fast guys was Deion. I mean, Deion, when he would punt, return or intercept a pass, it. The fastest guys in the league weren't keeping up with him. He had not only great speed, but great football speed and great instincts. And this guy, I mean, you've seen it, Dan. We saw it when Kansas City, you know, you make one step the wrong way, he's gone. It's not like two is throwing the ball up 70 yards in the air. He's getting them to him. And these guys make plays. And he got Waddle. I. We'll see. Right. Coming back.

[B]

Right.

[C]

He's practiced full. And then they got most dirt, who's like the fastest running back in the league.

[A]

And then they got Devon Achan, who was an all American sprinter at Texas A M. Yeah. So fast.

[C]

And by the way, you're right, it is Achan. Achan. He had always been under a chain. And when we talked to Will Manso, he goes, this. We just found this out. So Achan Achan. Yes.

[A]

I did a reel on him.

[B]

Yeah. And in combating the speed, Jen and I talked about it when we were up at practice yesterday. As we record this on Thursday, the. The sense of Sean McDermott kind of seems like he has almost like a laughable state of, like, I don't know, like, we keep, like reporters. Here we are sitting down, like all of us in our quarter zips, being like, how are you gonna slow down this team? And like, he's almost kind of like, I don't know. If you guys have any suggestions, I'll be happy to take them. Like, it's gotten to that Point. And Sean talks about its fundamentals. It's staying true to who they are. And then Taryn Johnson kind of went off of that and said, you have to be physical. And my question about being physical, and the Chargers did it to them last season. That's kind of what started to expose the Dolphins when I think they had a three or a four game losing streak at that point, sometime middle of the year because the Chargers were able to press them at the line. Easier said than done. If you are able to press them, that's great. You throw off timing, you throw off Tua, who still loves his first read. He has shown the ability to get off it, but he still loves his first read. But if you don't press them and successfully bump them and throw them off, they're by you. So to combat them not running by you, you play off 10 yards and then you can't be physical with them. So it's damned if you do, it's damned if you don't. And then you throw in all of the pre snap motion that they throw in, which I love, which I hope Ken Dorsey watches their film and says, hey, we should do some of this stuff. It's really successful because when they did it against the commanders, it worked really well. And we're talking all about the passing game, right? We're talking about two, all these things. All that pre snap motion also helps disguise their running game, which is really good as well, because all of a sudden you're seeing Tyreek go in motion, you're going, okay, I gotta follow him. And then A Chan hits a hole and is gone for 50 yards. Like it's. Yeah, it, it's a level attack. Yeah.

[C]

I'm sorry, Dan. The Bill's biggest issue is when you send somebody in motion, there's one guy you're afraid of, right? It's D. Yeah, he's the one guy. Miami's got about four guys that can impact you with that speed, speed that puts pressure, pressure on everybody. So it is a little different. The Bills use it to get some openings. The Dolphins use it to get huge plays, big plays, quick plays. So yeah, hey, look, they're not perfect. They're really good. Their offense is lethal at the moment, but you know this is going to be a different game. I kind of love the fact that they're coming off the 70 point game. If you're the Bills, you wish they would have scored 80 last week because it's, that's a, that's a big number to start out with. When the game Begins. It's like, wow, we just put up 70. What are we doing this week?

[A]

Oh, Tyler Bass has been named AFC Special teams player of the month.

[C]

Nice.

[A]

I wonder if the Bills will be used. You can't be using him a whole bunch. To beat this Dolphins team. You got to be able to finish.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Yep.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And Josh Allen actually talked about that, though. He's like going off your point Mike of them scoring 70. It's like you pay attention and you. Not that you don't pay attention on other weeks, but it's like he made it seem like you kind of hone in more on those details, on the details of practice. Like you have. They have your attention essentially, which I think is fair. Like, obviously.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Every week when you're preparing, you are focused on the details, but when a team points at puts up 70, you're like, oh, snap. Like, we really gotta be making sure that we're on it because this team can have. They've done it before, man. What if they do it again?

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

We talk about McDermott, McDaniel. We talk about, you know, that Vic Fangio is kind of this wild card in, in this game for me because that Dolphins D line is, is good. Javon Holland, very good. Have Xavier Howard, like, they got dudes on that defense.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Vic Van Joe, very good coach. Everywhere he's gone. The only time I remember him going up against Josh Allen though was 2020 Denver.

[C]

Denver, Denver.

[B]

And Josh tortured him. Like, I think that was one of the games that Josh was like nearly perfect in that season. So kind of trying to marry those new coordinator with guys that you know and how that works out. And again, have they really been challenged by an offense like this? They played the Patriots. They played Denver Stinks. The Patriots offense isn't really what it needs to be. Yeah, I, I see this game being played in the 30s because I like both offenses against these defenses.

[C]

Yeah. And the Chargers got to them. I mean, the Chargers scored a bunch.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

In that first game. It's first game. But Chargers scored a bunch and Dolphins pulled it out.

[A]

Yeah. No, it's very true. And Dan, you mentioned the coaches. It is so funny looking at this coaching matchup, Mike. Like, you have McDaniel calling the offense younger guy, interesting character. A bit more. I don't know, what would you say, like casual maybe, where I feel like McDermott calling the defense more of old fashioned, disciplined. Like even their styles of, of what they do. I think it's kind of an. Something that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

In terms of like looking at both of them, you're like, they are just very different.

[C]

Is Sean the cool guy amongst the two of them?

[A]

No, no, no. Sean is, like, old fashioned in comparison. Sean is the old fashioned, buttoned up.

[C]

Let me tell you, McDermott, I'm saying McDaniel is really quirky, you know?

[A]

Yeah. But it works for him. Because it works.

[C]

But I'm talking about. He's. He's. He's not, like, he's not Sean McVeigh. Right. He's. He's Mike McDaniel. Like, and when it's working, he looks. This is what I always say about coaches. When Belichick was winning, he looked stoic. Now he looks lost. Right. McDaniel looks quirky. Genius when it's working. When it doesn't, he'd be, you know, what was that guy's name in Miami that they got rid of? Was there for like, Flores?

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

No, no, no, no. I'm talking about before that. The guy was with Adam Gays. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you win in your Adam Gays, you're cool. I'm just saying is.

[B]

No, Adam Gays was never cool.

[A]

No, I know what you're saying, though. It's Nick Sirianni. Like, if you lose, Sirianni was kind of cringy, but they were winning, so it's like, oh, that's just coach. But if you're losing, it's like, that is embarrassing.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. So. So McDaniel's getting the cool vibe now because he's winning.

[A]

He's vaping on the sidelines.

[B]

I think he's. Again, I know that people like old man Mike who doesn't like these, you know, pioneer changing coaches. We've had some talks on some car rise recently he doesn't like.

[C]

No, no, no. I'm pioneering. Your pioneering coach got his ass kicked against Oregon. Come on.

[B]

That's a little behind the scenes of Mike venting to us on a car ride or a plane ride, going, dion's so annoying, by the way.

[C]

And by the way, now. Now he's going to cut his own guys because he's out telling everybody, I still need five or six more dudes. So just keep in mind all your cool guys that are at Colorado, Dion's.

[B]

I bet he's the only coach.

[A]

Looking.

[B]

To get a better roster. He's the only guy in the portal.

[C]

He's the only guy that says it on camera all the time.

[A]

Yeah, I hear you. Okay. Wait, what were you gonna say? Mike or Dan?

[B]

I'm a big Mike, Big Daniel fan from his Opening press conference to. I think, like you said, Sirianni is kind of that way too. I think that's a really good comparison, Jenna, that players respect and respond to when you. You're true to yourself.

[C]

It's.

[B]

It's the Flores, it's the Patricia. Those guys that say, I'm gonna be like Bill, because that's how Bill got his respect. No, you get the respect from the players. Sean is. Sean. Sean's not gonna try and dance to hip hop music and act like he can do any of those. Like, relate to players like that. He relates to them as a family man. He relates to them as a dad.

[A]

Like, as a person.

[B]

Yeah, as a person.

[C]

And a consistent coach. Very consistent. That's who he is.

[B]

So I love the fact that Mike McDaniel, in his quirkiness is probably the best way, but he is who he is, and I think that players respond to that. He's not trying to be. He's not trying to be this football nerd. I think he is a football nerd that has, you know, not only this passing attack and that sort of innovative. He also respects the guys up front just in the running schemes. Like, he has that old school influence of the Shanahan and things like that to go along with this.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

New offense and. And this. Nobody proves us wrong. Like I said, I wish it was hotter and everybody made fun of him for that shirt. I wish it was colder. Like, that's just a goofy guy that he is. So, like, was he gonna all of a sudden pretend to be somebody he's not? And again, you're right, Jenna. When you win, it works. I. I agree.

[A]

If you are losing, it looks cringy or out of touch or whatever, or like you're not even focused. But when you're winning, it works.

[B]

I remember him saying something last year that he appreciated their losing streak that they went on. That. He goes, it was going to be a test. He goes, it was going to happen eventually. Every coach, you're going to have a losing streak. But it shows you how good of coaches you are when you can get out of a losing streak and how do you handle them? And, like, that's a mature approach. It goes back to Josh saying that, like, you got to appreciate the bad times because the good times are that much sweeter. I think that for a young guy, he. He's relatable.

[C]

He's.

[B]

What he's doing is, like I said, Sean says it's revolutionary. And, like, Sean will be complimentary of other coaches, but, like, he went above and beyond saying, like, you know, he was asked by Adam Benini, like, how do you keep them in front of you? And these things. He's like, I don't know. Haven't figured it out yet. Nobody has. Like, I, I just really like this dynamic. I like the fact that he's in the division. I think it's good for football. I. I don't. I just. I'm a big Mike McDaniel fan.

[A]

I also think the end result is the same too. Like, they are both like, very well respected by their teams.

[C]

Yep. He's also, in their own way. And Jenna, I think he's also pumping them up a little bit this week. Oh, yeah. What do you guys think.

[A]

Are. As advertised? They are revolutionary. They are.

[C]

I get a Usain Bolt in to play, you know. Yeah. The role.

[B]

I love it. They have gassed this Dolphins team up of like.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

70 points. Like, wow, that is. I couldn't believe it. I've never seen anybody do that. Teams that have scored over 50 plus points are 1 in 6 against the spread the following week.

[C]

Yeah, that's Uncle Dan coming through.

[B]

Too many points. You didn't save enough touchdowns for the following week.

[A]

Too many. All right, let's wrap up. Oh, I do want to mention, I didn't ask you this before, but I feel like it'd be fine, but I have my fundraiser tomorrow, so I. If. If everyone's cool with it, I'm going to put the link to my fundraising page for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society's Light the Night. It's for local cancer patients in the western New York area. That money goes to the families and patients and providing them with a better, you know, whether it be helping out with medical bills or grabbing dinner or transportation to and from hospital visits, all that stuff. If you would like to donate, check out the link. I'll put it in the description box. That something that I'm excited to help out with and. Yeah, I don't really know. I. Sorry, I just. I. It's tomorrow. Six years. Six years.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what? I just. I really. I've had a lot of people reach out and it's so sweet and so nice. So I just really appreciate it. So thank you to everyone for the support.

[C]

And one. One last thing. Not. Not in. In that same vein, but, you know, Jenna and I will be going to London.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

For the game next week.

[A]

What a segue.

[C]

Well, I was trying to. I wanted to say this at the end and I know, you know, I'm trying to keep you from crying and I just want to let people know if you're over there and you're from there or you are a Rochester, Buffalo, Western, wherever and you're going to be in London, send us a message, let us know. We're going to be out. We'll be out before the game. We'll be at the game. You'll see the Buffalo plus stuff. So reach out. I know, I know. We had a young man who came up to Dan and I in the airport. He's from London. Then I ran into his I believe his in laws and they gave me his information and I can't find it. So you know who you are. Reach out to us because it was cool. He watches us all the time from over in London and now he's got the Bills coming to see him there.

[A]

That's cool. We're excited for that. Yeah. If you see us or if you want to give us a message, just reach out on Twitter, dm, stuff like that. We would love to meet up and maybe do an interview and just. I think that's gonna be really cool. I can't believe we're leaving so soon.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yes. Jenna teased, you know her supporting her cancer journey. Mike teased London. If anybody has any advice for somebody that has two kids, because two kids is just a lot of kids. Any advice, you can drop that in the comments below. Wife and I are, we're laboring over you. We are struggling. We are. We're just surviving.

[C]

I would say survive in advance. Just have a third.

[B]

Two is so many kids.

[A]

Wait, what is the gym gap again? Like, what's it like having, having kids?

[B]

It's like you're drowning and then somebody gives you another baby.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

I gotta go upstairs and help.

[A]

Yeah, okay. I know Mike has to go too. Check out the Buffalo plus store. BuffaloPlus store.com for all your bills or Buffalo Bill Buffalo plus merch. Yikes. Please be sure to like comment and subscribe. Share with a friend if you enjoy our stuff. For Mike and Dan, I'm Jenna. Thanks for joining us here on the Buffalo plus channel, presented by Connors and Ferris. Thank you.

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