Dolphins can’t contain Diggs (3 TDs), Allen (4 TDs) or the Bills’ offense

The Miami Dolphins knew their Week 4 matchup against the Buffalo Bills was going to be the first major test they would face. What they didn’t know was just how much of a wake-up call it would prove to be for their defense. After a 48-20 loss on the road at Highmark Stadium, the alarm sounded loud and clear.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen was 21 for 25 for 320 yards and four touchdowns and led the Bills offense to 414 yards of total offense.

“We knew that they were super explosive on offense where they have a lot of playmakers able to make plays and put up points and defensively they were able to make stops and not let the offense score,” Dolphins safety Brandon Jones, who made his first start at safety since last season, said. “We had a good idea of what to expect and I think we just have to do a better job of executing.”

Allen’s top target was wideout Stefon Diggs who had six catches for 120 yards and turned Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou’s day into a long one because of that.

“That’s not the type of game I want to play, so I feel like I could’ve been a whole lot better technique-wise,” Kohou said. “He’s a good receiver nonetheless, but I could’ve been better technique-wise.”

Along with the tough battle against Diggs, Kohou also committed a pair of penalties that eventually led to Bills touchdowns. An unnecessary roughness penalty for a late hit in the first quarter turned into a Gabe Davis touchdown that gave Buffalo a 7-0 lead.

“Just like when you have good games you can’t let it get to your head, so I won’t let a bad one get to my head,” Kohou said. “It was a bad game for sure, but still got, what, 13 more? If I let this game dictate my season, I’m going to have a terrible season so I can’t look at it like that.”

A questionable pass interference call on a play against Diggs went for 43 yards and led to the Bills go-ahead touchdown five plays later on an 11-yard pass to Diggs that made it 21-14.

“I’m not trying to get fined,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “I did not like an explosive play, penalty or not, that part I can speak on. But besides that, it’s inconsequential. You don’t put it in the official’s hands, regardless of how I feel.”

The defensive struggles weren’t helped by the offense’s frustrating second half under pressure by Buffalo. After scoring a touchdown in the opening possession of the second half, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted and gave the Bills a short field that led to Diggs’ second touchdown of the game. The offense then turned it over on downs on their next possession and gave the Bills the ball at the Dolphins 45. Two plays later, Allen ran for an 11-yard touchdown to provide the final score.

A brutal loss to a division rival could be the kind that stuns a room. The Dolphins viewed it much differently, particularly a week removed from their historic 70-20 drubbing of Denver.

“It’s good that this happened early,” Jones said. “It’s definitely a humbling experience. I think it was kind of needed for this team to hit adversity and to know that adversity’s going to happen at all times. I’m just kind of glad it happened early in the season.”

Anything learned and applied might go a long way when the stakes might be much higher when they meet again in Miami on Jan. 7.