Ed Oliver
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Tua Tagovailoa will not have to contend with Ed Oliver on Thursday night.
The Miami Dolphins may get a break in their AFC East showdown against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.
The Bills announced they would not have key defensive players Ed Oliver and Matt Milano for the game against the Dolphins at Highmark Stadium.
The Dolphins (0-2) are averaging 17.5 points per game through their two losses and rank 25th in the league in total offense (284.5). Plus, they will be up against the high-octane Buffalo offense, which is averaging 35 points per game and have 900 yards over its 2-0 start.
The Dolphins have not started 0-3 since 2019 but also have not beaten the Bills in Western New York since Christmas Eve 2016.
How Will The Bills’ Defensive Injuries Help The Dolphins?
Oliver and Milano are two of the Bills’ most important defender, and each has had a hand in their 2-0 start.
Those watching Buffalo’s Week 1, 41-40 win over the Baltimore Ravens will surely recall Oliver’s forced fumble on Ravens running back Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter. That turnover led to a short field, with resulted in a short touchdown drive, and ultimately enabled Buffalo to rally from down 13 with less than five minutes left.
Yet, Oliver has done so much more this year than just force the fumble — even though he was sidelined for the Bills’ 30-10 win over the New York Jets with the same ankle injury that will sideline him against Miami.
According to Pro-Football Focus, Oliver ranks first in the NFL among interior defensive linemen in both overall grade (92.1) and run-stopping grade (92.7). Considering the Dolphins are averaging only 67.5 rushing-yards per game, which ranks 29th in the NFL — and had just 61 yards in their 33-27 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday — that is a big boost.
Milano has nine tackles, one for loss, and one sack while playing in each of Buffalo’s games. He will miss the game against the Dolphins with a pectoral injury.
Milano has been one of the lowest-graded NFL linebackers at defending the run, per PFF, but he has been one of the best at stopping the pass. Milano ranks 22nd among 111 qualifying linebackers in pass-defense grade (66.7) through two games.
Since Tua Tagvailoa is coming off his best game since 2025 — he went 26 for 32 for 315 passing yards and two touchdowns — that could open things up for the Dolphins’ intermediate passing game to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Are The Dolphins Playing For Mike McDaniel’s Job?
The Dolphins put up 27 points in their loss to the Patriots, yet their defense has been a catastrophe through two weeks. Miami has given up 33 points in consecutive weeks.
That has started the whispers about McDaniel’s job, since the fourth-year head coach is just 8-14 in his past 22 games as Miami coach.
Though the Dolphins defense has allowed the second-most points in the NFL, McDaniel was hired to coach offense, and that side of the ball hasn’t been much better over the past two seasons.
The Dolphins are averaging exactly 20 points per game over their past 19 games, a far cry from 2023 where they put up the second-most points in football.
So with the mini-bye coming up after Week 3 — especially since Miami will play on Monday Night Football against the Jets in Week 4 — McDaniel could be out if the Dolphins lose in Western New York, especially if the Bills embarrass them.