Miami Dolphins

Bills at Dolphins: 3 things we learned

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Miami Dolphins defeated their AFC East rival Buffalo Bills, 28-25 in Week 7. Here are the three biggest takeaways from this AFC East rivalry game.

In an AFC East rivalry game, the Miami Dolphins were able to protect their house at Hard Rock Stadium by sinking the Bills, 28-25. A late touchdown from wideout Kenny Stills was the difference in this tight ball game.

Miami improves to 3-4 on the season. Buffalo stumbles to 4-3. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Dolphins’ upset victory at home over the rival Bills.

1. The Bills are good?…Maybe not.

The Bills are 4-3 on the season, but are we sure they are a good football team? Their three losses on the year have come three sub-.500 teams: the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets, and now the Dolphins.

Buffalo’s four wins have some bite to them on paper, but a lot of them are really smoke and mirrors. They had to beat the Arizona Cardinals for head coach Rex Ryan to keep his job. Arizona stunk in the first quarter of the season, but have since righted the ship, maybe?

The New England Patriots were shut out by the Bills in Week 4 because they had to start third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The Los Angeles Rams are 3-4 and the San Francisco 49ers were 1-5 entering Week 7. Buffalo might just be average.

2. Jay Ajayi is here to stay.

When people said that the Dolphins couldn’t run the football, well, Jay Ajayi had yet to hit his mid-season stride. He has rushed for over 200 yards in the Dolphins’ last two games, both victories for Miami over teams that were 4-2.

This newfound rushing attack for the Dolphins take a ton of pressure of failing franchise quarterback Ryan Tannehill. It also allows the Dolphins to dictate the pace of a ball game. That means they can ground-and-pound on offense and force its opponents to pass when on defense.

Miami has a great pass rush that is looking better with the play of Ajayi. Is he 2002 Ricky Williams? Maybe he could be? For now, Ajayi might be the best running back in the AFC entering Week 8. He is on fire!

3. Jarvis Landry will pop you in the mouth.

Jarvis Landry is best known as the Dolphins’ No. 1 wide receiver. He’s only as good as Tannehill allows him to be in the Miami offense. That means Landry has to figure out new and creative ways to stand out in the now run-heavy Miami offense.

On a sweep to the left the Bills’ red zone, Landry came out and popped Bills defensive back Aaron Williams right in the mouth on a sensational block. If the Dolphins are going to commit to the run with Ajayi, Landry is showing his value as an impressive run blocker.

Once the Dolphins begin getting a reputation as a run-first team, that will open up the passing lanes for Tannehill to connect with Landry. For now, Landry seems totally cool with setting the tone in the running game for the Dolphins. That hit was powerful!