Dolphins prepare for Josh Allen, believe they can get the ball out: ‘He just kind of hangs it out there like a loaf of bread’

MIAMI GARDENS — What’s scarier than the thought that the Miami Dolphins, with the season hanging on by a thread, need a win against a team they lost to, 31-10, 52 days earlier — not to mention have lost against in 12 of their last 13 meetings?

It’s that the Buffalo Bills won by three touchdowns earlier this season with star quarterback Josh Allen barely having to do anything.

In that three-touchdown decision, which started the current Dolphins run of five losses in the past six games, Allen merely went 13 of 19 for 139 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t run much, either (two carries for 2 yards), as running back James Cook scored twice and the Bills defense took back a pick-six.

The Dolphins (2-5) know to expect a full dose of Allen on Sunday in Orchard Park when they meet the Bills (6-2), their hated division rival for the second time in 2024.

“You say this about so many of these guys in today’s game where they can beat you both from in the pocket and with their feet,” Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said Thursday of defending the dual-threat quarterback who has owned the Dolphins over the years before Weaver’s arrival. “And he’s a guy that he doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses in his game, so just a tremendous amount of respect for him. They’ve had the success they’ve had there in recent years for a reason and he’s a big part of that.”

“He’s a beast. He truly is,” said Dolphins linebackers coach Joe Barry, who was previously defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers. “When you got a guy like that in your division that you have to deal with twice a year, hell of a player, hell of a talent.

“And what makes him so unique and special is that he can drop back and rip it but then, also — I’m not talking about quarterback design runs — I’m talking about, when things break down, you got a 6-foot-5, 240-pound running back back there who will take off and run the ball.”

Even as Allen, this offseason, lost his top target of the past several seasons, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, 2024 may present the best version of the 28-year-old Allen. He has thrown 14 touchdowns to just one interception. He’s completing 64.1 percent of passes for 1,766 yards in eight games. Rushing, he has 204 yards and three touchdowns this season.

“From a defensive line standpoint, you don’t want him scrambling to beat you,” veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “He can throw the ball very well, but he’s incredible with his legs.”

Many of his passing stats come as a byproduct of extending plays with his feet and staying behind the line of scrimmage to throw while outside the pocket.

Keep in mind the Dolphins, who could again be without defensive tackle Zach Sieler, just had their struggles with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in last Sunday’s heartbreaking 28-27 loss, in which Murray escaped several would-be sacks to complete downfield passes. Allen is tough to bring down in a different way from the elusive 5-foot-10 shifty Murray.

“Different, but still the same in terms of how you have to attack him,” Weaver said. “You have to make sure you attack the high shoulder. Now he doesn’t really care where he escapes to, whereas Kyler, we had an idea and we allowed him to get out of the back of the pocket which we didn’t want to happen.”

Allen has been known to turn the ball over in his career. While he is limiting turnovers in the form of interceptions this season, Weaver still points out that the Buffalo quarterback can still be loose with the ball while holding it.

“The one thing about Josh is he gives you a chance to get the ball because he is so strong,” Weaver said. “He reminds me a little bit of Steve McNair, Ben Roethlisberger back there where, when you get there, you have to make sure, not only try to tackle him, but you almost have equally as good of a chance as tackling the ball because he just kind of hangs it out there like a loaf of bread.

“So I think the biggest thing is to throttle down — first thing — let’s make sure we’re securing and try to get the sack and then try to attack the ball in doing so.”

Allen has fumbled five times this season.

“He’s turned the ball over a lot in his career,” Campbell said, “but he’s also made a lot of big-time plays. It’s kind of like you just take a little bit of bad with all the good that comes in with it. It’s something that we have to be cognizant of.

“He’s such a big guy, tough tackle. It’s almost easier to tackle the ball, but at the same time, guys going for the ball, they can miss a lot of tackles, too.”

Campbell highlighted that the Miami pass rushers have to work in unison to stay in their lane, keep Allen in the pocket and then get him down.

As far as Allen’s receiving options, the Bills recently added wide receiver Amari Cooper via trade with the Cleveland Browns. He has opened things up for rookie Keon Coleman to excel of late. Buffalo also has wide receiver Khalil Shakir, tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox and Cook out of the backfield to monitor as pass-catching threats.

For his career, Allen is 11-2 in the regular season against Miami with 34 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also eliminated the Dolphins in a wild-card playoff game in the 2022 season.