Report: Key Buffalo Bills defenders ruled out for Week 3 matchup vs. Miami Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills reportedly will be without two key defenders for their Week 3 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott ruled out safety Micah Hyde and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips for the AFC East battle.

While injures are never something to celebrate, the report offers a good sign for Miami. Buffalo has dominated its first two opponents this season, so having any key players out gives the Dolphins a better chance at pulling off an upset.

The Bills could also be without their other starting safety, Jordan Poyer, who is dealing with a foot injury.

Hyde, who has been a starter at safety for Buffalo since the 2017 season, has seven tackles in the first two games of the 2022 campaign. The loss of Hyde certainly will help the Dolphins’ passing game that is led by Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill.

Phillips has started one of the first two games for the Bills this season, picking up six tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Bills should be able to get pressure off the edge with star linebacker Von Miller, but losing Phillips certainly hurts the interior of their defensive line.

Both the Bills and Dolphins enter this Week 3 matchup with perfect 2-0 records. The Dolphins orchestrated a wild comeback in Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens, as Hill and Tagovailoa hooked up for a pair of long touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to erase a huge deficit.

Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards in the game, and while it will be hard to match that number, he may be able to take advantage of Buffalo’s secondary with Hyde out.

As for the Bills, they blew out both the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans in their first two games. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs hooked up for three scores in the team’s Week 2 win against Tennessee, and the Bills look like one of the best teams in football so far this season.

The Dolphins would love to pull off a Week 3 upset and get a leg up in the division race. Last season, the Bills won the AFC East while Miami finished in third in the division and came up short of a playoff spot.