Miami

Miami Dolphins defense must limit Stefon Diggs, Josh Allen


MIAMI GARDENS – You don’t know whether Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was being serious or utilizing gamesmanship. Fangio was asked if the Dolphins might shadow a wide receiver with a cornerback, such as the Dolphins did last year with Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard on Stefon Diggs, Buffalo’s Pro Bowl wide receiver.

“I don’t think with our team right now it’s something that we would do,” Fangio said. “But it could be down the line.”

When the Dolphins (3-0) visit Buffalo (2-1) in Sunday’s AFC East showdown, they’ll have decisions to make about whether to shadow Diggs and whether to put a “spy,” a player who shadows his every move, on Bills Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen.

The priority is Allen, who crushes the Dolphins when he plays at home.

In six games against the Dolphins at Highmark Stadium, Allen is 128 of 198 passing (64.6%) for 1,555 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has 37 carries for 282 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 7.6 yards per carry.

“He’s a handful to play against,” Fangio said. “I don’t think there’s any one way to play him. That’s kind of the definition of a great quarterback. There is no one way to play him or everybody would do it.

“And he’s tough to handle and (because) you’ve always got to defend two plays — the play they call in the huddle and the play he can create on the run. And they utilize the  (run-pass option) game, too, which he’s good at. So he’s a tough assignment.”



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