ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins related his team's third meeting with the Miami Dolphins this season, this time as a playoff game in Orchard Park, to a third date.
By then, Dawkins said, you know if your date is ordering a 'lemon drop' or a 'Shirley Temple.'
The Bills know exactly who the Dolphins are, and vice versa, heading into Sunday's game, except for a new quarterback. With Miami's starter Tua Tagovailoa out for the game in concussion protocol, and backup Teddy Bridgewater unable to prepare to start with a finger injury, the Dolphins will rely on rookie Skylar Thompson under center.
"It was electric last time we were there. And I expect nothing less now," Thompson said about Highmark Stadium in the Bills' Week 15, 32-29 win over the Dolphins.
"It's gonna be rocking. I know that it was last time and they have a great fan base. That's a great atmosphere can tell they feed off of that and it'd be a great challenge for us."
When Thompson spoke to the media ahead of his first NFL postseason game, he acknowledged that the stadium could be even louder on Sunday if Bills safety Damar Hamlin is in the building, just 13 days after he suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated on the field in Buffalo's Week 17 game at Cincinnati, which was ultimately canceled when Hamlin was taken in an ambulance to a local hospital.
Hamlin visited the team at One Bills Drive on Saturday for the first time since that Monday Night Football game.
"I can tell you that this team is happy for Damar and happy for his progress, elated," Bills center Mitch Morse said. "But we're focused on the task at hand, which we know is no small feat. This is a very dangerous team coming in here, both sides of the football. It really doesn't matter who is at the helm of quarterback for them. They have playmakers on the defense that can really carry this team."
Thompson will counter Bills quarterback Josh Allen after the AFC East rivals split their regular season games, with the Dolphins winning, 21-19, in Week 3. Now, their seasons are on the line, with Buffalo heading into the game as a 13.5-point favorite.
"It's a one-week season from here on out. It's win or go home. We understand that" Allen said heading into his seventh-career playoff game. "Come Sunday, the only thing that matters is scoring more points than the other team."
When the Bills opened up the postseason in the AFC Wild Card round against another division rival, New England, last January, Allen, and the offense scored a touchdown on every drive, walloping the Patriots 47-17.
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