Week 7: Buffalo Bills (2-4) @ Miami Dolphins (3-2)

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

After an overtime loss at home to the Bengals, the Bills prepare to head south to play divisional rival Miami. The Bills are now faced with another injury at quarterback as practice squad call-up Thad Lewis was in a boot following the loss. In steps Matt Flynn who has been beaten out in the last two jobs where he was set to start. The Bills are still expecting Lewis to make the start and Flynn is merely an insurance policy.

Thad Lewis struggled in the first half versus the Bengals but lead his team back from a two touchdown deficit in the second half to take the game into overtime. Overtime proved a disappointment as miscues on special teams cost the Bills dearly.

Looking towards Miami this new staff will look to prove they are different than previous regimes and that they can actually win in the division. The Bills are 22-44 in the AFC East since conference realignment in 2002. Greg Williams was, in his last two seasons, 4-8 and Mike Mularky went 5-7 in his two seasons. Dick Jauron 8-13 in his three and half seasons after a 7-5 start while his replacement, Perry Fewell, finished the season 1-2 in his interim. Last and least Chan Gaily won a measly four games in the division during his tenure finishing 4-14. The Doug Marrone era is not starting off much better with losses to New England and New York. The Bills need to win in the division at some point, right?

The Bills offense is going to struggle. It is expected. They need to find ways to get the ball into the hands of Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller in space. Fred Jackson needs to try to be the every down back and get the tough yards while CJ can spell him and try to break off the big one. Other ways to give CJ the ball include screen passes which it seems the Marrone staff has taken a complete one-eighty from the Gailey staff which ran screens at least once a drive if not once a series.

The Bills defense continues to be stout and keeps this team in games it should not be in. They play tough, hard and to the very last whistleis blown. The only real problem facing the Bills are the big plays on third (and fourth) and long. Normally when a good defense has fifteen yards to work with, they make the stop, but not Buffalo. Three yards, they make the stop, but fifteen and they just seem lost. Mike Pettine seems to take his foot off the pedal when the opponent is backed into a corner rather than going for the kill.

The real issue for this team is special teams. Punter Brian Moorman is giving the coverage team more hangtime but even with the extra hangtime the Bills coverage team is undisciplined in their coverage giving up huge holes for the returner to get yardage.

As with every game Buffalo played this year, they will be in it well into the fourth quarter but I suspect they come up short ending any outside hope of a playoff birth. With all that said Go Bills!

[Marino]

If the Dolphins even want to give fake hope to their fans this year, they must win this game.

[Phinsfan54zt]

Im taking my phins 27-21. I think C.J. Spiller will have a big day, and hopefully the Dolphins will do enough too win the game. If Mario Williams gets 3 sacks the Dolphins lose. Hopefully Joe Philbin joined this century during the bye week and decides to run the ball this week. Either way I'm excited and I also think Thad Lewis will surprise people with how good he is. He better keep the ball away from Brent Grimes though.

GO PHINS!

[KingV2k3]

Bills v. Dolphins is (almost) ALWAYS a good time...



I have no idea who's going to win, but like nearly every Bills game this season, I'd expect it to be close for the full 60...

I also think (hope) Lewis is going to be even more fun to watch this week...

He appears to be capable of developing quite quickly...

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

Writing that OP made me sad; just seeing how that pathetic futility in the division. Forget the playoff drought, but just being that bad in the division. I do think Buffalo has been the best 4th place team in the AFC over that span though.

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

Go Bills. Pick six for some rookie LB who I never heard of.

[Kaiser Wilhelm]

Well, Fred Jackson is out for season...again. I say good career for an undrafted player.

[muggins]

Oh my goddamn this feels good to finally win a close game. Mario Williams gets the game ball. So happy right now

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