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Week 11: Bills vs. Dolphins
at
Sunday, Nov. 20th
1:00pm ET
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The Bills head to Miami a wounded bunch looking to get back on track after two lopsided losses in a row. Miami is only 2-7 but those wins have come the past two games. They are playing with a lot of confidence while the Bills are banged up and maybe questioning their great start. That makes this division matchup a very tough battle in the making.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Matchup: |
Buffalo (5-4) vs. Miami (2-7) |
Place: |
Sun Life Stadium |
TV/Radio: |
Network: CBS; DirecTV: 706; Sirius: 137 |
Announcers: |
Marv Albert and Rich Gannon |
Spread: |
Dolphins by 2½ |
Series: |
Dolphins lead 53-36-1 (Bills 3-1 in playoffs) |
Streak: |
Bills Won 1 |
Last Meeting: |
Bills 17-14 in Miami (2010) |
Dolphins Offense: |
Rush (15th); Pass (25th); overall (19th) |
Dolphins Defense: |
Rush (10th); Pass (25th); overall (t-20th) |
Bills Offense: |
Rush (6th); Pass (19th); overall (14th) |
Bills Defense: |
Rush (23rd); Pass (27th); overall (29th) |
INJURY UPDATE
The Bills continue to be very banged up as Eric Wood and Chris White have been lost for the season and are on injured reserve. They will be without Rian Lindell again and may have to play without George Wilson who suffered a stinger against Dallas and Stevie Johnson who injured his shoulder very late in that game. Both players will likely come right down to game time to determine their availability. Demeterius Bell may be a week away from returning but Chris Kelsay, Chris Hairston, and Aaron Williams should be good to go. Spencer Johnson and Erik Pears missed some practice time this week as well.
The Dolphins are very healthy with just two names on the early injury report. TE Anthony Fasano is slowed by an ankle problem and CB Nolan Caroll is slowed by a hamstring injury.
Check out our Bills Daily Injury Page throughout the week for the latest updates on the injured players.
KEY MATCHUPS
LT Chris Hairston vs. LB Cameron Wake: Just think, the Bills were outbid for Wake by Miami in 2009. He has killed the Bills ever since. He leads the team with 5½ sacks and must be licking his chops to go up against the rookie Hairston on a makeshift offensive line.
C Andy Levitre vs. NT Paul Soliai: Levitre will make his second career start at center and goes against a solid pro in Soliai. If he gets a push in the middle against Levitre it could be another long day for the Buffalo offense.
CB Terrence McGee vs. WR Brandon Marshall: The Bills much maligned cornerback corps has to be ready for Marshall who is having a fantastic year for Miami. McGee will likely draw him but Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence will get their chances with him as well. Will they be up to the challenge?
LB Chris Kelsay vs. RT Marc Colombo: The Bills are happy to get Kelsay back as they hope he can add something to the anemic pass rush. This will be the battle of two long time veterans as Colombo has had a nice 10 year career.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Get Out To Quick Start: They can't afford to fall behind early or else their fragile psyche may allow things to get out of hand. A quick start can allow them to play their game and take the play to Miami.
2. Give Fitz Time To Throw: Fitzpatrick gets rid of the ball very quickly to avoid sacks but he does need time to throw to get the ball downfield. The makeshift offensive line needs to give him that time.
3. Put Pressure On Moore: The Bills have had no pass rush to speak of besides the Redskins game. They need to make things uneasy in the pocket for Matt Moore to force him into making mistakes.
BILLS DAILY PREDICTION
The Bills desperately need a win to get their playoff train back on the track. Two weeks ago this game was firmly in the win column that is not the case anymore. The Bills are an injured bunch physically and mentally. If things go wrong early it could be another long day for Buffalo. I think this team will rally around each other and put together a solid game. They are more talented than Miami and as long as play up to their capability they should be able to pull out a road win:
Bills 17, Dolphins 13
Season Prediction Record: (2-7)
Season Record Against The Spread: (3-6)
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