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Week 16: Bills vs. Dolphins
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Sunday, Dec. 23rd
1:00pm ET
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The Bills wrap up the season with back to back divisional battles. This week they play their last road game of the season in Sunny Florida against the Dolphins. A loss by the Bills will leave them stuck in the basement for at least another week.
FACTS AND FIGURES
| Matchup: |
Buffalo (5-9) vs. Miami (6-8) |
| Place: |
Sun Life Stadium |
| TV/Radio: |
Network: CBS; DirecTV: 713; Sirius: 117 |
| Announcers: |
Don Criqui and Randy Cross |
| Spread: |
Dolphins by 4½ |
| Series: |
Dolphins lead 55-37-1 (Bills 3-1 in playoffs) |
| Streak: |
Bills Won 1 |
| Last Meeting: |
Bills 19-14 in Buffalo (2012) |
| Dolphins Offense: |
Rush (16th); Pass (23rd); overall (27th) |
| Dolphins Defense: |
Rush (8th); Pass (26th); overall (17th) |
| Bills Offense: |
Rush (6th); Pass (25th); overall (20th) |
| Bills Defense: |
Rush (30th); Pass (15th); overall (24th) |
INJURY UPDATE
The Bills will be without Arthur Moats and Marcus Easley. Moats injured his ankle against Seattle and has been placed on injured reserve. Easley hurt his hamstring in the loss to the Seahawks. Eric Wood has a good chance at returning, he has missed two games with a partially torn MCL. Leodis McKelvin will likely sit with an ongoing groin injury.
The Dolphins lost TE Charles Clay and RB Daniel Thomas for the last two games as they have been placed on injured reserve this week. WR Davone Bess is slowed with a back injury that is causing him to miss practice and last week's game. CB Nolan Carroll is slowed with a knee problem while LB Koa Misi has missed practice time with an ankle injury.
Check out our  Bills Daily Injury Page throughout the week for the latest updates on the injured players.
KEY MATCHUPS
RB C.J. Spiller vs. MLB Karlos Dansby:
Spiller should get the ball early and often if Gailey gets off his stubborn ways of going anywhere else. Dansby leads the Dolphins with 111 tackles.
DE Mario Williams vs. RT Jonathan Martin:
Williams had one sack in the first meeting with the rookie right tackle who has started every game for Miami this year. He needs to be dominant in this one for the defense to bounce back from last week's pathetic effort.
WR Stevie Johnson vs. CB Richard Marshall:
Johnson has been playing well as of late and his goal for the rest of the year is to get his third straight 1000 yard receiving season. He is 109 yards away from that and could get it this week against the seven year pro in his first season in Miami.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Show Some Fight: The Bills didn't show up in Toronto and appear on the surface to have packed it in for the season. They need to come out ready to play and show that they have the character to fight until the end.
2. Play The Gaps: The defense got destroyed last week because they didn't stay in their gaps. They need to show containment and discipline to keep Miami from running wild.
3. Red Zone Efficiency: It's pretty simple the Bills need to put the ball in the end zone when they are down there and need to stop Miami from getting seven when they drive inside the 20. These are two areas the Bills have struggled and two reasons why they aren't going anywhere this year.
BILLS DAILY PREDICTION
The Bills appeared to quit last week in Toronto and they are just playing for pride and trying to make some progress before the season is over. I don't think that is possible as this team seems too damaged as the season winds down:
Dolphins 16, Bills 10
Season Prediction Record: (9-5)
Season Record Against The Spread: (7-7)
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