Once again we'll be featuring our Game Day Tipsheet every Friday, which will include everything you'll want to know, some things you may not have known and probably a few things you didn't care to know, but find interesting anyway.
Top 3 Individual Matchups
1. Jason Peters vs. Jason Taylor- The perennial Pro Bowl defensive end is one of Peters' stiffer challenges each season. Knowing Peters doesn't get much help from the tight ends and backs in pass protection this is as close to a one-on-one matchup as it gets between a premier pass rusher and a left tackle.
2. Lee Evans vs. Michael Lehan - The Bills top wideout is just hitting his stride and faces a cornerback that is clearly overmatched and will need safety help over the top for most if not all of the game. In six games against Miami, Evans averages 21.6 yards per catch (19-406 yds) and has six touchdowns.
3. Kyle Williams vs. Samson Satele - Two players that are wise beyond their years on the interior. Satele has held his own as a rookie, but Williams has a knack for slipping through creases and getting penetration into the backfield. A battle that will suit the fan that likes the trench matchups.
Top 2 Bills Advantages
1. Good advantage - Kick return - The Dolphins are dead last in kickoff coverage allowing a league worst opponent's drive start of the 33 and a half yard line. In their last three games Miami has surrendered a drive start at midfield or in their own territory eight times. Buffalo has the eighth-ranked kickoff return unit in the league and Terrence McGee's longest career kick return (108 yards) happened in Miami (2004).
2. Best advantage - Red zone offense - The Bills aren't exactly lighting it up in the red zone, but they rarely turn the ball over and they're facing one of the worst red zone defenses in the league. Miami stands last in the AFC and 31st in the league when it comes to keeping opponents out of the end zone once they crack the Dolphins' 20-yard line. Miami is letting opponents score seven almost 68 percent of the time.
Bills number one must
Third down conversions - Buffalo is coming off a game in which they set a season high in third down conversion percentage (8-13, 62%) thanks in part to a steady rushing attack. Miami hasn't had success stopping the run (31st) and they're even worse at getting off the field on third down (32nd) allowing opponents to convert an astounding 50 percent of their opportunities. The Bills should be able to move the chains successfully, which should again cater to an advantage in time of possession greatly increasing the likelihood for a victory.
Scouting Eye
Big play players gone - The Dolphins offense had enough trouble from the outset creating big plays, but with feature back Ronnie Brown lost for the season with a torn ACL, top wide receiver Chris Chambers traded to San Diego and starting quarterback Trent Green also on injured reserve the players responsible for 10 of Miami's 19 big plays on offense this season (52%) are no longer on the roster.
Slow out of the gate - The Dolphins offense has faced several challenges this season, but one of the biggest has been their inability to get an early lead. Miami has managed to score just 16 points in the first quarter this season. That averages out to two points per game in the first quarter. Even the Bills who up until last week were the lowest scoring team in the AFC had more than twice as many points scored than the Dolphins in the first quarter (34). It's a problem that stretches all the way back to last season for Miami. They've scored just one first quarter touchdown in their last 12 games.
Running quarterback - Cleo Lemon is a mobile quarterback that can take off and run. Though he has only run with the ball 12 times in four appearances and three starts, three of his rushes have gone for touchdowns in the red zone accounting for one-third of Miami's scores on the ground this season.
No takeaways - The past few years the Dolphins have come to lean on their defense and in several instances they've come through with a big third down stop, a sack or a takeaway. But the takeaways have been few and far between this season. In fact the Dolphins are last in the league in interceptions (4) and last in the league in total takeaways with just eight in eight games. Not surprisingly, Miami has lost the last seven games in which they haven't held the takeaway-giveaway advantage.
Relying on tight ends - With the Dolphins passing game struggling Cleo Lemon has come to rely on his tight ends heavily for high percentage completions. With Ronnie Brown lost for the year and Chris Chambers traded, two of the three remaining leading receivers are tight ends Justin Peelle and David Martin. They're also popular targets in the red zone. The pair have combined for 32 receptions for 204 yards and four touchdowns.
Carbon copy defense - Shockingly the Miami defense, which has been the team's rock has faltered this season. Part of the problem has been the shuffling of personnel as the team has started eight different lineups in the first eight games. But Buffalo has had similar issues on defense and persevered. The Dolphins defense looks like a carbon copy of Cincinnati's being unable to stop the run (ranked 31st), incapable of getting off the field on third down (ranked last) and giving up a ton of points in the process. In fact Miami and Cincinnati have surrendered exactly the same number of points (244) over the first half of the season to lead the league in that category.
Buffalo Chips
Quote of the week - "We have a group of guys who are selfless and will do whatever needs to be done for the team. I think that's a testament to the type of players that they've been bringing in the past couple of years. It's really been paying off for us especially this season."
--LB Coy Wire
Stat of the week
Buffalo has won five of the last six against Miami and held the Dolphins to the fewest total points for a season series in team history last year allowing just six.
Milestones in reach
Marshawn Lynch needs eight rushing yards to pass O.J. Simpson on the team's rookie rushing yards list.
With a 100-yard receiving day Lee Evans will tie a team record with three straight 100-yard receiving games. He would join Elbert Dubenion (1964), Andre Reed (1989) and Eric Moulds (2000) in achieving that feat.
Terrence McGee needs one kick return for a touchdown to tie the NFL record for most career kickoff return touchdowns with six.
Final note
J.P. Losman's career stats against the Dolphins are 37-63 (58.7%) for 507 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception and a 115 passer rating. He has thrown more touchdowns against the Dolphins than any other opponent.
