Dolphins at Bills: 5 Things To Watch
The Miami Dolphins picked up a surprising win last week, dominating the New England Patriots in the 2nd half beating them 33-20. However, another division rival is right around the corner. The Buffalo Bills beat the Chicago Bears 23-20 in overtime, shocking many as well. Here are five things you should look for on Sunday:
Ryan Tannehill’s Accuracy
Ryan Tannehill’s accuracy was off last week, to say the least. From under throwing and over throwing his targets to throwing behind them, Tannehill’s performance wasn’t a good one against the Patriots. He needs to play well against a Bills team who is weak at linebacker and a solid secondary, but one with holes in it. Tannehill has only recorded one victory against the Bills in four tries, so his accuracy should play a factor on Sunday.
Charles Clay’s Targets
Charles Clay was a non factor against the Patriots, recording 2 catches for 27 yards and a drop. Bill Belichick is a master of taking away your best options on offense. Charles Clay’s knee injury may have hampered him plenty as well. Charles Clay should see a lot more receptions this week against a Bills team with injuries at linebacker.
Ja’Wuan James
Ja’Wuan James, along with the rest of the offensive line played fantastically against the Patriots. They gave up only one sack and allowed new RB Knowshon Moreno to run wild for 134 yards and a touchdown. This week, is a totally different monster as Buffalo’s defensive line is vastly superior to New England’s. We all can anticipate that the Bills will try to rattle the young offensive linemen by throwing 3x Pro Bowler DE Mario Williams at him. James performance could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Running Game
The running game thrived on Sunday as the Dolphins ran for 191 yards and a touchdown against the Patriots. Moreno, as we all know, had the bulk of those yards running for 134 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Miller, aside from his fumble, turned in a decent performance as well, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Let’s see if this duo can do it again. All eyes are on the two RB’s to see if they can run the ball effectively against a physical defensive line.
Linebackers(Dolphins and Bills)
Both teams are suffering at the linebacker position. Koa Misi, Keith Rivers, Dannelle Ellerbe, and Kiko Alonso are the list of linebackers who won’t be playing on Sunday. Both teams are seeking any semblance of consistency from this unit. Who knows, this game may come down to which team can overcome its linebacker injuries.