Dolphins vs Bills this Thursday

[Jim Gray]

I got a bad feeling.

- Miami coming off a terrible showing at home
- Buffalo was 1 play away from beating the Pats on the road
- Night game at an away stadium to a nationally televised audience

Like some others, I think Buffalo a better team than they are given credit for

Miami - 13
Buffalo - 24
 

[BigDaddyFin]

I have an even worse feeling.

Short practice week
Another third tier team where you only need to stop 1 player.
Our Secondary can't cover a high school team.
Fitzpatrick is good enough to exploit that weakness.

[Pappy13]

I have just the opposite feeling. I think Miami was embarrassed and will respond with a strong performance. The short week actually works in their favor as no one really was banged up in the Tennessee game and Miami should be fresher than Buffalo that had to actually play 4 QTR's of football. I don't think Miami really played 1.

[fyo]

I might have thrown something at my TV last Sunday, had I not been sick to my stomach from the pathetic effort put forth by the Dolphins.

I really have no idea what to expect tonight against the Bills.

The one thing that I was most encouraged by this season was that our defense was no longer allowing passes to WIDE FREAKING OPEN receivers. You know, those throws to receivers where there isn't even an aqua player in the shot. Other teams have maybe one or two of those a game, we've been giving them up once a drive, particularly against no-huddle.

Until the Colts game, that blundering pass D was gone from Miami. Now it's been all we've seen two weeks straight and I can't help but wonder if that's what we can expect from here on out. If so, we are screwed. Against the Bills, against the Seahawks... hell, a Henne-powered Jacksonville offense could rip us to shreds.

[MikeO]

In the NFL you usually don't see teams put out pathetic efforts in back to back weeks.Usually! I think Miami will come out tonight and play well and put out a great effort Will they win? Different story. But I think they will play hard at the very least.

[bsfins]

I think the defense is going to play like a bunch of wild crazy dogs tonight....

Dolphins win 23-20

If you're going to the Game please post some pictures!

[EKnight]

The one thing that I was most encouraged by this season was that our defense was no longer allowing passes to WIDE FREAKING OPEN receivers. You know, those throws to receivers where there isn't even an aqua player in the shot. Other teams have maybe one or two of those a game, we've been giving them up once a drive, particularly against no-huddle.

Until the Colts game, that blundering pass D was gone from Miami. Now it's been all we've seen two weeks straight and I can't help but wonder if that's what we can expect from here on out. If so, we are screwed. Against the Bills, against the Seahawks... hell, a Henne-powered Jacksonville offense could rip us to shreds.

What games have you been watching? That pass D gave up 300+ yards to Sanchez, Kolb, and Bradford- who have averaged less than 200 ypg against the rest of the league between them. Miami's secondary has stunk all year! -EK

[fyo]

What games have you been watching?

All of them.

Lots of teams / defenses give up a lot of yards. However, one thing *specifically* has bothered me about the Dolphins pass D for years now: Giving up passes to WIDE OPEN receivers. Yeah, Sanchez and others still threw for a lot of yards, but -- as you well know -- yards aren't everything. Sanchez threw the ball a billion times (well, okay, 54 times), which is BELOW his average. So I actually think the pass D was pretty decent that game.

However, you are right that the D is still giving up a lot of yards. Too many yards. BUT, and this is the point, until the Colts game, the completions were almost always to players who were covered in some way. There weren't a lot of those 15-30 yard throws with absolutely NO ONE around the receiver.

[MikeO]

The Dolphins are 8th in scoring defense thus far. They have been very good. Top 5 against the run. Much like last year, they are SOOOO GOOD against the run that many teams don't even attempt to run the ball much vs the Fins and will throw more because it's the only shot they have to move the ball. Making the pass defense stats inflated. Not to mention heading into the Tenn game PFF had the Fins defense Ranked #1 overall in the league (they use some different way to figure there rankings out based on where opposing teams start drives based on a few other factors that go deep inside the stat sheet and games.) Like if a fumble gives the opponent the ball on the 10 yard line they don't punish the defense heavily for giving up points there. They have their own way of ranking this stuff.

Even in the Indy game, yes Luck got lots of yards but they only gave up 23 friggin points! The defense did bend but it sure as hell didn't break!!

The Dolphins defense isn't perfect but it ain't f'n bad either!

[MikeO]

What games have you been watching?

The ones YOU SAY you aren't watching

I've caught roughly half of the Phins games,

[EKnight]

All of them.

Lots of teams / defenses give up a lot of yards. However, one thing *specifically* has bothered me about the Dolphins pass D for years now: Giving up passes to WIDE OPEN receivers. Yeah, Sanchez and others still threw for a lot of yards, but -- as you well know -- yards aren't everything. Sanchez threw the ball a billion times (well, okay, 54 times), which is BELOW his average. So I actually think the pass D was pretty decent that game.

However, you are right that the D is still giving up a lot of yards. Too many yards. BUT, and this is the point, until the Colts game, the completions were almost always to players who were covered in some way. There weren't a lot of those 15-30 yard throws with absolutely NO ONE around the receiver.

Holmes was like five yards ahead of the defender on the 38 yard OT pass vs. the Jets. I get what you're saying though, but if QBs are able to just rack up yards and move the ball against Miami more or less at will, that's an issue, whether they're 5 yards open or 1 yard open. I do see what you're saying though- I guess I misinterpreted your post. -EK

[CF DolFan]

Inside of the division one can pretty much throw out statistics. These games are almost always up fr grabs.

I got a bad feeling.

- Miami coming off a terrible showing at home
- Buffalo was 1 play away from beating the Pats on the road
- Night game at an away stadium to a nationally televised audience

Like some others, I think Buffalo a better team than they are given credit for

Miami - 13
Buffalo - 24
 

It's kind of funny but I think we will play well based on two of the reasons you said that we wouldn't.  I think motives and morale play a huge part of how much people get out of themselves. On a short week it's hard to emotionally get recharged but when you get your butt kicked it doesn't take much to get focused.


Just for giggles i will predict the opposite.
Miami 24
Buffalo 13