Dolphins (0-5) at Bills (4-1)
Bills schedule
W ..... at N.Y. Jets ..... 17-16 W ...atN.Y.Giants ...28-14 W ...... Cincinnati ...... 21-17 L .... New England .... 16-10 W .... atTennessee .... 14-7
BYE
Oct. 20 .......... Miami .......... 1 Oct. 27 .... Philadelphia .... 1 Nov. 3 ..... Washington ..... 1 Nov. 10 .... at Cleveland .... 1 Nov. 17 ....... at Miami ....... 1 Nov.24 ........ Denver ........ 1 Nov. 28 .... at Dallas .... 4:30 Dec.8 ....... Baltimore ....... 1 Dec. 15 .. at Pittsburgh .. 1 Dec. 21/22 at New Eng. TBD Dec. 29 ...... N.Y. Jets ....... 1
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, New Era Field, Orchard Park, New York TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s line: Bills by 16 ⁄2
1
Dolphins’ keys to victory: If they can keep this one close against Buffalo’s average offense, they’ll avoid having to rally by throwing against one of the NFL’s best secondaries. The Dolphins’ best bet defensively is to force QB Josh Allen to beat them with his arm. Containing him as a rusher, along with RBs Frank Gore and Devin Singletary, would do the trick. If the game remains close, RB Kenyan Drake is Miami’s best hope for getting yards against the Bills’ defense. Drake doesn’t have an easy task, though. The Bills’ front seven is formidable.
Bills’ keys to victory: Focus on the task at hand. As will be the case in many games the Dolphins play, their opponent will be a huge favorite. Are the Bills for real? If they are, they should have no problem here. The Bills’ offense should look to get WR Cole Beasley and TE Dawson Knox involved in the game plan early and often. While the Dolphins have broken down their roster, CB Xavien Howard is still there and will make things difficult for WR John Brown. Defensively, Buffalo must keep RB Kenyan Drake at bay. Force Miami to throw, and the Bills could pad their interceptions total.
Matchup to watch: Dolphins CB Xavien Howard vs. Bills WR John Brown. The Dolphins’ defense doesn’t boast many difference-makers. Howard still is one, but if Brown proves he’s a true No. 1 and gets the best of Howard, it will be a long day for the Dolphins.
Who wins? Not only are the Bills favored, they’re coming off their bye with two weeks to prepare for a lackluster opponent.
Bills, 31-10