Looking ahead to Miami....

[OpIv37]

This one's tough to call. The Dolphins looked worse than most people expected on Thursday, but they were in a tough situation against the SB champs on the road and they certainly didn't look terrible. The Bills looked better than expected but still found a way to lose the game and showed their youth and inexperience.

I think it will come down to the running game for both teams. The Bills are going to struggle to run against the Dolphins' tough front 7, so this may be one of those games that JP has to win with his arm. This could be a problem, because the Bills didn't take any shots down the field against NE despite NE's secondary being in bad shape. If the OL can give JP enough time to make some throws, Buffalo should be able to move the ball.

The Bills' pass D looked strong against NE, despite the inexperience. However, they gave up 180 yards on the ground and will probably struggle against Ronnie Brown. They will have to shut him down and force Culpepper into 3rd and long situations (where he's prone to mistakes) to win the battle on this side of the ball.

Also, the Bills need to look out for that quick screen pass that Miami used against Pitt. When the CB's were playing off the WR's, Culpepper would audible, stand up, and throw a quick screen to the WR without taking a drop. Greer, McGee, and Clements all missed open field tackles against NE, so this could be problematic if the Bills don't game plan for it.

Thoughts?

[Philagape]

If we can force Brady into mistakes, imagine what we can do to Culpepper. But that hinges on this:
Unlike NE, this is a game where it's on Nate to shut down Chambers. He may have to be left one-on-one at times, because we should blitz a lot to rattle Culpepper, and because the line needs all the help it can get to contain Ronnie Brown. Nate needs the game of his life.

[ICE74129]

My thoughts are Cullpepper will be torn apart by our secondary IF he gets many balls off. Their running game sucks.

Think back to what JP did last year...now think of NOT calling off the dogs....

Buffalo 31- Miami 13

[mybills]

The Bills CAN win.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

The most important thing is Jauron and his staff get the team back on track after they fall apart after that failed 4th and 1 play. To me, that's the most troubling sign out of that game. We need someone to come out as a leader and make a stand after that and noone did. Whitner did make a pick after that, I just hoped that it could've become a bigger play.

[RedEyE]

I think the Bills will again play tough this week as they did last. The game will be close again but not nearly as close as it was with NE.

Inexperienced teams tend to take steps backward before moving forward again (if ever). This week will be a true test of this Buffalo team being able overcoming adversity.

I predict McGahee and Thomas to both have good days. I don't expect much more from Losman than what we saw this past week. Our defense needs to buckle down on the run. Giving up 180+ yards on the ground is unacceptable for a team at any level.

The Bills will play well but not enough to win.

Miami 20 - Buffalo 16

[BlackMetalNinja]

My thoughts are that I will come down with a case of Sundayitis next week and have to call into work and wind up in a bar somewhere to cure my affliction with some wings, beers, and a Bills win over the Fish!

[L.A. Playa]

its gonna be a tough game whoever loses will be 2 games out of the division after 2 games considering the winner of the NYJ-NE game will be 2-0

I hope the Bills build on their success in game 1 and correct their errors from game 1 and play a competitive game and come out on top

[Mitchy moo]

My thoughts are Cullpepper will be torn apart by our secondary IF he gets many balls off. Their running game sucks.

Think back to what JP did last year...now think of NOT calling off the dogs....

Buffalo 31- Miami 13

I am really going to load up on the money line, I think you have this pegged Ice. Daunte is no Tom Brady think what you want. Tom is a gamer and NE has a great OL and we really traumatized him with speed. There is no way even if Daunte has time to pass that the balls land in the receivers hands, at their feet or over their heads at best. If we stack the box to get Daunte, it will stop the run anyways. NE was a huge litmus test and we passed in a big way. If TKO plays most of the game we win by 3 scores easy.

[Mr B]

I think if the Bills can't get better run defense they will be dominated.

[Mudflap1]

My thoughts are Cullpepper will be torn apart by our secondary IF he gets many balls off. Their running game sucks.

Think back to what JP did last year...now think of NOT calling off the dogs....

Buffalo 31- Miami 13

Miami 31 - Buffalo 13, or thereabouts. Brace for it guys...

Jon

[Bling]

I think the real question is can JP Losman carry the Bills? If so, the Bills win. The opposite question is can the Bills contain Ronnie Brown? If so, there's a great chance the Bills win.

[Billzz]

You guys forget just how friggin hot it is down here in florida. That stadium also gets BLAZING hot as well. I hate to say it but watch out in the 4th quarter when the speed is not really there because of the line being worn out.

Tampa 2 is designed by a team that lives in the heat. Buffalo does not have that kind of stanima, but then again hopefully we can hold the ball by running on them to rest the D most of the game.

If we don't fall behind we will be fine, if we need quick scores or need the D to get the ball back for us in the 4th we are screwed if they are running. You know that hopeless feeling we all had when Willie Parker was cramming it down our throat, at home with the playoffs on the line?

Anyway look for the airball to Evans early and a whole lot more A-Train this game in the second half. I think they should of given him the ball on the 4th and 1 if McGahee was not 100% but then again hindsight is 20 20.

[Bling]

McGahee was an UM grad, so he should be somewhat use to it.

[Billzz]

McGahee was an UM grad, so he should be somewhat use to it.

He dosen't play defense though.

[dplus47]

My thoughts are Cullpepper will be torn apart by our secondary IF he gets many balls off. Their running game sucks.

Think back to what JP did last year...now think of NOT calling off the dogs....

Buffalo 31- Miami 13

i'm not saying this is impossible, but what about the bills' D makes you think they can stop anyone's run game? the NE runners had some of the biggest holes i have ever seen to run through.

[dplus47]

that said, i think mularkey might have the ability to stop miami's running game by not calling running plays. we'll see.

[Devin]

Im 50-50.

Buffalo showed a lot in the loss but the Fins were in the same situation (playing a tough team on the road).

I think our DL matches up well with miami's OL, if our secondary plays well and TKO plays I think we have the edge. But truthfully this game going either way wouldnt shock me.

[LtBillsFan66]

Bills 84
Fins 0

[Billzz]

that said, i think mularkey might have the ability to stop miami's running game by not calling running plays. we'll see.

Classic.

[dolphan117]

On D our secondary and particularly our safeties didn't communicate well and gave up some big plays to the Steelers in the passing game. We also gave up 115 yards on the ground to Parker but it took him 29 rushes to do it.

On offense I think the biggest question is our O line and play calling. At times we pass blocked pretty well but our run blocking was awful and Ronnie ended up with only 15 carries for 30 yards. I would have liked to see us run it more especially in the second half but we continued to drop back and dink and dunk. If we are going to be that pass happy I would much rather be throwing the ball down the field and trying to back off the safeties a little so that we can run some draws than just constantly throwing it short and letting the safeties play up. Troy Polamalu was playing in the box for pretty much the first 3 quarters, according to CK over at finheaven who went back and watched the tape, but we never really tried to take advantage of it by going deep. Made no sense to me.

I'm sure I will take heat for being a "Culpepper apologist" but through three quarters I thought he played pretty well. To me the forth quarter just proved that right now Culpepper just isn't ready to carry a team if there is no running game and the D is giving up long drives. He is good but he isnt that good, at least yet. For us to win the D cant give up the long time consuming drives that it did late against the Steelers and there has to be some semblance of a running game. Culpepper just isn't ready to carry everything on his shoulders, I wish he was but he's not. I still am VERY happy to have him and there is no question in my mind that he is an upgrade over what we had last year but its going to take some time to settle in and get comfortable with these receivers. Right now he just doesn't seem to have the chemistry that he needs. I guess time will tell.

Cant wait, should be a good game. :cheers:

*Note-The Bills vs Fins game is CBS's number one game next week and the only one they have in High Def so those of us without Sunday ticket may actually be able to see it.

[Kerr]

It's going to come down to which defense can stop the run the best.