The Rivalry Has Only Just Begun

by Brandon Mitchell

Buckle up! This Sunday night is part one of a fierce rivalry between the Buffalo Bills versus the Miami Dolphins. The faces have changed over the years on these two teams, but the hatred surely never changes. How can it, when you have veteran players like Ruben Brown making locker room comments that sow the seeds?

Brown came out and said "We're concentrating on the Miami Dolphins - Ricky Williams and Fiedler. It's a strong rivalry. We do not like the Dolphins". If that doesn't say it all, he went on to make sure the new guys understood saying "I've already told the rookies and all the new guys that we do not like the Dolphins." Buckle up! This Sunday night is part one of a fierce rivalry between the Buffalo Bills versus the Miami Dolphins. The faces have changed over the years on these two teams, but the hatred surely never changes. How can it, when you have veteran players like Ruben Brown making locker room comments that sow the seeds?

What better time for this one to take place, Sunday Night on National television? Buffalo made several moves in the off season, one, days before the start of the regular season that rocked the NFL, bolstering their anemic defense of 2002. On paper it looked like Buffalo just might be on track returning to a defensive power. Only on paper! Well, here we are heading into the third week and it looks like the additions of Takeo Spikes, Sam Adams, Jeff Posey, Oh and Lawyer Milloy, have the NFL all a buzz about the Bills. Come Sunday night The Bills need to make more noise around the league than they have the first two games.

Believe it or not, Buffalo has the prime time games edge against the Dolphins six to five, another note about the Bills playing at Pro Player Stadium, they're nine and seven all time! The more you keep looking back at the Bills' history playing during prime time, the better it looks for Buffalo. The Bills are seven and three going back to November 17th 1997 where they lost to...you guessed it, Miami. To leave on a Bills high note. The first Sunday Night game played between these two teams happened December 4th 1994 in Miami,when on that night Buffalo handed the Dolphins their 5th loss on the season, 42-31.

Two of the top three quarterbacks in the AFC will be is this one, Drew Bledsoe the top rated, has Eric Moulds to throw the ball to. Who, in the last two games against the Dolphins has averaged over 125 yards a game. With Miami's secondary at the bottom of the league, add Josh Reed, third wide out Bobby Shaw and things could turn ugly fast.

Travis Henry also has enjoyed the Dolphins the last two meetings, Henry has averaged 125 yards and two touchdowns. Miami made their biggest move in the off season at linebacker bringing in Junior Seau from the San Diego Chargers to help Zack Thomas shore up their defense, with the hopes of slowing Henry down this time around. If Henry keeps his east west dance up they will prevail.

I'm sure the additions to the Bills' defense isn't going to change the Miami game plan of running Ricky Williams right at them. That will only change sometime into the game if he is shut down by Pat Williams and Sam Adams in the middle, and with the speed of the linebackers around the corner. Even with all the new talent and what they have accomplished so far, the Bills could end up snake bit if they don't watch Ricky Williams coming out of the back field, Although that detail has been taken care of just like it's drawn on the chalkboard, to perfection.

Don't be fooled by the way the Bills have been playing 2-0 nor the Dolphins 1-1, It's a great opportunity for Buffalo to pull ahead of the Dolphins by two games, on the other hand Miami is going to do everything possible to stop them and keep up in the race of the AFCE. Miami is just the team that has a chance to hand the Bills their first loss of the 2003 season.

The variables are numerous in this match up as we have now seen what the Bills are all about with their new defense, and already potent offense. Miami's offense has Jay Fiedler who shouldn't be over looked with Williams in the back field. He's not the third rated quarterback in the AFC for nothing. Fiedler can hurt you with his feet as well, last week he ran for 35 yards against another AFCE foe the New York Jets winning by the score of 21 - 10 for their first win of the year.

Jonas Jennings will have his hands full with defensive end Jason Taylor trying to keep him off Drew Bledsoe. Let's hope he lines up in front of right guard Mike Williams where he can serve Taylor a stack of his pancakes.

In any event, it will be a prime time affair that both sides have been waiting for. Reuben Brown has been waiting for this for quite a while.