Dolphins-Bills Preview

SCOUTING REPORT

Miami gets slight edge on neutral fieldThis should be a great divisional matchup between two clubs that have to win to keep their postseason hopes alive. This is a tale of two teams heading in different directions. The Dolphins stumbled early in the year, but have won five of their past six contests, while the Bills came out of the blocks strong with five wins in their first six outings, but have managed only one win in their past six games. Bills head coach Dick Jauron will have his club ready to perform at a high level, while coach Tony Sparano will likely build on the positive direction the Dolphins have taken under his leadership. Look for a hard-fought battle in strange surroundings for both clubs as this game is slated to be played in Toronto.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
MIA	11-5	345	317	5-3	6-2	4-2	8-4
BUF	7-9	336	342	3-5	4-4	0-6	5-7
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Miami Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Henne 58.3 1337 6 4 Pennin... 68.9 413 1 2

Buffalo Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Edward... 60.2 1170 6 7 Fitzpa... 51.9 659 3 6

Miami Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Willia... 127 677 5.3 8 Brown 147 648 4.4 8

Buffalo Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Jackso... 129 528 4.1 0 Lynch 87 272 3.1 1

Miami Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Bess 46 397 8.6 0 Camari... 28 281 10.0 0

Buffalo Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Owens 35 563 16.1 2 Evans 28 396 14.1 5

Full Player Stats: Miami | Buffalo

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	MIA	346.0
	BUF	305.0
Yards Passing	MIA	227.0
	BUF	190.0
Yards Rushing	MIA	118.6
	BUF	115.1
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	MIA	329.0
	BUF	326.1
Pass Yds Allowed	MIA	227.8
	BUF	204.4
Rush Yds Allowed	MIA	101.3
	BUF	121.6

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Buffalo leads 9-7
Oct 26, 2008	MIA 25, @BUF 16
Dec 9, 2007	MIA 17, BUF 38
Nov 11, 2007	MIA 10, @BUF 13
Dec 17, 2006	MIA 0, BUF 21
Sep 17, 2006	MIA 6, @BUF 16
Dec 4, 2005	MIA 24, @BUF 23
Oct 9, 2005	MIA 14, BUF 20
Dec 5, 2004	MIA 32, @BUF 42
Oct 17, 2004	MIA 13, BUF 20
Dec 21, 2003	MIA 20, BUF 3
Sep 21, 2003	MIA 17, @BUF 7
Dec 1, 2002	MIA 21, BUF 38
Oct 20, 2002	MIA 10, @BUF 23
Jan 6, 2002	MIA 34, @BUF 7
Nov 25, 2001	MIA 34, BUF 27

Though they're in the playoff hunt for the first time in five years, the Miami Dolphins don't have any easy road to reach the postseason. However, they may have been given one break -- not having to visit the Buffalo Bills out in the December cold of upstate New York.

The AFC East rivals travel to the indoor Rogers Centre in Toronto on Sunday for the first regular season NFL game in Canada.

Miami (7-5) hasn't made the playoffs since it went 11-5 in 2001, and hasn't been in the race this late in the year since 2003. The Dolphins finished 10-6 that season, but ultimately fell short.

The 2008 Dolphins have been surprisingly competitive, one season removed from a franchise-worst 1-15 record. Miami, though, has a tough schedule ahead of it, playing three of its final four games on the road including a season-ending matchup with the AFC East-leading New York Jets.

The Dolphins are one game behind both New York in the AFC East, and Indianapolis and Baltimore in the wild-card race.

"We know that we control kind of our own destiny right now," Miami coach Tony Sparano said. "When you're in those kinds of situations, the best thing that I know how to do is to put your head down, eliminate the distractions and think about the now, what's in front of you right now."

While this weekend's game is another road contest for Sparano and the Dolphins, Miami probably doesn't mind the trip to the domed Rogers Centre if it means missing out on the cold, damp weather of upstate New York. The Dolphins are just 4-10 in Buffalo since 1994, and 2-7 all-time there -- including two playoff losses -- after Dec. 1.

"The game is a big enough game wherever it was," Sparano said. "I would hope that the elements wouldn't have been a factor one way or the other."

The Dolphins have won five of their last six games, including a 16-12 victory at St. Louis last Sunday, when the defense held the Rams to just 278 total yards after giving up 530 in a loss to New England the previous week.

Although this is the first NFL regular season game in Canada, that nation is familiar territory for Miami running back Ricky Williams. Williams played in Toronto with the Argonauts of the CFL in 2006, after he was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's drug policy for a fourth time.

After being reinstated in 2007, Williams -- the NFL's leading rusher in 2002 -- has run for 512 yards and three touchdowns in 12 games this season. His attitude change has been the biggest surprise for his Miami teammates.

"What's different this year is he seems more into the guys, easier to approach, easier to talk to," defensive end Vonnie Holliday said. "He engages other people, whereas before he might have been more of a loner."

While the Dolphins are feeling optimistic this weekend, that feeling isn't shared by the Bills (6-6), losers of five of their last six.

"Right now, we have no room for error," receiver Lee Evans told the Bills' official Web site. "If we lose again, we'll be out of the hunt."

The Bills play three of their final four against division rivals, but it may be a moot point if quarterback Trent Edwards isn't healthy.

Edwards was pulled after the first half of Buffalo's 10-3 loss to San Francisco on Sunday due to a groin injury. He did not practice on Wednesday and remains day-to-day, according to coach Dick Jauron.

If he can't go, backup J.P. Losman would start. Losman, who has appeared in three games this season and was 11 of 17 for 93 yards against the 49ers, is 10-21 as a starter in his career.

The 2004 first-round draft pick has previously indicated he doesn't plan to re-sign with the Bills when his contract expires after this season, but said he isn't thinking about that now.

"Personally, it's a great opportunity for me to be able to get a chance to play well and do well for a numerous amount of reasons," Losman said. "But all that stuff is going to work out, so I'm not really focusing on that. I'm really focusing on this team and this opportunity that we have together right now."

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