Chris@2ITB_Buffalo: So I’m 1-1 and my hopes that the opposite of my prediction would happen got pushed to the curb awfully damn fast. Now the Bills stand at 1-1 and came out of that nasty start to the schedule with about as ideal of a result you could have expected. It wasn’t 2-0, but not dropping both opening games was a big deal. Now comes another pivotal division challenge against a team that spent the offseason retooling and revamping their defense. This week has included some whispers that Ndamukong Suh isn’t following orders following a rough loss to the Jaguars. Lamar Miller is banged up but Ryan Tannehill has been strong to start the year. I feel strongly about the Bills chances this week as the offense has done some good things each week (aside from that nasty stretch in the first half of the Pats game) and I fully expect a better defensive performance against Not Tom Brady. Give me the Bills this week 27-16.
Michael Necci @manecci 2-0 Well last Sunday was tough, but I saw a lot of things I liked. I really liked how this team fought and didn’t roll over when it was 34-13. Having said that, the Bills need to tone it down. Right now they’re operating at an 11, I need them at about a 8.5-9. Their emotions (and the fans) were WAY too high last week, and the Patriots slapped them back to reality. I compared it the scene in “Goodfellas” were Billy Batts tells Tommy D to get his shine box. The Bills told the Patriots to get their shine box and deservedly got the crap kicked out them and stuffed in a trunk. This week’s game is just as important. On the road vs a division opponent who is playing in their home opener. The Bills need to this show everyone how for real they are. The AFC East right now is a race for second place and the Bills can grab a firm hold with a win. Having said that, until I see them actually do it, I don’t think they can. I’ll take an emotional Miami team coming off a tough loss in their opener. Miami 26 Buffalo 20. College Football Saturday, two primetime PAC 12 games to watch: UCLA vs Arizona and USC vs Arizona St.
Rich (@RDotDeuce, 1-1 overall): New England was not fun. At all. Hopefully the team bounces back from the loss and starts getting confidence on the road, because 3 of the next 5 games are away from Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Dolphins w/Tannehill are 2-4 (which is a tick better than Rex’s 3-3) vs the Bills, so seeing them struggle in the run/pass game is expected. However, with Tannehill’s wheels it’d be best to get to him more often than not with the “Cold Front” and send the house on later down/distances. I think Tyrod and the offense will interesting to see in their first road outing – especially in the heat of Miami. I think they’ll pull this one out – 24-13 Bills.
Brad Gelber, @BradleyGelber (0-2): Turns out I’m not very good at this. I don’t want to talk about the Patriots game anymore… It’s over and done with. I think the Bills regroup and have a big game vs. Miami. I also think Shady has his first huge game as a Bill. Also, based on history and the fact the D-Line was shut down vs the Pats, Tannehill is in BIG, big trouble. 24-10 Bills
Mike Migliore @mmigliore 2-0- Sunday is another kinda/sorta must-win game for the Bills. I felt they needed to beat the Colts to avoid an 0-3 start, and now they need to beat Miami to firmly establish themselves as an AFC playoff contender and to avoid an 0-2 start in division. This is the kind of game the Bills have found a way to lose for 15+ years. Important games against AFC opponents that help decide playoff tiebreakers. Last year, Doug Marrone’s punt crew dropped games against San Diego, KC, and Miami to help keep them out of the postseason by two wins. If this Bills team is serious about ending its postseason drought, avoiding loses to AFC playoff contenders is imperative. Miami is coming off a bad loss to Marrone’s Jaguars and Ryan Tannehill is banged up. You gotta get this one, Bills. I’m not sure I trust them yet to win games like this. I expect to see the run game struggle against Miami’s D and Tyrod having some trouble in his first road game. This will lead to Buffalo News writers filling column inches with hot Matt Cassel takes on Monday morning. When did Cassel suddenly become Steve Young circa 1987? Anyways, I’ve said all offseason that Miami is the better team and they’ll drop Buffalo to 1-2. But better days are on the horizon for the Bills because that October schedule should be a cakewalk for them. I’m thinking both the Bills and Dolphins will be 5-2 when they meet again in November. Prediction: Dolphins 20, Bills 16
Luke Wachob (2-0) @lukewachob – After a Colts-Jets game that shed doubt on the quality of Buffalo’s Week 1 win and a Bills-Patriots game that felt more like a rerun from 2005 than the beginning of a new era, the Bills once again have a lot to prove as they hit the road for the first time this season to play division rival Miami. The Bills have a slightly better defense and much better coaching than the Dolphins, but Miami has the better quarterback and, for this Sunday, home-field advantage. My preseason expectation was that the Patriots would win the AFC East and the Jets would struggle and finish last, leaving the Bills and Dolphins to fight for second place and a likely wild card spot. My inclination was to take the home team in both games, but after seeing Miami struggle and score just 30 total points on offense against weaklings Washington and Jacksonville, I feel more confident that Rex and the Bills D can get consistent stops and put Tyrod Taylor into favorable situations. Bills 31-20.
Brett Ludwiczak – @BLeez17 – 0-2 – I was right on the Bills splitting the first two games so that has to count for something, right? I just had the order wrong on which game they’d win. Now they head to Miami in a game that has me scratching my head. Tyrod’s first road start but I’m not particularly worried about the Miami fans being that loud because Miami fans are never loud about anything. Miami sports teams have a hard enough time getting fans to show up, let alone getting them to make some noise. I get the feeling the Bills defense will be on point here after getting destroyed by New England last week. Tannehill turns it over a few times and the Bills win by a touchdown. Buffalo 24 Miami 17
Sean – @SeanCorleone (1-1)- For the second straight week the Bills will take on a divisional opponent as they head to Miami to play the Dolphins. This week will be the first road game for the Bills of the 2015 season, and boy is it a big one. The Bills find themselves in danger of starting 0-2 in the division, and a loss this week would put them in a bit of a hole in the AFC East. Luckily for us, the Bills have a 4-2 record against Ryan Tannehill in his career, sacking him a total of 22 times and holding him to just 9 TDs in 6 games. That sack total may be a bit skewed thanks to the 19-0 defeat the Bills handed the Dolphins back in 2013. The Bills defense brought Tannehill to the turf 7 times that day, but excluding that performance, the Bills are still looking at a 3 sack per game average against him. What the Dolphins have going for them however is that Tannehill’s success against the Bills has come at home. In 3 games in Miami against Buffalo, Tannehill has a total of 7 TDs and 2 picks to go along with a 2-1 record. Despite the fact that the Bills do not have a favorable record in Miami in late afternoon games (1-9), I am picking them to win this week to move to 2-1. My reasoning is that I think the Bills defense will be focused on making amends for last weeks drubbing. Also, the Dolphins don’t have Tom Brady, and I’m eternally grateful for this given the fact that I hate his face (and his arm). For the Bills offense, there will be opportunities to make plays, especially on the ground as the Dolphins are currently ranked 27th against the run and go against the NFL’s 3rd best ground attack (yes, I know its early). Regardless of how irrelevant these early statistics may be, I believe they hold some weight. Final Score: Bills 31 – Dolphins 17
Scott Michalak @ScottyMCSS (1-1) What better therapy for the Bills after a loss to the Pats than playing the Dolphins? In the 70’s, Miami owned Buffalo, but we’ve enjoyed thumping them ever since. Meanwhile, the Bills offense is on the rise and the defense should actually keep a team under 21 points for once. Fish will be squished. Everything will be right in Bills land again. 24-13, Bills.
Joe @Buffalowins (1-1)- I expect this game to be a slugfest as when these two teams get together, you can forget the TDs. In the last 3 games between both teams, neither team has scored more than two offensive TDs. The biggest issue for the Dolphins is that their running game has been a mess with averaging just 3.4 YPC. They currently have over a 2 to 1 ratio of pass vs. run and Tannehill is someone who I don’t think can carry your team. On top of that, Tannehill has been sacked 23 times in 6 games against the Bills. Its funny, but since 2012..Ryan Fitzpatrick, EJ Manuel and Thad Lewis have beaten the Miami Dolphins. I think we can add Tyrod Taylor to the mix here. Bills win, 17-13.
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