Miami

heat

Any time there is an early season game in South Florida, the weather is always a factor. So is

ball control. Using a no-huddle offense isn't the only reason the Bills rank next-to-last in

the NFL in time of possession. It really comes down to executing, especially on third down,

where they are converting less than 30 percent of the time. Playing keep-away hasn't been a

problem for the Dolphins, who are averaging 35 minutes of possession time (third in the NFL).

With temperatures likely in the high 80s, the team that controls the clock might control the

game.

The "beast' is back

The Bills get Marshawn Lynch and his self-proclaimed "Beast Mode" back from a three-game

suspension. It will be interesting to see how much he's involved early, especially the way

Fred Jackson has been playing. They are a tandem that could be tough to defend, even for a

stout Dolphins run defense that has shut down the likes of Atlanta's Michael Turner and San

Diego's Darren Sproles. Look for the Bills to split Jackson out as a third receiver, forcing

the Dolphins to have to stop the run with one fewer defender in the box.

The "other' Chad

QB Chad Pennington's season-ending shoulder injury means the Dolphins must turn to second-year

pro Chad Henne sooner than expected. Henne has a much stronger arm than Pennington, which

might mean more long passes (Miami has just four completions over 20 yards and none over 40).

Henne might not have a chance to go downfield as defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is sure to

throw all kinds of blitzes at the young signal-caller. The Bills' secondary is hurting, but

the Dolphins don't have a receiver who can exploit it. Besides his seven-catch, 175-yard

performance against the Bills last season, Ted Ginn has done nothing to justify being a top-10

draft pick in 2007.

Bombs away

After failing to get WR Terrell Owens a catch for the first time in 186 games, it's a very

good bet that the Bills will try to find him early and often. Same goes for WR Lee Evans, who

hasn't exactly lit it up either. Today might be a great opportunity for QB Trent Edwards to

take more shots downfield to Owens and Evans. The Dolphins' secondary has been wildly

inconsistent and given up a league-high five completions over 40 yards. Their secondary hasn't

had much help as OLBs Joey Porter, who has a sore hamstring, and Jason Taylor have combined

for just three sacks. But their experience could be an asset against the Bills' young and

banged-up offensive line.

More than a wildcat

The Dolphins' two most dangerous weapons are RBs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The Dolphins

still feature them in the wildcat, but the big, physical backs don't need to be in that

formation to do damage. The Bills were gashed for 222 yards last week by the Saints. A lot of

those yards came late in the second half when the Bills' defense was clearly worn down. With a

young quarterback, the Dolphins will lean on Brown and Williams more. Look for the Bills to

bring an extra defender into the box and blitz the wildcat to take away running lanes.

Prediction

The Dolphins won't sweep the series this season. Bills, 20-16.