Buffalo at Miami


Focal Point: Flutie vs. Miami corners


AFC: Four on the floor


Inside the Dolphins playbook


No. 13 ready to change his luck


Cowart to stand up to childhood hero

BILLS (10-6) at DOLPHINS (10-6)
Running game
Bills run offense vs. Dolphins run defense Advantage: Dolphins The Bills won't be able to stretch things out and run sweeps on the Dolphins all day. Buffalo's backs must hit the hole before it closes and run like the wind, because someone is going to be there to make a tackle. The Dolphins defense can flat-out run. Linebacker Zach Thomas got ripped off; he should be in the Pro Bowl. If you play east-west football against Miami, the Bills will be in third-and-long all day. Their speed is outstanding. Antowain Smith has to hit the whole and not dance around.	Dolphins run offense vs. Bills run defense Advantage: Dolphins Even though the Dolphins don't have a great ground game and they've struggled recently, I think Buffalo will be concentrating more on getting to Dan Marino. That will leave open some cutback lanes. The Dolphins won't rush for 180 yards, but they'll take 3½ or four yards a carry from Karim Abdul-Jabbar and John Avery. If Avery can bust one and get by the initial line of defense, he has the speed to take it the distance. Even though I give a slight edge to the Dolphins, I think they have to win this game through the air.
Passing game
Bills pass offense vs. Dolphins pass defense Advantage: Dolphins The Bills have a horizontal offense. Their receivers do a lot of crossing and picking. Doug Flutie will flush out of the pocket and throw through lanes. It's easier to do that if receivers are crossing in front of you. The Bills will have a huge chance to make big plays because the Dolphins cornerbacks, Sam Madison and Terrell Buckley, are as confident as any cornerbacks in the league. They will get beat a few times, but they'll keep gambling. I fully expect Eric Moulds or Andre Reed to catch a touchdown pass. On the other hand, the Dolphins gamble so much that these cornerbacks will make big plays. Miami defensive coordinator George Hill thinks Madison is the best cornerback in the league -- and he has played like it. I give the advantage, especially on a natural surface, to Buckley and Madison because of their gambling and confidence. But Moulds and Reed will make some plays.	Dolphins pass offense vs. Bills pass defense Advantage: Dolphins If I'd been asked about this matchup eight weeks ago, I would have picked Buffalo. And the Bills can win it, especially with Bruce Smith rushing the quarterback. It's a great matchup between Smith and tackle Richmond Webb. Smith is going to win some of those battles; the Dolphins just hope he wins when they're running the other way, and Marino's not holding the ball. But who would have thought halfway through the season that O.J. McDuffie would lead the NFL in catches? Earlier in the season, the Dolphins receivers, including Lamar Thomas and Oronde Gadsden, couldn't make a play. Now they're getting better. I'm going to give the edge to Miami. When it's third-and-2 and the pressure is on, Marino will win. Anybody who says Marino doesn't have it anymore is crazy. He doesn't have it only if the receivers don't get open.
Special teams
Advantage: Dolphins Miami kicker Olindo Mare and punter Klaus Wilmsmeyer might get a little nervous before the game because of the wrath of Jimmy Johnson. Don't miss a field goal, or you'll be kicking somewhere else. Based on leg strength, they're probably a little better than Steve Christie and Chris Mohr of Buffalo. I don't think special teams will be the difference in the game, though.
Coaching
Advantage: Dolphins If you're talking about his knowledge of defense, his personality and his overall understanding of football, Wade Phillips is a very good coach. But Bill Parcells and Jimmy Johnson are probably the two best coaches in football. Johnson is worth two or three wins a year himself. You don't have to like him. You want to fight him during the week if you are on his team, but the second that game ends, he's also the first guy you want to hug. That's the best way I can describe it. Even if he had horrible coaches coaching for him, the advantage would go to Johnson. But he doesn't. He always surrounds himself with top-flight people.
Overall
Advantage: Dolphins This will be a very close game, but I think the Dolphins will win because they're at home, they have too much defense, and their corners are good enough to stop Moulds and Reed from taking over the game. Plus, they have great team speed, and they're playing on grass.