AFCE Rumble Royal: Bills vs Dolphins

Last year’s home game against the Bills was a classic. It felt like the ’80s and 90’s style ball again with viscous D’s making offense look offensive. The victory showed me that the Fins were a team with heart and could rally in the pinch. They came out in the second half roaring and effectively sank the Bills’ season. After Buffalo fans poured the boards with their bravado, Miami’s win was an X-mas present delivered early. Maybe it was the extra “beers” that I consumed (above and beyond the usual), but I hadn’t felt that good after a Miami victory in some time.

That was last year. This year will be a totally different animal. Last year the Bills coaching staff was on the hot seat – this year is Rex’s freebie and they will be ‘loose as a goose’. For all that might be true about his clownish nature, Rex is the best or one of the best D coordinators in the game and he might be working with the best D-unit of his career. They have improved on both sides of the ball, especially at RB. Mccoy isn’t even close to Barry as you hear some say, but if you give him a crease inside or out, he’ll go the distance. Even at QB, Cassel is an upgrade because the mantra will be ball security, ball security and ball security – E.J. had a problem with that last year.

The Dolphins aren’t last year’s team either. Suh’s presence is a geometric upgrade at the D’s interior and I’m not sure most Fin fans realize the magnitude of his affect will be on the team. As a fan of Suh since his rookie season and watching him extensively, he will makes Tim Bowens – who was a fine player for Miami – look like a little boy. Dolphins also have tailored their receiving core to fit Tannahill’s talents and with the QB in the system for his second season, this could be a break out year.

The schedule is flip-flopped:

home early and away late – but with the away game in early November it’s not so late that bad weather is a certainty. We have a chance to put the foot down on their throats with a win at home in the first meeting week 3. The schedule is in Miami’s favor again this year which is plus.

So what’s the bottom line?

I’m always harping on interior line play and with Mathis in the wing, it’s hard to say where Miami is as far as the interior. So with that aside (and it’s a big aside), the crucial subplot between the two teams is at tight end. For all Miami’s hate of him, Belichick really brought the mismatch of the TE to the forefront and made the two-tight system en vogue – the league hasn’t looked back since.

Clay was pried from Miami with a “Welker like” poisoned pill and Miami then brought in Cameron. Both are high-end talents and both are injury-prone (with Cameron’s injuries being a little riskier). It’s six of one and half dozen of the other, really. Clay is more physical and versatile. Cameron is the more dangerous red-zone and receiving threat. This will come down to two things. The pay per head services sites like AcePerHead.com. Bad luck with some freak injury and Miami’s assessment of Clay by letting him go. Bills will have a contractual albatross if they are wrong, but if Miami is wrong they will be near-naked at TE.

Sims is nice and I like his play, but if Clay has the same season as two years ago and the Fins are pedestrian at that position, then it will be an uphill battle. Clay will be a huge accent to a ball control type game.

BUT, and I can’t be emphatic enough, if Cameron is healthy, he will have a near “Gronk” like season with Tanny. Boots and roll out will be easy pickings as Cameron uses his agility, speed and size to dominate Lb’s and safeties. He will find the soft spots in the mid-outs and abuse them with his height and ability, all the while opening up single coverage for other recievers. Honestly, if Cameron can stay healthy, he will end up the more dominant of the two and might take Miami’s “O” to the stratosphere.

The spotlight between these two teams is at tight end. The decisions of these two front office’s will play very heavily on the division and might even end up determining the outcome. I’m betting on Miami. Go Fins!!!