Thursday Night Football Game Capsule: Dolphins vs. Bills

The NFL kicks off Week 11 on Thursday night on NFL Network when the MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-4) host the BUFFALO BILLS (5-4) at Sun Life Stadium in Miami (NFLN, 8:25 PM ET).

Both teams enter play with identical 5-4 records and are currently tied for second in the AFC East. This is the latest in a season that the Bills and Dolphins will play with each boasting a winning record since 2000 (December 3, 2000; Buffalo, 7-5 and Miami, 9-3).

Buffalo enters Week 11 looking to rebound following a 17-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“It’s definitely tough, we lost the football game and we’re definitely upset about that,” says defensive end JERRY HUGHES, who had a pair of sacks on Sunday. “We’ve got a Thursday game, we’ve got a division game so we’ve got a chance to sweep Miami this season. That’s our focus right now, just find a way to get ready for that game.”

Buffalo’s defense ranks first in the league with 34 sacks. It is the team’s highest sack total through its first nine games in franchise history, topping the previous mark of 32 sacks through nine games in 1997.

The Bills are the only NFL team this season to feature three different players with at least seven sacks – Hughes (7.5), defensive tackleMARCELL DAREUS (10) and defensive end MARIO WILLIAMS (7). Dareus, who had three sacks against Kansas City last week, leads NFL defensive tackles in sacks this season.

“We need to start studying the Bills because they are a good defense coming to town on a short week,” says Miami quarterback RYAN TANNEHILL about the team heading into Week 11 following a 20-16 loss at Detroit. “We need to watch the tape, learn from our mistakes and quickly put it aside. We need to rest up and get ready to go on Thursday night.”

Tannehill completed 27 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown last week. In the past six games, Tannehill has 1,490 passing yards and 11 touchdowns for a 99.7 passer rating. During his career, Miami is 15-1 when Tannehill has a passer rating of 90 or better.

On defense, the Dolphins are tied for second in the AFC with 28 sacks, led by defensive end CAMERON WAKE, who has 6.5 sacks in his previous five games. Wake recorded his 60th career sack last week, surpassing JEFF CROSS (59.5) for the second-most in franchise history. He also leads the AFC in sacks since entering the league in 2009.

The Dolphins’ defense is also spurred by cornerback BRENT GRIMES, who has four interceptions in the past three games and is second in the NFL with five interceptions this season. Since joining the Dolphins in 2013, Grimes leads all AFC cornerbacks with nine interceptions.

The players with the most sacks in the AFC this season:

WEEK 11 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014

BUFFALO BILLS (5-4) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-4)

SERIES

STATS

NOTES

BILLS: QB KYLE ORTON is 2-0 on road with Buf., passing for 546 yards & 5 TDs vs. 1 INT for 116.4 rating…RB FRED JACKSON (5,370 rush; 2,439 rec.) needs 61 rec. yards to join HOFer THURMAN THOMAS as only Bills with 5,000+ career rush & 2,500+ rec. yards. RB BOOBIE DIXON led team with season-high 62 yards on 9 att. (6.9 avg.) last week. RB BRYCE BROWN led team with 100 scrim. yards vs. KC (35 rush, 65 rec.)…WR SAMMY WATKINS (No. 4 overall) leads NFL rookies in rec. yards (617) on 42 catches & is tied for 2nd in TD rec. among rookies (5). Scored 1st career TD in last meeting (8 rec., 117 yards)…DE MARIO WILLIAMS aims for 7th in row with at least half sack. DT MARCELL DAREUS leads NFL DTs with 10 sacks, incl. 3 last week. Rookie LB PRESTON BROWN (Rd. 3, No. 73 overall) leads team with 67 tackles…DOLPHINS: In past 6, QB RYAN TANNEHILL has 1,490 pass yards & 11 TDs vs. 5 INTs for 99.7 rating. Club is 15-1 (.938) when Tannehill has 90+ rating…In past 4 at home, RB LAMAR MILLER has 360 scrim. yards (269 rush, 91 rec.) & 3 total TDs (2 rush, 1 rec.). Has 5 rush TDs in past 7…WR MIKE WALLACE had TD in last meeting & has TD in 4 of past 6 overall. Rookie WR-KR JARVIS LANDRY (Rd. 2, No. 63 overall) led team with 53 rec. yards on 7 catches last week. Leads NFL in KR avg. (32.0). TE CHARLES CLAY tied season-high with 7 catches for 45 yards vs. Det…Defense has 28 sacks, tied for 2nd in AFC…In past 5, DE CAMERON WAKE has 6.5 sacks, FF & FR. Had 2 sacks vs. Lions & has 60 career, surpassing JEFF CROSS (59.5) for 2nd-most in club history. CB BRENT GRIMEShas 4 INTs in past 3, incl. 1 vs. Lions. LB JELANI JENKINS leads team with 61 tackles, incl. team-high 7 tackles & sack last week.