Bills vs. Dolphins Week 7 and 16 team preview

The Miami Dolphins move into Week 7 of the 2016 season with one game before their bye week. The game will mark the second AFC East showdown for Miami this year, following the Week 2 contest against the New England Patriots. This game, a home contest for the Dolphins, will feature the Buffalo Bills making the trip south. It will also be the third straight home game for Miami after three of their first four contests were on the road.

Because this is an AFC East opponent, the Dolphins will face the Bills twice this year, and this preview will cover both of those games. Miami’s second contest, a Week 16 showdown in Buffalo, will mean a cold game in New York for the Dolphins.

We are working our way through the Dolphins’ 2016 schedule, posting team previews from each club as we go. Below, you will see Miami’s schedule, as well as links to the previews already completed and a link to the team’s SB Nation blog site.

(Note: We would recommend going ahead and joining the team sites for each of Miami’s 13 opponents this year if you are not already a member of their site. This will prevent you from running into any waiting period those sites may have established for membership, allowing you to join in pre-game discussions with their fans.)

Week 1 - @ Seattle Seahawks team preview - Field Gulls

Week 2 - @ New England Patriots team preview - Pats Pulpit

Week 3 - vs. Cleveland Browns team preview - Dawgs by Nature

Week 4 - @ Cincinnati Bengals team preview (TNF) - Cincy Jungle

Week 5 - vs. Tennessee Titans team preview - Music City Miracles

Week 6 - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers team preview - Behind the Steel Curtain

Week 7 - vs. Buffalo Bills team preview - Buffalo Rumblings

Week 8 - BYE

Week 9 - vs. New York Jets team preview - Gang Green Nation

Week 10 - @ San Diego Chargers team preview - Bolts from the Blue

Week 11 - @ Los Angeles Rams team preview - Turf Show Times

Week 12 - vs. San Francisco 49ers team preview - Niners Nation

Week 13 - @ Baltimore Ravens team preview - Baltimore Beatdown

Week 14 - vs. Arizona Cardinals team preview - Revenge of the Birds

Week 15 - @ New York Jets team preview (Saturday) - Gang Green Nation

Week 16 - @ Buffalo Bills team preview (Saturday) - Buffalo Rumblings

Week 17 - vs. New England Patriots team preview - Pats Pulpit

On to Week 7 and 16. Thank you to Buffalo Rumblings for giving us this closer look at the Bills.:

Buffalo Bills

Notable free agent additions: CB Sterling Moore, S Robert Blanton, LB Zach Brown, DL Leger Douzable

Notable free agent departures: DE Mario Williams, LB Nigel Bradham, CB Leodis McKelvin

Trades: None

Draft picks expected to contribute as rookies:

DE / OLB Shaq Lawson (1st rd): It’s believe that he’ll miss first part of the season with shoulder injury. Will likely be a hybrid edge defender in Rex Ryan’s defense.

LB Reggie Ragland (2nd rd): Expected to be one of the team’s starting inside linebackers.

DL Adolphus Washington (3rd rd): Should fit in as rotational defensive linemen in a variety of spots.

Biggest offseason addition: Either Shaq Lawson or Reggie Ragland. Both filled major needs on Buffalo’s defense that underwhelmed in 2015 and will be key members of that side of the ball as rookies.

Biggest storyline heading into training camp: Defensive improvement. As alluded to, Rex Ryan didn’t have the greatest impact on the Bills defense a season ago. With some noteworthy departures and additions, how the defense performs is what everyone will be talking about during Bills training camp.

Under-the-radar storyline heading into training camp: Battle for the No. 3 WR spot. Sammy Watkins is nursing a broken foot, and Robert Woods is the only decent wideout behind him. Guys (realistically) battling for this gig - Jarrett Boykin, Greg Little, Greg Salas, Leonard Hankerson, Walt Powell and rookie Kolby Listenbee

Notable injuries heading into training camp: Sammy Watkins (foot), Shaq Lawson (shoulder)