Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet the Buffalo Bills in week 11

The Dolphins start the game with the first possession and a short run by Reggie Bush and then a short pass to receiver Brian Hartline and it brings up 3rd and short, but they are unable to get the 3rd down conversion so the first drive goes 3 and out and it gives the Bills their first shot at the ball.

On the kick return Leodis McKelvin gets a good block and he runs the field and gets the touchdown on the return. The Bills are first to score and they lead 7 to 0 just minutes into the game. I certainly did not see the Bills scoring this quick and this certainly has the potential tochange the momentum of the game from the beginning.

A 15 yard penalty for a low block on Buffalo gives the Dolphins good field position. Buffalo is able to sack Miami on the next down and suddenly the Dolphins are working from a deficit and it is 3rd and 14. Nothing much happening and Miami has to kick again. This is certainly not a good start for the Dolphins.

Sometimes when games start out like this I often wonder how the oddsmakers at the sportsbooks feel about such big unexpected starts like touchdowns on kickoff returns and such. i would think that these kinds of big plays this early in the game would tend to increase the amount of in-play betting activity.

Two downs and 2 carries by CJ Spiller and the Bills get within a yard of the 1st down. On 3rd down a great stop by Reshad Jones and the Bills go 3 and out and must punt the football. Miami has a decent return and get good field position.

On the next play Brian Hartline coughs up the ball and the Bills recover and they have the ball back and another chance to extend their lead. The momentum is on the side of Buffalo so far this game.

On a 3rd and 10 after a false start penalty, the Bills get the 1st down. Another pass to receiver Steve Johnson and the Bills are well within Dolphin territory. Even though the Bills make it into the red zone Miami is able to shut down the 3rd down conversion but they do get the field goal. The Bills extend their lead and the score is 10 to 0.

And on the kick return Marcus Thigpen returns for Miami, breaks a tackle and runs it back 96 yards for the touchdown, so Miami cuts the lead and the score s now 7 Miami to Buffalo 10. There is just over 4 minutes in the first quarter.

A short screen pass to CJ Spiller and he gets the first down and the Bills are at mid field. Miami does keep them out of the end zone, but they do manage to get the field goal so the score is now 13 Buffalo to 7 Miami. The first quarter is just about to end.

The Dolphins were just unable to get past mid field on this drive and they bring out the punting unit. The Bills will start the next drive on their own 12 yard line.

Then on a 3rd and 5 a pass interference call on Miami gives the Bills a first down at mid field. On a 2nd and 10 the Dolphins break up the play and Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick runs it out for another first down. Another pass interfverence on Miami, on Nolan Carroll again, and the Bills get another big first down.

The Bills are in the red zone again. A good stop by Miami and they force the Bills into a field goal attempt. They get the points and the score is now Bills 16 to Dolphins 7.

After an incomplete pass deep in the secondary, a short pass to Reggie Bush and Miami gets a 1st down. Tannehill can not make it happen and Miami has to punt again. The Bills get the ball back at the 16 yard line with just over 6 minutes left in the first half.

Another pass interference call on Carroll, his 3rd of the game, and Buffalo gets the first down. A nice job on the Dolphin defense and they stop the 3rd down conversion and for the Bills to punt. The defense has actually played a decent enough game so far, but mistakes have given the Bills good field postion and a number of first downs.

Miami gets the ball back on their own 10 yard line with just over 3 minutes in the first half. This next possession is very important to miami since it gives them the opportunity to cut the 9 point lead to a single score game before the end of the half.

Buffalo stops them on their own 1 yard line and gets the sack. Miami must punt and Buffalo gets the ball back and will start from mid field at the 2 minute warning.

2 plays, 30 yards or so and 2 1st downs, Spiller is having a great game. He has 97 yards so far in the first half. A pass to Steve Johnson and they get the first down on the 4 yard line. Buffalo takes the field goal just as the half ends. The Bills take a 12 point lead into the locker room with a score of 19 to Miami 7.

Like I had predicted in the article I wrote yesterday here, while researching tonight’s game in advance, I knew that Spiller would be a threat that the Dolphins would have to try and contain. Miami will have to do a better job of stopping him. He has been doing a great job finding the hole and driving up the center, and he has caught a few passes and turned them into nice gains.