Bills vs. Dolphins: Keys to Victory for Each Team on 'Thursday Night Football'

The Miami Dolphins will host the Buffalo Bills Thursday in a battle of 5-4 teams.

When the schedule came out in April, this game wasn't marked on many calendars. But here we are in Week 11 with both teams still above .500. It's the first time since 2008 that Miami and Buffalo have both carried winning records this late in the season.

The Bills won the first matchup quite easily, defeating Miami 29-10 in Week 2. Of course, that game was played in Buffalo, where the Bills had the benefit of home-field advantage. Buffalo also had two healthy running backs for that game, which won't be the case on Thursday.

With both teams fighting to stay in the AFC playoff picture, plenty will be on the line Thursday at Sun Life Stadium. Here are the keys to the game.

Is either team ready for prime time?

When you play in prime time every other week like Green Bay and Denver, you get used to it. But Buffalo and Miami haven't had that luxury.

Miami has played six prime-time games in the last four seasons while Buffalo has played just two. The Dolphins are 1-5 in those games. Buffalo is 1-1, with its one win coming against Miami.

Team	Date	Opponent	Game Site	Result
Miami	Sep. 12, 2011	New England	Sun Life Stadium	L 24-38
Miami	Oct. 17, 2011	NY Jets	MetLife Stadium	L 6-24
Miami	Nov. 15, 2012	Buffalo	Ralph Wilson Stadium	L 14-19
Miami	Sep. 30, 2013	New Orleans	Mercedes-Benz Superdome	L 17-38
Buffalo	Oct. 3, 2013	Cleveland	FirstEnergy Stadium	L 24-37
Miami	Oct. 31, 2013	Cincinnati	Sun Life Stadium	W 22-20 (OT)
Miami	Nov. 11, 2013	Tampa Bay	Raymond James Stadium	L 19-22

The added pressure of playing a prime-time game is not insignificant. Athletes are creatures of habit. They're used to playing Sundays at 1 p.m.

With three fewer days to prepare, Thursday games don't always feature the best football. We saw that last week when Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had a terrible game versus Cleveland.

Look at the star power playing in this game. The Dolphins are led by 26-year-old quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Buffalo's best receiver, Sammy Watkins, is only 21.

With such limited experience, it will be interesting to see how these teams handle the spotlight.

Will the Dolphins have an answer for Sammy Watkins?

They didn't in Week 2 when Watkins blew up for 117 yards on eight catches. With Buffalo's running game hitting the skids in recent weeks (we'll get to that in a minute), containing Watkins will be more important than ever.

Miami's best bet is to have Brent Grimes shadow Watkins. The Pro Bowl cornerback has four interceptions in his last three starts, including this beauty against Calvin Johnson in Week 10.

If Grimes can keep Watkins under wraps, Kyle Orton won't be nearly as effective in the passing game. But if Watkins has his way like he did in Week 2, Miami will be scrambling to keep up.

Will Ryan Tannehill get the protection he needs?

No quarterback was sacked more than Ryan Tannehill in 2013. Miami rebuilt its offensive line (it had to after the Richie Incognito bullying scandal), so he's been a little better protected this season (ninth-most sacks in the league).

Buffalo's defensive line, led by Marcell Dareus, Jerry Hughes and Mario Williams, may be the most talented in football. The Bills lead the NFL with 34 sacks, including four against Tannehill in Week 2. That's the most sacks the Miami offensive line has surrendered in a game this season.

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Miami will have to do a better job in the trenches on Thursday. If not, Tannehill and the Dolphins passing game could be in for a long night.

Can Buffalo run the ball effectively?

Last season, the Bills finished second in the league in rushing. This year, they're 20th.

Losing C.J. Spiller to a broken collarbone was huge, and now, it's unclear if Fred Jackson (groin) will be able to suit up Thursday night. NFL Network's Albert Breer posted this on Thursday morning.

That leaves Buffalo with Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon to fill the void. Those two did a respectable job last week versus Kansas City (combined 16 carries for 97 yards), but Miami has given up the 10th-fewest rushing yards in the league.

A strong running game sets up the pass. Without it, the play-calling becomes predictable and the defense can anticipate the pass, neutralizing deep options like Watkins or Robert Woods. Incomplete passes lead to three-and-outs, and that gives the ball right back to Miami. That's certainly not what the Bills want.

Since the Bills are better on the road (3-1) than they are at home (2-3), I'd give Buffalo a slight advantage. Either way, it's a must-win game for both teams.

The Bills and Dolphins still have dates with Denver and New England coming up, and nine wins may not be enough to make the postseason. A victory for Buffalo would give the Bills the tiebreaker over Miami if both teams finish with the same record.

Thursday's game should be a good one. But in the mean time, can we all take a minute to help Rich Eisen look for his truck (h/t USA Today)?