The 5 easiest matchups on the Buffalo Bills 2019 schedule
By Avery Duncan
1. Miami Dolphins (week 7 in Buffalo, week 11 in Miami)
The Miami Dolphins haven’t been a truly competitive team in a long time. In 2019, they are attempting to change that notion, by being uncompetitive. After a busy off-season highlighted by departures, fresh-faces, and a couple of new quarterbacks, the league-wide consensus is that the Dolphins are tanking to alter their destiny.
The Dolphins’ tank started shortly after going 7-9 in 2018, as they fired head coach Adam Gase for former New England Patriots defensive play-caller Brian Flores. In many eyes, including mine, the hire of Flores is a good one; he’s excellent at leading defense and worked his way up quickly through Belichick’s coaching staff. But he didn’t inherit a particular good roster. Instead, he inherited one that needs a culture change — as indicated by a troubling past few years by staff and players.
Miami swapped Ryan Tannehill — a perpetually average quarterback — for tank maestro Ryan Fitzpatrick (or Fitzmagic/tragic) and Arizona Cardinals castoff sophomore Josh Rosen. A series of moves to switch a meddling signal-caller for an off-and-on one — that tends to lead bad teams to good picks — and a 2018 first-round pick that disappointed as a rookie makes for a QB room that is all but sure.
To surround each the passer is an offense with breakout candidates (WR Kenny Stills, WR De’Vante Parker [again], WR Albert Wilson, and RB Kenyan Drake) and an offensive line now devoid of their starting right tackle –they will likely start Jordan Mills. The rest is considered as below league average. On defense, CB Xavien Howard, DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, and DT Christian Wilkins are good building blocks, but the rest may be subject to change.
The Dolphins’ competitive timeline starts in a couple of years. Before they can do so, their quarterback position must be figured out. Fitzpatrick is the epitome of a placeholder — he’s not going to do long-term. Rosen is promising, but his rookie season was more bad than good. Their answer probably isn’t on their roster, as it may be whomever they pick in the top-five if they tank correctly — likely Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Fromm, or Justin Herbert in 2020, Trevor Lawrence in 2021.
The Trent Murphy ripple effect looms large over the Buffalo Bills. dark. Next
Luckily, the Bills get to face them twice a year for the foreseeable future.