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Game-day details
Sun., 1 p.m. ET, Raymond James Stadium
Weather forecast from AccuWeather.com:
Partly sunny. High: 87. Low: 72.
Why To Watch
If the Bucs' Carnell Williams has recovered from his hamstring injury, he and college teammate Ronnie Brown will square off against each other for the first time as professionals. The Auburn reunion, however, will be overshadowed by the return of Miami running back Ricky Williams, who is coming back from a four-game suspension that followed a one-year sabbatical.
The Dolphins have had a surprisingly strong start thanks to a strong defense led by middle linebacker Zach Thomas and defensive end/outside linebacker Jason Taylor and a serviceable offense led by Brown and quarterback Gus Frerotte. With the return of Williams, the Dolphins might have the makings of a thunder-and-lightning rushing attack that would give the Dolphins an edge in time of possession and field position.
The Bucs' undefeated campaign ended with a loss to the Jets on the road last week. Miami has lost nine of its past 10 road games, but the Bucs are sure to be fired up after the loss in New York. Williams missed last week's game, and quarterback Brian Griese failed to move the offense without him to create space for the passing game. The Bucs managed only four field goals in their 14-12 loss to the Jets.
Dolphins Keys For Success
1. Run the ball. With Brown (17 rushes for 97 yards in Week 5) comfortable in the Miami offense and Ricky Williams returning to action, the Dolphins now have two dynamic running backs. Williams and Brown will attack the Bucs' interior, looking to neutralize the gap-shooting tackles and getting a matchup on middle linebacker Shelton Quarles, who sometimes struggles at the point of attack and is better in pursuit.
2. Get consistent play from Frerotte. Frerotte shouldn't be asked to win games with his arm, but he must not be the reason the Dolphins lose. He had three interceptions Sunday in a 20-14 loss at Buffalo. When not handing off the ball, Frerotte should hit Brown and Williams out the backfield and challenge the Bucs downfield with wide receivers Chris Chambers and Marty Booker and tight end Randy McMichael. If none are open, Frerotte must throw the ball away.
3. Pierce the Bucs' offensive line. Griese seems incapable of throwing a pass away, so he almost always will force a pass into coverage when under pressure. Miami should move Taylor -- two sacks in Week 5 -- around and force the Bucs to adjust their blocking assignments. The Dolphins should blitz the running lanes to string out the backs toward the sideline.
Buccaneers Keys For Success
1. Stay balanced on offense. The Bucs know this will be a low-scoring game because of the two strong defenses. Look for Carnell Williams and Michael Pittman to run directly at Thomas to set up play-action passes for Griese. Wide receivers Michael Clayton and Ike Hilliard should be open on underneath routes, helping the Bucs possess the ball, eat the clock and gain an advantage in field position.
2. Challenge the Dolphins' secondary. The Dolphins will be forced to play tight against the Bucs' typical dink-and-dunk offense, so speedy wide receiver Joey Galloway should get many man-to-man opportunities against cornerback Sam Madison. The Bucs must throw downfield to loosen up Miami's defense.
3. Control the line of scrimmage on defense. The Bucs' defense is built on speed and quickness. Facing a Miami line that features two 320-pound guards and a 310-pound center, Bucs defensive tackles Anthony McFarland and Chris Hovan must use their quickness to shoot the gaps and create pressure in the backfield. If they get trapped trying to hold position against Miami's bigger linemen, McFarland and Hovan will wear down quickly.
Injuries at a glance
Dolphins injuries
10/11/05 Junior Seau LB Calf Day to day
10/11/05 David Boston WR Knee Status unclear for Week 6
Buccaneers injuries
10/10/05 Carnell Williams RB Foot/hamstring Probable for Week 6
10/6/05 Matt Stinchcomb G Back Put on IR
The Bottom Line
The team that better establishes a running game will win. Period.
The Bucs' Carnell Williams is nursing foot and hamstring injuries that could slow his efforts, and backup Michael Pittman is a major step down. Miami's Ricky Williams returns and might not be in game condition, but he and Brown are healthy. Miami should win on the strength of its running game, which will control the clock and keep its defense fresh and ready to wreak havoc on Griese down the stretch.
Pick: Dolphins 17, Buccaneers 14
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Dolphins vs Bucs
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