20 things we learned: Buffalo Bills 33, Miami Dolphins 17

Clearly the talent level on this Dolphins team was overestimated because Miami hasn’t had a competitive game against a division opponent. Maybe that’s because each of Miami’s AFC East opponents are strong on the defensive lines and Miami’s weakness is its offensive line. -- Omar Kelly

(Rich Barnes / Getty Images)

By Omar Kelly

and Steve Svekis

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Nov. 8, 2015 1:49 PM PT

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The Dolphins were sloppy and ill-equipped as they were gashed by the Buffalo Bills, sending Miami squarely into the AFC East basement.

Jay Ajayi gets first action of the season and the former Boise State standout has a pretty good showing

Ajayi, who missed the first seven games of the season because of a rib injury, gained 41 yards on five carries. The Dolphins’ 2015 fifth-round pick showed that he might be a better change of pace option than Jonas Gray and Damien Williams if given more opportunities. -- OK

(Rich Barnes / Getty Images)

Mike Pouncey had another errant snap for a safety

Last week the Dolphins gave up a safety on a bad snap against the Patriots, and this week Miami’s first possession of the game - the first offensive snap - turned into a safety after Pouncey snapped the ball right into Tannehill’s face. Miami’s quarterback couldn’t corral the ball and it turned into two easy points for the Bills. -- OK

(Bill Wippert / AP)

The Dolphins declined making Dan Carpenter try a 52-yard field goal in lieu of giving Buffalo a third-and-14

Even if Carpenter were to make a long-range three-pointer there, the score is only 22-14. It was as debatable as any game-management decision that greased the skids for the oh-so-critical loss. -- SS

(Bill Wippert / AP)

What does the remaining path look like for Miami in 2015?

The half-season-long scheduling hole that Dolphins owner Steve Ross dug for his team involves one more road game, in Philadelphia, against the 4-4 Eagles. Then, the Dolphins, who will have played one game at Sun Life Stadium in a 55-day span, return home to face the 2-6 Cowboys, who may have Tony Romo back for that game. The season concludes as such: At Jets (5-3), Ravens (2-6), Giants (5-4), At Chargers (2-6), Colts (4-5), Patriots (8-0). -- SS

(Al Bello / Getty Images)

The 2015 draft, which has offered little to the team this season, showed a tiny pulse

Along with the energetic debut of fifth-rounder Jay Ajayi, second-rounder Jordan Phillips logged his second sack of the season. -- SS

(Winslow Townson / AP)

Ryan’s teams -- filled with castoffs from other AFC East teams -- have won four of their past five games against the Dolphins. -- SS

(Gary Wiepert / AP)

The one Bill who didn't add to his Dolphins-killer stats? Mario Williams

Williams, who didn’t get his hands on Ryan Tannehill on Sunday, has 13 of his 94 career sacks in his 13 career games against Miami. His sack-per-game average against Miami dwarfs his career average against the 31 other NFL teams. He has averaged 0.65 sacks per game against the rest of the NFL (81 sacks in 125 games). -- SS

(Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images)

Sports

Omar Kelly

Omar Kelly is an NFL columnist and Dolphins beat writer for the Sun Sentinel. A Florida A&M University graduate and South Florida native, he has covered the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins during his career as a sports reporter, which began in 1997.

Steve Svekis

Steve Svekis has been at the Sun Sentinel since 1989. He has been the sports Sunday editor and page designer, assistant sports editor over high schools, business columnist and now web producer. He wrote and voiced a web-animated parody of the Miami Dolphins in 2004 and 2005 that earned an EPpy, beating out the New York Times and Toronto Star. He was a Dolphins beat writer in 2010.

20 things we learned: Buffalo Bills 33, Miami Dolphins 17

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