Thursday Night Football Betting Preview: Dolphins at Bills

Bills running back C.J. Spiller, who tore up the Dolphins for two touchdowns in one game last season, will get the start for Buffalo this week.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-1, 46)

Buffalo fans get a rare chance to see their team in prime time as the Bills play host to their AFC East rivals on Thursday Night Football.

Though they’ve lost three in a row and five of their last six, the Bills have at least been competitive lately. They fell 35-34 at home to Tennessee Oct. 21, dropped a 21-9 decision at Houston Nov. 14, and lost 37-31 last weekend in New England as Ryan Fitzpatrick was predictably intercepted in the end zone in the final minute.

Buffalo will be without star RB Fred Jackson (concussion) this week, but C.J. Spiller has proved to be a more than capable backup. Spiller ran for 91 yards, caught nine passes for 76 yards and scored two TDs against the Dolphins in a home loss last season.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have come back down to earth a bit since a surprisingly strong start to the year. Miami won four of its first seven before falling 23-20 to the Colts in Week 9, and things got really ugly last week in a 37-3 home loss to the Titans.

Fortunately for the Dolphins, they’ve thrived in recent meetings with Buffalo. Miami outscored the Bills 65-31 on the way to sweeping the season series a year ago, has won six of the last eight meetings and has been victorious in three of its last four trips to Buffalo.

The Dolphins have gone under the total in five straight games and in 25 of their last 34 road contests. Buffalo, however, is on a 5-0 run to the over at home and 6-0-1 in its last seven division games.