AFC east.(NFL)

BUFFALO BILLS

Jason Peters is considered LT Mike Gandy's primary backup, but Peters is being used a lot as an extra tight end-his college position-in short-yardage and goal-line situations. The Bills see him as a diamond in the rough who could be the starting left tackle down the road, but they don't want to let his athletic ability or pass-catching skills go to waste. ... RT Mike Williams has shown signs of becoming the dominant player the Bills expected to get when they drafted him fourth overall in 2002. He's a force as a run blocker, using his size (6-6,360) and strength to drive defenders off the line. He also works hard to finish his blocks. He needs work in pass protection; he sometimes uses poor technique and struggles against speed rashers because he lacks mobility. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The once-proud run defense ranks near the bottom of the league. It has allowed three 100-yard rushing performances, matching 2004's total. The Bills have struggled with zone blocking schemes because a couple of defenders have been overaggressive in pursuing the ball, which creates cutback lanes. The team thinks the primary problem has been missed assignments.--Alien Wilson

MIAMI DOLPHINS

RB Ricky Williams' game has changed after spending a year away from football. He's smaller, so he's more of a slash-and-speed back. In the past, he was so good at pounding the strong side of the formation that defenses would have to overload to that side. He would then use his quickness to cut back to the weak side. Now, he can't run through tackles the same way; he's more of an outside threat. ... No. 1 WR Chris Chambers has the ability of a top NFL receiver but hasn't produced like one. He has been accused of not attacking passes, and sometimes he doesn't see the field well. He fails to overwhelm opponents physically despite superior tools. DEFENSIVE SYSTEM CHECK: The run defense is solid, but occasional lapses and poor tackling have hurt. The third-down struggles primarily are the result of coverage problems in the secondary. But other than the loss to Tampa Bay last week, the unit has adjusted well after halftime and been solid in the third quarter. It also has been consistently good in goal-line situations, stopping opponents from scoring on 14 of 15 runs from the 5 or closer.--Jason Cole

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