Dolphins DC Kevin Coyle admitted his team had few answers for Tennessee RB Chris Johnson last week. That’s why he’s so concerned with what he sees when he watches film of Buffalo RB C.J. Spiller.

“They have speed unlike most guys in the league, both Johnson and Spiller, in that you practice against it, yet when you see it for the first time in a game it’s a little bit different,” Coyle said. “Sometimes it takes some getting used to -- the speed of the game, so to speak, but we can’t waste any time getting used to it here this week. We have to be prepared to go out there and I think we’ll do a better job. We started working on it here this afternoon.”

Johnson snapped Miami’s streak of 22 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher as he gashed the Dolphins for 126 yards and a touchdown in a 37-3 win last week. Spiller will offer a similar challenge when Miami (4-5) travels to play Buffalo (3-6) on Thursday at 8:20 p.m. ET.

The former Clemson star has rushed for 632 yards with four touchdowns while hauling in 28 catches for 297 yards with one score.

“Our margin of error is so small and now we’ve put our backs up against the wall,” Coyle said. “But I believe in these guys and I know that we can come out of this thing and we plan to give it our best shot here on Thursday night.”

Short on options: Dolphins coach Joe Philbin can’t pinpoint why his team has struggled in short-yardage situations this season.

“[It’s] a variety of reasons,” he said. “Sometimes, penetration. Sometimes, [the] read of the back. Sometimes, a combination thereof. Usually, the things that affect runs are quick penetration and indecisiveness running the ball or poor course or poor read, all those things. You throw on our tape, in third-and-1, you’ll probably see a little bit of all that.”

Miami has had little luck in using FB Jorvorskie Lane as a power runner and RB Daniel Thomas has found mixed success on the goal line. The situation has Philbin searching for answers, especially after Lane was stuffed early on a third down that could have changed the momentum in the blowout loss to Tennessee.

“It’s not very good,” Philbin said. “When you look at the film, the film’s not good to watch.”

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Miami Dolphins from blogger Dave Carey, follow @CBSDolphins.