By Charles Jay
NFL betting aficionados are aware that the Miami Dolphins have been a disappointment after teasing them through the first few weeks of the 2013 season. Now, in order to stay a viable factor in the AFC playoff race, the Dolphins must perform at home against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team on a winning streak, in a game that is scheduled to begin at 8:30 PM ET at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.
Cincinnati has seized the lead in the AFC North and does not want to let go; they sport a 6-2 record and have won four games in a row. Miami is 3-4 and looking up in the AFC East, after suffering a come-from-ahead defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots.
In the NFL betting odds that have been established on this game by America’s Bookie, the Bengals are favored by a field goal:
Cincinnati Bengals -3
Miami Dolphins +3
Over 43 Points -110
Under 43 Points -110
Cincinnati began its winning streak against the Patriots, and in that game they broke Tom Brady’s string of consecutive games with a touchdown pass. That followed with tight wins against the Bills and Lions, and last week they just blew out the New York Jets 49-9. In that contest they ran into rookie Geno Smith and did a pretty good impression of a steamroller, limiting Smith to 159 yards on 30 passes, intercepting him twice and sacking four times.
Now pro football bettors have to project how that defense will do against Ryan Tannehill, who has shown more of a proclivity to being sacked than anyone else in the National Football League. Tannehill, who had more interceptions than touchdown passes as a rookie, and he may be headed down that same path this season,. And even though he has an improved receiver corps, he has still not had as much time to throw as he’s wanted to. In the offseason, the Dolphins (+135 money line underdogs in this game at America’s Bookie) let left tackle Jake Long, a Pro Bowl performer, leave in free agency. They haven’t really been able to plug the void left by him.
Tannehill has been sacked 32 times, including six times last week against new England, as Miami allowed 24 unanswered points in the 27-17 defeat. One of the things the Dolphin management did was reach out and acquire Bryant McKinnie, the veteran who knows this Cincinnati defensive scheme from his experience playing against them with Baltimore, but if he had been effective with Baltimore, he might not have been made available. He was pressed into service very quickly last week and coach Joe Philbin is hoping – indeed praying – that he can add some protection for Tannehill, who should be having more success working within what is essentially the same system he had in college under current offensive coordinator Mike Sherman.
Can they run the ball? Well, the Dolphins were able to get 89 yards last week from Lamar Miller. Frankly, that is the kind of thing they are going to need as they continue to try and take pressure off their quarterback.
Cincinnati’s been pretty good at slowing down the run, holding teams to 3.8 yards a carry. Miami’s defense has produced that same figure. But pro football bettors at America’s Bookie, when pressed, would have to say that the quarterback for the Bengals (-155 favorites to win straight-up in the NFL odds) is a little better equipped to handle adverse situations. Andy Dalton has tossed 16 touchdown passes, including five last week against the Jets, and he has the best receiver on the field in AJ Green (46 catches, 734 yards), who looks like he is once again headed to the Pro Bowl, a big boost for this team after missing most of the training camp with an injury. Conversely, the Dolphins saw Brandon Gibson go down for the year with a knee injury, and he joins another player who was a big receiving acquisition for them (Dustin Keller) on the injured reserve.
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