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Rejoice football fans! We have made it another week closer to the start of the NFL regular season! However, until then, settling for preseason action is all that we can do. The Las Vegas Raiders will travel to sunny Miami, Florida to take on the Dolphins for an epic Week 2 preseason showdown. It is time to check out our NFL preseason odds series, where our Raiders-Dolphins prediction and pick will be selected.
With a flawless 2-0 record thus far in the preseason, the Raiders have used a tremendous amount of balance in their first two official games of the 2022 season. Even if the outcome of each preseason game may not be of the utmost importance, Las Vegas has certainly discovered some playmakers who can make a difference on this roster this season.
As for Miami, the Dolphins will be playing their second preseason game after coming out on top up north in Tampa against the Buccaneers by a score of 26-24. In that contest, the Fins were out-gained in yardage 389-242 but forced two Bucs turnovers that ultimately put them on top for good.
Here are the Raiders-Dolphins NFL Preseason odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NFL Preseason Odds: Raiders-Dolphins Odds
Las Vegas Raiders: -1 (-110)
Miami Dolphins: +1 (-110)
Over: 40.5 (-115)
Under: 40.5 (-105)
Why The Raiders Could Cover The Spread
Heading into their third and final preseason game before the real fun begins, the Raiders have a chance to go undefeated in exhibition play after winning two of three games during the preseason in 2021. However, the NFL's storied history tells us that success in the preseason has little to no impact on the success endured during the regular season. Just ask the 2008 Detroit Lions, who went unblemished in preseason play only to go 0-16 when the season began.
In this thrilling AFC matchup, the Raiders could cover the spread thanks to a few different reasons. To begin, Las Vegas' offense has been humming, as newly hired coach Josh McDaniels' fresh scheme has clearly put some life into the Raiders. Even with mostly backups being inserted for play, Las Vegas has averaged around 310 yards of total offense through two preseason games, and while that wouldn't usually be all that impressive during the regular season, the fact that the Raiders have out-gained their opponents with a bunch of moving pieces and personnel being moved in and out is a testament that McDaniels may have learned a thing or two since his last head coaching gig. Whether or not Derek Carr gets the start will be one thing, but McDaniels should be able to put his offense in a good position to score some points regardless.
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Defensively, the Raiders have also put the clamps on the opposition and have stood firm to whatever has been thrown their way. Be on the lookout for rookie linebacker Darien Butler to have another standout performance on Saturday. Against the Vikings, Butler was their leading tackler and seemed to be in on almost every tackle, and even played well in pass coverage.
Why The Dolphins Could Cover The Spread
Like the Raiders, the Dolphins are entering a new era in the hopes of building an offensive lenient roster that will play off of the strengths of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Not only that, but the Dolphins are also equipped with an offensive-minded head coach who loves to air out the football. They even share almost identical last names.
If Miami wants to cover the spread in this one against a Raiders team with a very similar blueprint to winning games, staying ahead of the chains will be a top objective. With only 242 yards of total offense against the Bucs last weekend, coach Mike McDaniel should be feeling eager to move the ball with more efficiency throughout this contest. This means that the quarterbacks should take what they are given if the Raiders secondary is playing conservatively, even if that forces Miami to hit some dump-off passes in the flat to keep the Las Vegas defense on their toes.
Not to mention, but the Dolphins most dangerous part of their game in the win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had to be their opportunistic nature to force turnovers. Not only was Miami dominated in yardage and the time of possession, but they also had ten fewer first downs than the Bucs. Creating turnovers has proven to be the ultimate equalizer, so if the Dolphins seem to be stuck in the mud yet again, someone on the defensive side of the ball will need to wreak some havoc to swing the momentum in Miami's favor.
Final Raiders-Dolphins Prediction & Pick
It's McDaniels vs McDaniel time! Which coach and team will have the upper hand in this one? The Raiders have an advantage with the extra game played under their belts, and it wouldn't be shocking if Josh McDaniels throws a wrinkle or two schematically to throw the Dolphins off of their game.
Final Raiders-Dolphins Prediction & Pick: Raiders -1 (-110)
