Don't look now, but we have an AFC East between two hopeful teams as the Miami Dolphins battle it out with the New York Jets for bragging rights. Join us for another edition of our NFL odds series, where our Dolphins-Jets prediction and pick will be revealed.
After a long, ten-day layover since the last time they suited up for play, the Dolphins enter Week 5 with backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in line for the start on Sunday. It was certainly a controversial week and a half for Miami, as they were the talk of the town when they decided to send Tua Tagovailoa out on the field just a few days after it seemed he had sustained a head injury against the Bills. To make a long story short, Tua was knocked out unconscious in one of the scariest injuries you'll ever see and will not be available to play for weeks to come. Nevertheless, Miami is still 3-1 and needs to continue the positive momentum that they have garnered thus far.
When it comes to New York, the Jets welcomed QB Zach Wilson back with open arms after he sustained a knee injury during the preseason and were able to secure a big-time win in Pittsburgh by a score of 24-20. By evening up their record at 2-2, the Jets have been able to keep pace with the rest of the AFC East and can really stir the pot if they can treat the home crowd to a victory over the Dolphins.
Here are the Dolphins-Jets NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Dolphins-Jets Odds
Miami Dolphins: -3.5 (-104)
New York Jets: +3.5 (-118)
Over: 45.5 (-106)
Under: 45.5 (-114)
Why The Dolphins Could Cover The Spread
Despite losing Tua in the worst possible fashion, the Dolphins are at least in good hands with one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league in Teddy “Two Gloves” Bridgewater. Serving as Denver's starter a season ago, Teddy was mostly solid in relief with 193 passing yards to go along with a touchdown and an interception. Near the end, Bridgewater's lone interception proved to be very costly, but he has been the type of quarterback that doesn't commit turnovers often as that is exactly what Miami needs to avoid in this one.
Outside of playing turnover-free football, the Dolphins are fortunate to surround Bridgewater with talent galore on offense. With two of the fastest receivers in the game on the outside, don't expect the Dolphins to miss a beat. Not to mention, this pass-happy offense may choose to run the ball a little more frequently in this one. This means that running back Rahim Mostert, who received the bulk of the carries against the Bengals with 15 total to have a big impact on the outcome of this divisional duel.
In order to boost their chances of covering the spread, it will be important for Miami's defense to generate some pressure on Zach Wilson to make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket. New York has lost a horrifying 12 straight games to the division which includes four in a row to Miami. With that being said, the fact that Miami has had this team's number will surely be on the minds of every Dolphins player before kickoff in this one.
Why The Jets Could Cover The Spread
On paper, the Jets look like an improved squad through their first four opening games under the leadership of head coach Robert Saleh in his second season running the show. After former Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco did a serviceable job by not allowing the wheels to fall off, New York now has the chance to prove to the rest of the league that they are ready to take that next step in being a possible dark horse playoff team.
In what will be the biggest game that the Jets have played in quite some time, New York has to start by getting the monkey off of their back in their own division. When looking at this matchup, the Jets must find a way to get Zach Wilson in a better rhythm offensively. In his first game back from injury, Wilson completed only eight of his first 24 passes in the opening three quarters but was able to shake the rust off in time during the final two drives of the game with 128 passing yards and a pair of touchdown strikes. Clearly, Wilson has all of the talent in the world, but setting him up for success with precise play calling and proper protection up front will be key.
Additionally, the Jets' secondary has put the clamps on opposing wideouts and has only allowed 230 passing yards per game. New York will have their hands full going up against Hill and Waddle, but they have shown that they are more than capable of holding its own.
Final Dolphins-Jets Prediction & Pick
Can the Jets finally break their dreaded losing streak versus the AFC East? While only time will tell if they can come out with a triumphant victory, New York should be able to at least cover the +3 point spread in front of what should be a hectic atmosphere at MetLife Stadium.
Final Dolphins-Jets Prediction & Pick: Jets +3.5 (-118)
Follow Us
Subscribe