Vikings – Dolphins
Time: NOON CST
Spread: MIA -7
Total: 42.5
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The Miami Dolphins have all but fallen apart since a 5-3 start this season. Now at 7-7, their coach is on the hot seat and the Phins fell 41-13 to New England last week. This week, the team will find itself 7-point favorites at Bovada in NFL daily lines.
Miami has been outscored 69-26 over the last two weeks and Coach Joe Philbin said that the players, coaches and owners were all “disappointed,” also adding that he thought it was “understandable.”
Philbin, at this point, has to focus on winning two football games and letting the rest sort itself out after the season ends. He said that he’s just focused on getting the team to play to its potential, but the Phins are not entirely out of the postseason just yet: A win Sunday against the Jets and a lot of help will get the job done.
Miami’s offense has been incredibly weak, failing to score more than 16 points in each of the last three contests and rushing just 213 in the trio of games combined. QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown more INTs (3) than TDs (2) and he’s been sacked an average of five times per game over the last two weeks.
The Dolphins have received good production from Jarvis Landry, and WR coach Phil McGeoghan beamed over his prospects, calling his talent “unique,” which is something the Dolphins need going forward.
The Dolphins defensive efforts have lacked a good bit, too, and the team isn’t getting much pass rushing. Run defense has been poor. The Patriots also went 8-of-13 on third downs last week against Miami, and the Dolphins in general have been a lackluster team with third down situations basically since Week 9.
The Vikings are 6-8 but dropped last week as Blair Walsh missed three FGs and Teddy Bridgewater threw a couple of picks. Detroit is a team that the Vikings should have defeated realistically, and Bridgewater is making a lot of progress very quickly.
The former Louisville Cardinal has thrown 73 percent of his passes for completion in the last three games while also throwing for 300-plus yards the last two weeks. His three picks in the last two games are troubling, but there’s every reason to believe that his talent should be enough to eventually translate to a very good quarterback, and that has been the main takeaway from this season for fans in the Twin Cities.
Bridgewater was essentially thrown right into the fire far too early, but he swam rather than sank, by and large. He’ll have a long-term passing target in fellow rook Charles Johnson. The Vikings are shaping up the squad nicely for the future, and the team should rise to .500-plus next season if healthy. The last meeting between these clubs saw the Dolphins win 14-10 in Minnesota in 2010.
The point total being set at betting sites is 42.5 in the NFL live line, which greatly exceeds the offensive output of the teams four seasons ago, realistically set or not.
INJURY REPORT:
MIN, expected to play: S. Floyd, B. Robinson, R. Blanton (Q)
MIN Out: K Rudolph, A Barr, C Johnson, A Peterson, J McKinnon, M. Mauti, P Loadholt, M Cassel, B Fusco, D DeCicco
MIA, expected to play: C. McCain, J. Freeny, M. Misi, J. Jenkins (Q), D. Jones (Q), J, T Taylor (Q), B. Turner (Q)
MIA Out: D Thomas, N Garner, W Davis, A Johnson, L Delmas, B Albert, M Thomas, K Moreno, S Seamster, D Ellerbe, A Francis, M Gillislee, A Lynch
Betting Trends:
MIN: The UNDER is 4-0 in the Vikings last 4 road games. Minnesota is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an SU loss. Vikings are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 overall.
MIA: The Dolphins are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 December games. Miami is 1-6 ATS in the last 7 after allowing 30-plus points in previous matchup. Miami is 1-5 ATS in last 6 after accumulating less than 90 rushing yards in previous game.
