Cleveland Browns at Miami Dolphins, Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Sunday, December 5, 2010, 1:00 pm EST, TV: CBS
Opening Line: Dolphins -5.5
Current Line: Dolphins -4.5
Opening Total: 43
Current Total: 43
Money Line: Dolphins -225 / Browns -185
The Miami Dolphins (6-5) have been one of the NFL’s worst home teams this season, but they will get a bit of a break this week by hosting one of the worst road teams in the Cleveland Browns (4-7) on Sunday. All four home losses for the Dolphins (-4.5) so far have come against teams that have eight wins or more, as the Browns will be worst team that has visited Sun Life Stadium.
Miami rebounded from a 16-0 home loss to Chicago two weeks ago by winning 33-17 at Oakland last Sunday. Quarterback Chad Henne returned to action after injuring his knee in the team’s previous home game back in Week 10, which resulted in a 29-17 win over Tennessee. Henne threw for 307 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Raiders.
The Dolphins hope to put together a late-season run at a playoff spot despite sitting three games behind AFC East co-leaders New England and New York. One of those two teams will lose on Monday night, and Miami’s last three home opponents are a combined 8-25 this year.
Cleveland has not won in Miami since 1970, but the team did pull off a 30-17 upset of New Orleans for its only win of the season away from home in Week 7. The Browns were 12-point road underdogs against the Saints, and they have gone 1-3 against the spread in their other four road games – all straight-up losses.
Jake Delhomme will likely be under center for Cleveland due to a nagging ankle injury for rookie Colt McCoy, who still had not been cleared to practice on Wednesday. Delhomme completed 24 of 35 passes for 245 yards in a 24-23 home win over Carolina last week, but he also threw two interceptions. He has now tossed 24 picks in his last 14 games dating back to last season.
Fortunately for the Browns, running back Peyton Hillis continues to be a force on the ground. Hillis scored three more touchdowns against the Panthers while running for 131 yards. He ranks fourth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,319 and is tied for second in the league with 13 touchdowns.
Cleveland has covered the last three meetings with the Dolphins, and the UNDER has cashed twice in those games. However, the OVER is 6-0 in the last six games for the Browns and 4-1 in Miami’s home games this season.
Now that you have read this football betting preview featuring the Dolphins & Browns, be sure to check out the NFL odds on this and all the games to compare the best lines at multiple sportsbooks.
