Denver Broncos (3-8 SU, 2-8-1 ATS) vs. Miami Dolphins (4-7 SU, 3-6-2 ATS)
NFL Football Week 13
Date/Time: Sunday December 3rd, 2017. 1:00PM (EST)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium Miami, F.L.
TV: FOX
by Jay, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: DEN -1/MIA +1
Over/Under Total: 38.5
The Denver Broncos head into Miami this Sunday for a meeting with the Miami Dolphins inside Hard Rock Stadium in what promises to be a game of least significance. The Broncos are losers of 7 straight games and are on the verge of a total offensive collapse. Meanwhile the Dolphins have not played much better losing 5 straight games in the midst of similar offensive struggles. The good news for both teams entering this Sundays contest is that someone has to win which potentially gives rise to the opportunity that one of these offenses could finally break out of their slump.
For the Dolphins, it has been a year to forget in many ways. Despite jumping out to a surprising 4-2 SU start, the Dolphins have fallen apart as losers of 5 straight games. The reason for the collapse is because the offense has just been horrible. Quarterback Jay Cutler originally lost time due to broken ribs then most recently suffered a concussion which held him out of last weeks 35-17 loss to the Patriots. Cutler has not been good this year or ever in my opinion.
However, he is better than backup quarterback Matt Moore who has tossed 5 interceptions with just 4 touchdowns this season. Along with the horrendous quarterback play, the Dolphins rushing attack has vanished. It struggled before Jay Ajayi departed to Philadelphia and it has continued to struggle with the committee approach picked up by Kenyon Drake and Damien Williams. The Dolphins have averaged just 79 yards per game on the ground which is the 4th worst total in the NFL. Therefore if you combine the quarterback play along with the running woes, then it is easy to see why fans have been so frustrated with this Miami offense in recent weeks.
For Denver, things have been even worse. The Broncos have experimented with 3 different quarterbacks since replacing original starter Trevor Siemian. Those experiments failed with both Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch. The experiments failed so bad that the Broncos even parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. This week the team will reportedly turn back to Siemian who carries a season stat line of 1,818 yards, 60% passing, with 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
Like Miami, Denver has also struggled to run the ball in a collective dismal effort that has produced just 17.9 points per game. Running back C.J Anderson has not impressed but continues to steal the majority of the touches. I feel like the best running back on the team is Devontae Booker but the coaching staff has refused to give Booker the majority stake in the running game. As a result, wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders remain the Broncos biggest threats on offense. Of course the problem still surrounds getting either receiver the football.
From a matchup standpoint, the Broncos seemingly hold the slight edge because their defense is still very good. Despite the offenses struggles, the Broncos still rank 3rd in total defense giving up just 289 yards per game. However, this game is in Miami and the Broncos have historically played very poorly on the East coast. If Jay Cutler can return this week, I think it gives the Dolphins an even better chance. WR Jarvis Landry lines up as the inside receiver often and one of the Broncos biggest challenges is covering the middle of the field. I believe opportunities will be there for Landry but Miamis offense has to capitalize on their opportunities. It may only take a few big plays to win this game considering both offenses continued struggles.
Jay’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread:The Broncos are a complete mess and have not even shown glimpses of having answers for their struggles. I believe Miami is playing the best football between both teams. I think they will have some plus side matchups and I also like the situational aspect of this game being in Miami. Therefore, I will ride with the Dolphins +1 – Bet this game for FREE by taking advantage of a FAT 100% bonus up to $1000 at MyBookie! (Use Promo Code: PRDCT14)
