The odds line for the Dolphins-Bills game on “Thursday Night Football” is so lopsided that you wonder if Miami should simply stay home and forfeit.
12 1/2 points in Buffalo’s favor.
Then again … Jets 16, Colts 7.
OK, it’s ridiculous to recall Super Bowl III – that was 56 years ago!
Still, upsets happen in the NFL all the time. Everything seems stacked against the Dolphins in this nationally televised game – the Bills are 2-0 and looking like a Super Bowl team while the Dolphins are 0-2 and looking like a lock for the first pick in next spring’s NFL Draft.
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How bad has Miami been in losses to the Colts and Patriots? Bad enough that the defense has allowed points on 13 of 17 possessions with two of those end of first half/end of game kneel downs. Bad enough that Tua Tagovailoa has been a turnover machine while often running for his life. Bad enough that the two main areas of concern – that would be the secondary and offensive line, at least among media and fans – are now disaster zones thanks to injuries.
But we are nothing if not professionals at Palm Beach Post Sports so here are our predictions on Dolphins-Bills:
Joe Schad – Bills 34-21
The Bills are 1st and 7th in the NFL in total offense and defense. The Dolphins are 23rd and 26th. Perhaps getting out of town and playing on a short week and having 99 percent of bettors – no, seriously – taking the Bills on money-line wagers, will give Miami an early boost. We say Miami takes an early lead, then wilts as Josh Allen picks apart the Dolphins’ struggling defense in the second half. We say this isn’t so bad that pundits call for Mike McDaniel’s job in the immediate aftermath of the game. But 0-3 is 0-3.
Hal Habib – Bills 42-6
Quick challenge: The Dolphins are 0-2. Next up: Bills. Setting: Buffalo. Timing: Short week. I couldn’t concoct a more frightening horror tale for the Dolphins than that.
Tom D’Angelo – Bills 38-17
Josh Allen has thrown for 37 TDs and 8 interceptions vs. the Dolphins. The Bills offense is on a heater to start the season. The Dolphins defense cannot get off the field. The game is at night in South Buffalo. The Dolphins started the season with an uninspiring, embarrassing effort followed by a game the Patriots tried to hand them, and they kept giving back. All the pressure is on Miami with owner Stephen Ross facing pressure to blow it all up. Not a good recipe.
Nick Pugliese – Bills 42-14
Bills crush Dolphins leading to Black Friday in Miami Gardens. Like to say the Dolphins can pull what could be the upset of the season in Orchard Park, but there is nothing that leads to that conclusion. They keep it close for a half and then it all falls apart in the second half. If Mike McDaniel gets fired the day after, don’t feel too sorry for him. Besides his nice buyout, he’ll land a job as an offensive coordinator with some other NFL team.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Our Miami Dolphins experts make bold predictions for ‘Thursday Night Football’ at Buffalo Bills
Reporting by Nick Pugliese, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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