For their second taste of actual competition this NFL preseason, the Miami Dolphins will welcome the Las Vegas Raiders into Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
The rosters will soon shrink for each team in the league, and fringe players will be fighting for an opportunity to stay with their teams.
Head Coach Clash
This head coaching clash will feature a pair of first-year men. Miami’s Mike McDaniel was brought in this off-season after having some success as one of the minds behind San Francisco’s attack.
A protege of Bill Belichick’s, Josh McDaniels, takes over in Sin City after the mess that was Jon Gruden’s exit a season ago.
We now have a statistical basis for our wagers, so let’s sort some things out before we make our Dolphins vs. Raiders betting predictions.
NFL 2021-22 Scoreboard Record
The Miami Dolphins squeaked by an in-state rival in the form of Tampa Bay this past Saturday, defeating the Bucs by a 26-24 score.
In that one, Miami went for 242 yards on offense and featured a 218-yard effort through the air by third-stringer Skylar Thompson.
The Las Vegas Raiders have competed in a pair of preseason tilts to this point, beating Jacksonville, 27-11, in the Hall of Fame game and downing Minnesota, 26-20, on Sunday.
Dolphins vs. Raiders Betting Analysis
Dolphins Analysis
Lynn Bowden Jr., Mohamed Sanu, and Trent Sheffield all had receptions of at least 26 yards. That sort of dynamic ability was needed, being that the team’s ground game wasn’t at its strongest.
Six different players had at least one carry for the Dolphins, with Myles Gaskin leading the team with four totes and 27 yards.
Miami’s Struggle
Miami struggled to convert on third down against the Bucs, going 2-for-10. The offense will want to do better in moving the sticks when it’s needed in this one.
The Dolphins stayed clean when it came to turning the ball over, not giving their opponents any help in that regard.
Dolphins Defense
On defense safety, Elijah Campbell grabbed an interception, and linebacker Darius Hodge registered a sack, adding a kick that helped a pass-heavy offense.
Raiders Analysis
Three different quarterbacks played against the Minnesota Vikings, with Nick Mullens looking sharp. Having appeared in 20 regular seasons in his career, he’s looking to leapfrog Jarrett Stidham on Las Vegas’ depth chart.
Mullens went 7-of-9 for 94 yards and a score. Tailback Brittain Brown rumbled for 54 yards on 14 gives.
The Raiders also took care of the ball but did much better on third down. They were successful in converting nearly 50% of their tries.
NFL Injury Report
The most notable player dealing with an injury for the Raiders is tight end Darren Waller, who’s nursing a hamstring problem. Six of his teammates, including linebacker Micah Kiser, are out.
The Dolphins have a pair of injured players in their secondary — Trill Williams and Byron Jones. Both cornerbacks are ruled out for this contest, with the latter doing his best to be back by the regular season opener.
Miami Dolphins vs. Las Vegas Raiders Betting Preview
Before we make some NFL betting picks, let’s check out the NFL betting odds for this one. The visitors appear to have the upper hand, being that they’re -2 on the spread at -110. The Lions are listed at the same number to cover.
On the moneyline, the Raiders are -125, while Miami is a +105 underdog. The total is set at 40.5 points, with the over at -115 and the under put down at -105 at the time of this writing.
Dolphins vs. Raiders Betting Prediction
For what it’s worth, McDaniels and Las Vegas have been on a roll in their exhibitions. The Raiders have a pair of quarterbacks behind Derek Carr, who are trying to make their mark as backups.
Miami, though, saw solid performance out of Thompson last week. If he can put the offense on his back again, the Dolphins have a chance. Still, take Las Vegas to cover the spread in this one.
NFL Pick: -1 (-110)
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