Dolphins visit Ravens for Thursday Night Football
Thursday Night Football kicks off Week 8 of the NFL regular season when the Miami Dolphins visit the Baltimore Ravens. The current line has Baltimore favored by 3 points with the over/under point total on 37.
Entering this game, Miami on the season is 4-2 straight up and 3-2-1 against the spread. On the road, the Dolphins are 2-1 SU and ATS. Baltimore on the season is 3-4 SU and ATS. At home, the Ravens are 1-2 SU and ATS.
Miami is battling with New England for top spot in the AFC East, following its 31-28 win last week over division rivals the New York Jets after trailing 28-14. Backup signal caller Matt Moore came him after Jay Cutler was injured to rally the Dolphins to the win.
Baltimore’s receiving corps has been decimated by injury and in turn their offense has struggled evidenced by last weekend’s 24-16 loss to Minnesota.
Moore will continue as Miami’s starting quarterback due to Cutler’s chest injury. Moore tossed a pair of touchdowns to Kenny Stills in Miami’s come from behind victory on Sunday.
However, Miami still needed an ill-advised past by Jets QB Josh McCown to set up their winning field goal with only 22 seconds left on the clock. Miami’s defense has played well and is No. 7 in the NFL in points allowed at 18.7 per game.
Baltimore’s offense is so poor that the team’s field goal kicker Justin Tucker is its best weapon. The Ravens’ kicker booted three field goals in Sunday’s loss and the offense scored its only touching as time expired making it meaningless as they still lost by 8 points.
Ravens wide receivers Mike Wallace and Jeremy Maclin are both nursing back injuries. Wallace played but was lost during the game to a concussion and is now in concussion protocol.
Making matters worse, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco suffered five sacks and the running game rushed for just 64 total yards and that spells trouble for the offense.
The Ravens defense allowed Minnesota to gain 169 yards on the ground and is last in the NFL against the run. Baltimore has lost its past two home games and has lost two straight overall.
The surprise is the Ravens continue to be favored to win, but that is due to Moore being a backup for the Dolphins but starting.
Miami is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games played on fieldturf.
Baltimore is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games played.
Prediction: Baltimore’s offense is worse than many college football programs. The Dolphins improve slightly under Matt Moore, at least this week and will cover and likely win outright.
