Cincinnati Bengals (6-2 SU, 5-2-1 ATS) vs. Miami Dolphins (3-4 SU, 3-4 ATS)
Week 9 NFL
Date/Time: Thursday Night Football, October 31, 2013 at 8:25PM EST
Where: SunLife Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
TV: NFL Network
By Loot, NFL Football Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Point Spread: CIN -2/MIA +2
Over/Under Total: 42
On Thursday, the Cincinnati Bengals come to south Florida to face the Miami Dolphins. The Bengals are coming off a 49-9 pounding of the Jets to send them to 6-2. Miami is coming off their 4th loss in a row in a game they could have won, against New England on the road. Miami is looking for something positive to reverse the skids, while the Bengals look to continue stepping out as the class of their division and one of the conference’s top threats.
The Bengals were awfully impressive in carving up the Jets on Sunday. QB Andy Dalton completed a career-high 5 touchdown passes, with WR Marvin Jones catching 4 of them in a dazzling display. AJ Green went for 115 yards. This is a team that is really coming into its own. The same can’t be said for their opponent on Thursday.
It’s tough on a team like Miami to begin the season at 3-0, before crashing down to earth on the heels of 4 straight losses. They had New England down 14-0 on the road on Sunday, in a game where a win would have put some much-needed wind back in their sails. But they got blanked in the second half en route to another demoralizing defeat. There are other teams in the league with a record of 3-4 or in the same neighborhood. But after another disappointing loss on Sunday and the fact that they started 3-0 makes it so Miami has arrived at this position with a loud thud.
Miami has issues that have been increasingly rearing their ugly head. The defense ha become increasingly inconsistent, capable of massive changes in form from quarter-to-quarter. The offense is more consistent, but has become consistently mediocre. In all 7 of their games this year, they have scored between 17 and 27 points and lately, it’s been toward the lower end of that range. QB Ryan Tannehill’s performances are getting more ragged. WR Mike Wallace, a big-money free agent offseason signing, has been decidedly pedestrian in his first 7 games in a Dolphins’ uniform. This offense definitely has a stagnant vibe at this point in the season.
There’s been something very quiet about the way the Bengals have gotten out of the gates with a 6-2 record. Following a week one loss to Chicago, they have won 6 of their last 7 games and are one of the premier teams in the AFC at this point. That could change, but waiting for Cincinnati to come down to earth could be a costly game to play. They are one of those teams that wins via routes that are not prone to getting massive national coverage. They’re good in all areas without really being spectacular in any one category. Their passing game is solid, but pales in comparison to the league’s more premier aerial attacks, despite the detonation this past Sunday. Their run game is mediocre at best. Their pass “D” is leaky at times, but more clutch in crucial situations. Their best asset just might be a stellar defensive line that is good at stuffing the run, in addition to putting pressure on quarterbacks.
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A lot of this game boils down to Miami’s projected spirits heading into Thursday. It seems that it’s getting to them a little bit. Coach Joe Philbin provides a steady hand in crisis situations, but their heads can’t be in a good place right now. But before we go shoveling dirt on the Dolphins, they are at home facing an opportunity to even it up at .500, which would put them in striking distance of New England or perhaps a wild card--whichever one doesn’t go to Kansas City or Denver. It’s still early and there’s a lot that can happen. The Dolphins still have a lot to play for and should be pumped up at home. Under the Philbin tenure, which is in its second year, the Dolphins have only been hammered at home once and that was over a year ago. One should expect them to be tough against Cincinnati.
Sometimes, you have to wonder about teams like the Bengals in these situations. It’s like how a baseball team that scores 16 runs will be flat the next game, as if they used up their good mojo the day before. 49 points for this Bengals offense is a bonanza. Now they have to take to the road against a team that really needs a win, while Cincinnati has won 6 of their last 7 games. It’s just a spot where you’d think Miami is perhaps due. The Bengals are hot and Miami has become ice-cold. But that can switch on a dime in this league and this looks like a good candidate for that.
Loot's Pick to Cover the Point Spread: Take the Miami Dolphins plus 2 points.
