The sportsbook odds are, at this juncture in time, undecided between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Miami Dolphins, in a case of the recherché pick’em game but for the latter, it’s either win or bust for the Fins. Even though the Fins have lost, and failed to cover in their last three straight games, the Bucs are in even worse shape, so some feel it’s not just ‘must win’ for Miami, but actually ‘will win.’
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— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 17, 2017
- Date: Sunday, 19th November
- Time: 1:05 PM
- Venue: Hard Rock Stadium
- NFL betting Spread:
Buccaneers PK (-105) 41½ (-115)
Dolphins PK (-115) 41½ (-105)
Professional redshirt
The term ‘redshirt’ is mostly associated with either collegiate sports or Star Trek, but the Palm Beach post makes a good point that the Dolphins’ mediocre 2017 season is a redshirt year of sorts for QB Ryan Tannehill. Then again, how much could a healthy Tannehill really help an offense that averages 15.2 points per game and has failed to score in not one but two games? It’s clearly an issue that goes beyond whether this or that guy starts under center. And it’s not just the offense that’s in trouble, either. The defense, which was, at least by comparison, slightly better, is beginning to catch up (or should that be ‘catch down’) with the offense, and has allowed 35 points per game in the last four games. Put another way, the Dolphins score very few points, but the fact that they allow so many means that the total has nonetheless gone over in their last four straight games. The sportsbook NFL odds total has also gone over in seven of the Miami’s last eight games at home. The Dolphins are, additionally, 15-4 SU in their last 19 home games after losing their most recent game at home.
Good news and bad news
The good news is that the Bucs snapped a five-game SU losing streak, as well as a seven-game ATS skid, with a 15-10 win over the Jets on Sunday, and they did it without starting QB James Winston. The bad news is that the Bucs looked iffy even in victory. The good news is that Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter expects Winston to return this season. The bad news is that Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start against the Dolphins. The Buccaneers are 0-6 SU and 1-4-1 ATS in their last six games on the road, and 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games, but they are 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings with the Fins. Furthermore, The Bucs are 18-3-1 ATS in their last 22 games in Week 11, 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 in November, 1-4 ATS in their last five on grass, and 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight overall, while the Dolphins are 0-3-1 ATS when playing a team with a losing record, 0-2-2ATS in their last four games overall, 8-18-1 in their last 27 after an ATS loss and 1-3-1 against the sportsbook NFL odds spread in their last five after a straight-up loss.