The Atlanta Falcons are coming off a bye week and host the struggling Miami Dolphins. The Falcons haven’t played in two weeks since their loss to Buffalo. So, they’re hungry for a win to wash the bad taste of a loss out of their mouths. The Dolphins can’t find any consistency on offense. They come into this game a big underdog and look to pull off the upset. Kickoff inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium is at 1 PM ET.
The Miami Dolphins (2-2) are coming off a 16-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans where they were fortunate to be playing against the Titans backup quarterback Matt Cassell. The Dolphins couldn’t generate much offense against the Titans, but were lucky to still come out with the win. This week, they face a potent and angry Falcons team that looks to blowout the Dolphins in Hot-Lanta.
Atlanta (3-1) has had two weeks to prepare for a lowly Dolphins team. You have to like their odds in this one. The Falcons look to get back on track after a disappointing loss to Buffalo at home. It appears that the Falcons’ bye week came at the right time as they were able to heal up some of their injured star players like Julio Jones.
The spread opened with Miami getting 9 points. It has gone up to 11.5 points, with some books listing it at 12 points. The Over/Under opened 47.5 total points and has bounced between 47 and 46.5 points.
The Miami Dolphins have the worst offense in the entire league. They are averaging only 10 points per game and 251 total yards per game. Even more surprising is that they are only averaging 74 rushing yards per game and they have a very talented, young running back in Jay Ajayi. Unfortunately, they have an ineffective quarterback in Jay Cutler and an average offensive line that hinders any success on the ground.
In 4 games, Cutler is averaging only 176.5 passing yards per game and 3 touchdown passes. It’s almost unfathomable just how bad this offense is. And yet, they are 2-2 on the season. Well, that’s going to change this weekend. The Falcons are going to stomp the Dolphins into the ground and blow them out. I fully expect the Falcons to win this one by close to 3 touchdowns.
The Dolphins will try to control the game clock and keep Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense off the field by running the ball with Ajayi. Unfortunately, that’s not going to work. Atlanta has an improved defense that only allows 93 rushing yards per game. It’s their passing defense that has been erratic this season, giving up 250 passing yards per game and 22 points per game. Fortunately for the Falcons, Miami has a terrible passing offense, so this game won’t even be close.
Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense are scoring 26 points per game and average over 403 total yards per game. The Falcons running game has been solid as well, led by Freeman who has 285 rushing yards and 5 rushing touchdowns on the season. But, the real damage this week will be done by star receiver Julio Jones. He will eat up that Dolphins secondary and put up at least 125 yards with 1 touchdown.
Miami is good against the run, only allowing 75 rushing yards per game. But, once Ryan and the passing game starts shredding the Dolphins defense, it will open up the run lanes. Both Freeman and Coleman will get their yards and scores in this one.
Miami is 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games and 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 games versus Atlanta. The Falcons are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following an ATS loss.
Look for Ryan and that Falcons offense to score at least 30 points in this one. I expect the Falcons to beat up on the Dolphins like the Saints did a few weeks ago when they won 20-0. New Orleans had 347 total yards to Miami’s 186. I can see something similar this week with Atlanta hitting the 400 total yard mark and Miami just eclipsing the 200 total yard mark. The Falcons defense will focus on Ajayi and tee off on Jay Cutler in long passing downs. Atlanta wins this one 30-13 as Miami gets some garbage time points.