The Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders both have playoff aspirations in the AFC, but Miami is in a much better position than Las Vegas. The two are set to give football fans a show on Saturday night at 8:15 pm ET as we encounter our second of four straight days of NFL action.
The Dolphins are currently 9-5 with two games remaining. They can clinch the playoffs with wins in both games, but a loss in either game makes things a little more difficult — especially if that loss comes against the Raiders.
Either way, they need to beat out the Browns and the Titans or Colts for that Wild Card spot.
The Raiders, on the other hand, are 7-7 and are having a disappointing second half of the season. They’re still in the Wild Card hunt, but they need a LOT of things to happen for them to slide through.
A win vs. the Dolphins does a lot for their case moving forward, but it’s only the beginning of what they need.
Can Dolphins inch one step closer?
The Dolphins have rolled with Tua Tagovailoa the past three weeks and have won two of those games — only losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, but it was a 33-27 game. They’re fresh off a victory vs. the New England Patriots last week and need this win before facing the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.
Tagovailoa has 1,359 yards this season, throwing for nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He also has 70 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, showing how multi-faceted he can be.
Myles Gaskin is helping him out in the backfield with 477 yards and two touchdowns.
Will the Raiders snap their two-game skid?
The Raiders have dropped two straight games and four of their last five. Three of those games have been at home, which is where they find themselves on Saturday night. It’ll be their last game in their new stadium before playing the Denver Broncos next week.
Derek Carr is having himself a decent season with 3,396 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions through the air. Josh Jacobs is shining in his sophomore season with 907 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
They’ll need every bit of that offense from Carr and Jacobs in this one.
Dolphins vs. Raiders Betting Odds & Lines
Does Las Vegas have enough luck and chance in it to make the playoffs, or will the Dolphins inch one step closer on Saturday? FanDuel Sportsbook has the Miami Dolphins as three-point favorites over the Las Vegas Raiders. It also has the over/under listed at 47.5 total points.
Free Betting Pick
Both of these teams have a lot to play for on Saturday night, but only one can walk away victorious. The Dolphins have been the hotter team as of late, but that’s not to say the Raiders aren’t playing good football. At the end of the day, injuries might be the deciding factor.
The Dolphins have Solomon Kindley and Shaq Lawson listed as out. They also have DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, and Ereck Flowers listed as questionable.
The Raiders have Nick Kwiatkowski, Nicholas Morrow, Maliek Collins (IR), and Clelin Ferrell listed as out, while Maurice Hurst is questionable.
Final Score Prediction 24-20, Las Vegas Raiders.
Free Pick: Las Vegas Raiders (+3)
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