4:25 pm
January 9

Patriots @ Dolphins

Who will WIN this matchup?

New England Patriots (10-6)

@ Miami Dolphins (8-8)

 

Current odds:

New England Patriots: (-260)

Miami Dolphins: (+210)

 

• The spread for the game is New England by 6 points.

• This is the fifth straight season that the Dolphins have failed to reach the playoffs. Miami hasn’t won a playoff game since 2000. Miami has little to play for on Sunday, although wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (99 catches) needs just three receptions to break the NFL receptions record for rookies. The record of 101 catches was set by Anquan Boldin in 2003.

• That type of consistency is something Waddle’s quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is still looking for. The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tagovailoa has a solid 12-8 record in his 20 starts in the league. He hasn’t had a ton of success throwing deep, but he is completing 67.8 percent of his passes this season. That ranks him seventh in the NFL and third in the AFC. However, in last week’s 34-3 loss at the Tennessee Titans, Tagovailoa completed just 18 of 38 passes for no touchdowns and one interception.

• New England has its own young quarterback in Mac Jones, who has started all 16 of New England’s games this season and completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He has averaged 221 passing yards per game. By comparison, Tagovailoa has 15 TD passes, 10 interceptions and an average of 212 passing yards per game.

• There are several other individual milestones in play on Sunday, as well. Waddle needs 12 receiving yards to reach 1,000. Dolphins running back Myles Gaskin needs 164 scrimmage yards to reach 1,000. Two Patriots players are relatively close to reaching 1,000 scrimmage yards, as well: running back Damien Harris needs 12 and receiver Kendrick Bourne needs 107. In addition, Harris needs 108 rushing yards to get to 1,000.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
New England Patriots
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