Miami Dolphins (+7.5)* at Denver Broncos
Losers of two of their last three games, the Denver Broncos finally return home to end a three-game road trip. Their homecoming gift? The Miami Dolphins and their top-five defense.
The Denver Broncos are an incredibly fascinating team to watch. They appear capable of winning every single game they play, yet somehow revert to ineptitude for large stretches of play. Evidence of this could be found in their most recent disaster in St. Louis, where they possessed the football eleven times – excluding the two drives at the end of each half – yet managed only seven points. It’s one thing for a team to struggle, but the Broncos are an offensive powerhouse that are prone to boom-or-bust for an elongated period of time.
Miami has now won four of its last five games, and finds itself back in the AFC playoff picture. For weeks, questions have been asked about the legitimacy of the Dolphins, but their resume has continued to improve throughout the season – they have not yet lost to a team that currently has a losing record. While victories over the Bills, Jaguars, and Bears may be downplayed, a win in Denver would absolutely silence all critics.
It won’t happen, as the Broncos still feature a stout defense – fifth-best in yards allowed – while obviously touting their prolific top-five offense. But Miami has proven to be a much better team than originally believed. In fact, their only two double-digit losses came in Weeks 2 and 3, when the Dolphins were still trying to find their footing.
Miami loses a tough game on the road by a field goal, but beats the spread.
