NFL Thursday Night Football Miami At Cincinnati

The Cincinnati Bengals are a missed extra point in Week 1 from an 0-3 start. The Miami Dolphins are a Cleveland meltdown from an 0-3 start of their own. The Bengals had a lot higher expectations after winning the AFC North last year, while the Miami Dolphins still seek to climb out of the basement of the AFC East. When the two teams meet in Cincinnati on Thursday, online sports betting enthusiasts need to assess which team has the better trajectory now.

In Depth Analysis On The NFL Thursday Night Football Dolphins At Bengals

When: Thursday, September 29, 2016, 8:25 PM ET Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati TV: NFL Network Radio: Miami Dolphins Radio Network / Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network Live Stream: NFL Game Pass NFL Odds: Cincinnati (-6.5), O/U 43.5    

Why should you bet on the Dolphins?

Cincinnati did a good job stopping the run in their tilt with the Broncos last week. Unfortunately, their pass coverage did not pass muster, as Trevor Siemian threw four touchdown passes without a single pick, going 23 for 35 for 312 yards. Without a significant pass rush, Siemian could sit back in the pocket all day and pick apart the Bengal secondary. As he showed, any quarterback can find an open receiver if he has an unlimited amount of time, as the defensive backs simply can’t keep covering indefinitely. Ryan Tannehill had a solid game against Cleveland, going 25 for 39 for 319 yards and three scores (along with two picks). The fact that Tannehill stacked up such numbers shows that he can pick apart an average pass defense, and he has an excellent chance of doing this against the Bengals on Thursday.

Why should you bet on the Bengals?

Despite facing a salty Denver defense, the Bengals ran the ball productively. The problem came when they dropped back to pass, as that Bronco pass rush kept Andy Dalton running for his life, sacking him four times and causing a number of bad passes. The Dolphins could not stop the Cleveland running game, as Isaiah Crowell picked up 169 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt. If Cody Parky had made his field goal at the end of regulation, Miami would not have won. Cincinnati has a better team than Cleveland on both sides of the ball, so Miami will not have that opportunity as time winds down.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

Both of these teams sit well below league averages in many of the league’s major statistics. The Dolphins rank #26 in scoring, while the Bengals rank #19. The Bengals rank #31 in rushing yards gained while the Dolphins sit at #27. The Bengals are #14 in yards permitted on defense, while Miami ranks #25. Cincinnati has the advantages of playing at home and building off the frustration of that Sunday loss. With the short week, getting to stay at home benefits the Bengals even more. I predict a 23-20 Cincinnati win — which means I pick Miami to cover.