Do the Ravens remain the Dolphins’ nightmare?
The last team in the AFC East plays the first team in the AFC North. A clear-cut box? Actually yes, but if we look at the last game day of the NFL, then it becomes obvious that anyone can beat anyone this year.
We also have to focus on that when it comes to tips and predictions, which makes handicap betting in particular an increasingly less suitable tool. However, there is no doubt in our minds that the Baltimore Ravens are the favourites against the Dolphins.
After all, not only have they won four more this season, but their head-to-head record in recent years doesn’t leave much to be desired about the Fins. The last time they met, the Dolphins lost 10:59 at home.
At that time, Miami also had a disaster defence. This one has stood up quite well over the last four games, which is why a bet on Baltimore + under points is our choice for Dolphins vs. Ravens.
Kickoff of the Thursday Night Game is at 02.15 on Friday night in Miami. The game can be watched live on DAZN.
Miami Dolphins – Statistics & current form
The Dolphins finally got their second win of the season on Sunday – albeit only against the Texans and not very convincingly. Nevertheless, it could boost their self-confidence a little. Their confidence had suffered badly in the weeks before.
Seven losses in a row left their mark and both quarterbacks remained completely unsettled. Neither Tua Tagovailoa nor Jacoby Brissett were able to reach their potential. So it was no surprise that Miami started looking for a new playmaker.
Who will be the starting quarterback?
Having put up only 17 points against the Texans doesn’t speak very highly of Brissett indeed. Should Tagovailoa make it back with his rib injury by Thursday, we expect another swap at the QB position.
However, Tua’s season has been anything but smooth as well. Already five interceptions with only seven touchdowns and a passer rating of 85.9 are average numbers at best. Although still better than Brissett’s (5 + 4 + 79.0)
No team part convincing so far
So far, then, the offense ranks a disappointing 28th league-wide, and the defense is only one rank better, averaging 26.9 points conceded. With kicker Jason Sanders also converting just 69.2% of his field goals and the special teams also failing to score, the Fins have no real strength in 2021.
Thus, they are considered underdogs against Baltimore. For Dolphins vs. Ravens, our prediction is also another loss for the men from Florida, even if it should not be as high as in the last years.
Key Players:
QB: Jacoby Brissett
RB: Myles Gaskin
WR: DeVante Parker
TE: Mike Gesicki
K: Jason Sanders
Baltimore Ravens – stats & current form
The Ravens remain one of the top 2 teams in the AFC with a 6-2 record. That shows us two things: one, we should have the Ravens on our radar this year and two, the AFC is loaded with no top favourites.
There are five to six teams that can all make it to the Super Bowl – including the Ravens. However, Baltimore’s good record has also involved a great deal of luck on one or two occasions. Last Sunday, against the Vikings, they once again needed overtime for a win.
Ravens with comeback qualities
But what Baltimore does better than any other team in the league is turn games around. Against Minnesota, they were already down by 10:24 early in the third quarter, only to win that game at the end as well.
Those are actually the strengths that can take you a long way in a season. One of the guarantors of success is quarterback Lamar Jackson, even if he again made two interceptions against the Vikings. But he still has fewer interceptions this season than Mahomes or Tannehill.
Jackson has also raised his passing game to a new level, which makes the Ravens all the more dangerous. With a total of 2209 yards thrown, he is ahead of typical pass-first quarterbacks like Ryan, Prescott or Goff.
Constancy not quite there yet
Even though the Ravens are 6-2 and ranked No.2 in the AFC, we still can’t say they have the most consistency yet. That’s evidenced by their two close overtime wins and their 17-41 loss at home to the Bengals last week.
This is also the reason why we would refrain from betting too high on the Ravens. They have only won two games by more than a one-score difference this season. For Miami vs. Baltimore, a tip on Ravens + Under points is thus to be favoured.
Key Players:
QB: Lamar Jackson
RB: Devonta Freeman
WR: Marquise Brown
WR: Mark Andrews
K: Justin Tucker
Miami Dolphins – Baltimore Ravens Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
The head-to-head comparison between these two teams reads like a mixed bag over the last three games. That’s when the Dolphins were literally “rooted for failure”, as Coach Esume would probably put it, three times in a row.
Baltimore’s leads since 2016 have been 32, 40 and 49 points, the equivalent of true blowout victories. But we don’t expect that on Thursday, as the Ravens currently lack consistency (as described above).
For Miami vs. Baltimore, the odds on the Ravens are still recommended, best combined with subpar points. We also dare to doubt that the unsettled Dolphins can put up more than 20 points.
Miami Dolphins – Baltimore Ravens Tip
The numbers over the last few years would actually suggest another blowout win for Baltimore, but this NFL season has truly been a blowout and such big leads are much less to be seen. The league is getting closer and closer.
Thus, for Dolphins against Ravens, a tip on Ravens + under points or a touchdown by Devonta Freeman (rushing or receiving) is recommended. He is the most dangerous Ravens attacker on the field at the moment.
Alternatively, pure bets on sub-points are also an option. Miami’s games in particular have often been very low-scoring in recent weeks, due to their offensive woes. This means they have to focus on their defence, which then leads to low scoring games.
