Gambling Matchup Week 4 – Miami Dolphins vs San Diego Chargers
The Chargers, who have a propensity for starting off every season slowly, have to be feeling pretty good that they are boasting a winning record as they head into a Week 4 AFC battle with the struggling Miami Dolphins.
San Diego will be looking for their first cover of the year while Miami will look for their first win of the season when the pair meet in San Diego on Sunday.
Miami v San Diego
Venue/Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
Time/Date: 4:15 PM ET, Sunday, October 2, 2011
NFL Odds From: 5 Dimes
Spread (ATS): Chargers -8
Over/Under: 44.5
It’s been a disappointing season for Miami as they are staring at a 0-3 start straight in the face.
The Dolphins have struggled on both sides of the ball, and head coach Tony Sporano just can seem to find a solution.
Offensively, Miami is 27th in points, averaging just 17.7 points per game, and since the offense cannot keep the defense off the field, the Dolphins have paid the price, ranking 30th in the league.
Quarterback Chad Henne has had an awful season standing behind an o-line that has allowed 11 sacks.
No wonder he’s completing just 56.5 percent of his passes for 841 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions —he’s scared.
If it weren’t for RB Daniel Thomas, the offense would be all but non-existent. Thomas has lived up to expectations and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry while Reggie Bush is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. That’s a good shot in the arm for the Miami rushing attack.
Still, if Miami doesn’t turn things around in a hurry, they are likely to be looking at coaching change and a top five pick in the NFL draft in 2012.
Unfortunately for them, a turnaround will have to start this Sunday in San Diego against a Chargers unit that has pulled together and are tied atop the AFC West.
Once again, San Diego is led by QB Phillip Rivers who has completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 979 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions, good enough for fifth in the NFL in passing yards per game. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Mike Tolbert and Vincent Jackson have both stepped in to help mitigate the effect of River’s favorite target, Antonio Gates who is on the injured list, something that has plagued him over recent years.
Another facet to the Bolts offense that has found its wheels, is the running game.
Ryan Mathews is averaging 4.6 yards per carry as he has 207 yards and three touchdowns, making the San Diego offense once again two-dimensional.
Meanwhile, Takeo Spikes leads the Chargers defense, who haven’t been overly impressive through three games allowing 943 yards, and has 24 tackles.
The Bolts have haven’t been able to create turnovers and have just a single fumble recovery and two interceptions thus far. Something they will need to change as the season progresses.
Matt’s Prediction: Chargers 28, Dolphins 16-San Diego is 2-6-2 ATS versus a team with a losing record. However, Miami is terrible and a trip to San Diego against a team with a big defensive line is a recipe for a huge loss.
Welcome to the CappersPicks.com Week 4 NFL football predictions! We KNOW you will find our FREE weekly NFL football picks, tips, betting advice, strategies, NFL Football gambling articles and more to help you become the best NFL football bettor on your block!!
