Monday Night Football – Dolphins Dive Deep In Desperate Times
It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins have the toughest schedule in the NFL and they are getting a very early, bitter taste to start the season.
After facing one 2008 playoff team from the NFC South, they face the 2008 AFC South winner on Monday Night Football.
The Dolphins were one of the surprise teams last season because of a number of reasons: they took care of the football, they were able to run the ball and they protected the quarterback.All three of those levies broke in Week 1 and if this team has any hope of finishing .500 – or even avoiding the 0-2 mark – they have to fix those issues immediately.
Time: 8:30 ET
Venue: Land Shark Stadium
Colts vs. Dolphins Monday Night Football Lines
MoneyLine: Colts -170 / Dolphins +150
Spread: Colts -3.5
Over/Under: 41.5
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Colts offense vs Dolphins defense
While the Dolphins offense is having some issues, so is the Colts’. Last year, they put too much pressure of a burden on Peyton Manning’s shoulder but after one week, it looks like it will be the same story this year.
Even though the Colts drafted a running back, Donald Brown, in the first-round of the draft, their ground game looked no better in Week 1. They were looking for secondary options in the passing game to take pressure off of Reggie Wayne but now that Anthony Gonzalez is out for at least a month, the Colts are still thin at the position.
Dallas Clark is a good option for Manning but he’s a threat in the middle of the field more so than on the outside. If the Colts aren’t going to be able to run the ball – especially on the road – it’s going to put a lot of pressure on Manning, and that’s not good for their Super Bowl hopes.
Dolphins offense vs Colts defense
The Dolphins spent $155 million over the last two seasons on their offensive line. In Week 1, they had four sacks and several quarterback pressures to show for it.
Specifically, left tackle Jake Long had a lot of problems with John Abraham.
This is supposed to be the strength on offense for the Dolphins and this unit should play better this week. If that’s the case, the Dolphins should be able to run the ball with Ronnie Brown and get their offense somewhat in gear.
Last week, the Dolphins had four turnovers and that is not their game at all. They only had a total of 13 turnovers all season long in 2008.
If the Dolphins can run the ball and protect, their offense will put them in position to win the game.
Outlook & Pick
An 0-2 hole would be a disaster for the Dolphins but it is a very good possibility. They are facing a playoff team for the second week in a row, which means they don’t have a big margin for error.
Look for the Dolphins to find their running game and for them to shutdown the Colts attack. Without Gonzalez in the lineup, it makes the Colts offense that much more manageable to shutdown.
The Dolphins need this game badly and in front of the home crowd on Monday Night Football, they’ll eke out a win.
Pick: Dolphins +3
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Dave Golokhov has written for BETUS Sportsbook, Sportsfanmagazine.com, FOX, Askmen.com, Sports-central.org, and the FOXSports.com Funhouse.
