Tag Archive for: NFL

Which team (Heat, Lightning, Rays) in Florida will win state’s next title?

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It probably doesn’t need saying, but it’s been quite a seven months or so for sports teams in Florida. From September through March, we saw Florida teams in the Stanley Cup Finals, NBA Finals, World Series and the Super Bowl. If you count the MLS Is Back Tournament Final, which saw Orlando City SC lose out to Portland, that’s five major sports finals for Florida teams. Not bad. Not bad at all. 

But Florida sports fans already knew all of the above. The more pertinent question is what comes next? Can Florida teams capitalize on the best period of success since the Bucs, Marlins and Lightning won championships between 2002-2004? We just don’t know. But we are going to guess by power ranking every NBA, MLS, NHL and MLB teams by the probability of winning a championship in 2021, starting with the least likely. 

  1. Orlando Magic 

It’s a testament to Florida sports teams’ strength right now that the team at the bottom of these rankings isn’t awful. Orlando has been blighted by injuries this season, and that looks like it might cost the team a third consecutive tilt at the Playoffs. There have been positives, notably Nikola Vucevic emergence as a truly elite NBA player. 

  1. Miami Marlins

Clinching a first postseason berth since 2003 might have convinced Marlins fans that better days lay ahead, but the rebuilding might have to continue in 2021. A problem beyond the team’s own limitations is the strength of the NL East, with both the Mets and Braves tipped to have big seasons.  

  1. Inter Miami CF

Florida’s newest sports club is finding its feet in the MLS. The team has big ambitions, and the acquisition of Phil Neville as head coach looks to be a clever move. Gonzalo Higuain, too, could provide the X-factor and goals. But this is a long term project, and we would be shocked to see Inter Miami in the latter stages of the MLS Cup. 

  1. Miami Heat

It’s not impossible that Miami wins the NBA Championship this year. In fact, the basketball odds at MansionBet put the Heat at 28/1 – about ninth-favorite overall. So, you shouldn’t rule it out. But the team really needs to start winning consistently. We are approaching the half-way point of the season, and Miami sits outside the playoff spots. 

  1. Tampa Bay Rays

Sportsbooks and pundits are quite cool on the Rays’ chances this season. Both MLB and CBS have the Rays at 10th in their power rankings, behind the AL East’s Yankees and Blue Jays. It’s a tough call, but Kevin Cash and the Rays could make those journalists eat their words – again. 

  1. Florida Panthers

It might seem strange to rank the Panthers ahead of the Rays and Miami Heat, but NHL is a little less top-heavy than NBA and MLB, so we rate the Panthers’ chances just a little higher. A lot would have to go right, of course, but this is an organization on an upward trajectory. 

  1. Orlando City SC

You have to like Orlando City’s chances this season. Coach Oscar Pareja has made the team hard to beat, and the run to the final of the MLS Is Back Tournament will act as good experience for the players. Like Inter Miami, they have a potential superstar in Alexander Pato. You get the feeling the Brazilian will either shine or flop, with no in-between. If it’s the former, then Orlando could land the MLS Cup.

  1. Tampa Bay Lightning 

Tampa Bay tops the power rankings and bookmakers’ odds to retain the Stanley Cup in 2021. What more is there to say? The champions are the best team in NHL, and the most likely Floria team to bring home a championship in 2021. 

 

After Trevor Lawrence, how do the Jaguars Build?

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With the exception of the AFC Championship appearance in 2017, the Jaguars have had losing seasons every year since 2007. They hit rock bottom with a 1-15 mark in 2020.  After such a dreadful season, the team needs help across the board. Let’s take a look at the first few selections in a mock draft 2021.

 

Round 1: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Quarterback)

 

This pick is a lock. The Jaguars know that Lawrence immediately brings positive attention to the team as a player with star potential.  He’s far and away the best quarterback coming out of the draft.  Urban Meyer would not have taken the head coaching job if he wasn’t certain that Lawrence would be selected.

 

The numbers on Lawrence are mind-boggling. In 36 collegiate starts, he is 34-2 with his only losses coming in the College Football Playoffs.  Lawrence had a 90-to-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio for his collegiate career, threw for over 10,000 yards and rushed for nearly 1,000. In addition, he led Clemson to a National Championship as a freshman.

 

Round 1:  Christian Barmore, Alabama (Defensive Tackle)

 

Although he comes in without a lot of experience, Barmore is big on raw talent that can be easily worked with to developed into the type of player a team needs. He was a redshirt sophomore and only started one season. Barmore stepped up in the biggest of games, recording 15 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in the SEC Championship and two playoff games. 

 

The Jaguars counted on Taven Bryan to be a big difference maker in the middle of the defensive line, but turned out to be a huge disappointment.  Therefore, the team could really use a great interior defensive lineman and Barmore could fit that description.

 

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Round 2: Rondale Moore, Perdue (Wide Receiver)

 

After coaching superior teams at the collegiate level, Urban Meyer knows how important speed is at the skill positions. Therefore, adding a player such as Rondale Moore makes sense. The wide receiver position isn’t as pressing a need for the Jaguars as other positions with the likes of DJ Chark, Collin Johnson, and Laviska Shenault on the roster. However, Moore could clearly play the slot and add depth.

 

At 5’ 9”, Moore doesn’t have the size NFL scouts look for in a first-round selection, but Moore possesses the elusiveness that the Jaguars currently lack.  He caught 113 passes in 2018 but then appeared in only seven games over the past two seasons, catching 64 passes.

 

Round 2: Tyson Campbell, Georgia (Cornerback)

 

After being torched most of last season in the defensive secondary, the Jaguars need an athletic corner such as Campbell. At 6’ 2” with good agility and talent, Campbell is perfect to add to the team’s limited depth chart.  The team is likely to add a veteran cornerback via free agency at some point, but Campbell is a solid selection for this pick.

 

Campbell has the size, strength and length to handle an outside receiver, so the Jaguars would likely look for a slot cornerback or allow Tre Herndon a chance to earn that position. Either way, Campbell is too good of a fit for the Jaguars to pass up with this late second round pick.

 

Round 3: Brevin Jordan, Miami (Tight End)

 

The tight end position is very thin for the Jaguars and particularly so following Josh Oliver’s injury. Coach Meyer always likes to use the tight end in his passing game, so selecting an athletic, pass catching tight end such as Jordan makes sense.

 

Jordan has great athleticism and the ability to gain yardage after the catch.  His skill set would fit in nicely with Lawrence, who has shown he can throw into the seams of the defense.  Jordan clearly would be an upgrade over Tyler Eifert and James O’Shaugnessy.

Super Bowl Primer: GOAT vs. Successor

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It’s not too much of a surprise that the best quarterback to ever play is making his 10th Super Bowl appearance this year. Tom Brady is ready to go to the Super Bowl again, except this year, he is with a different team.

It’s also not that much of a surprise that the next face of the NFL also made the super bowl for a second year straight. Patrick Mahomes is one of the flashiest quarterbacks in the NFL, making no-look passes left and right in style.

Tom Brady has easily made himself the best player to ever play football, at least in my opinion. Before this season, people made the argument that Brady only made Super Bowls due to Bill Belichick, but now that Brady made a Super Bowl under a different head coach, he has proven he is much more than a system quarterback.

I also think that out of any person in the National Football League, Patrick Mahomes is the only player who can become the next Tom Brady. Mahomes has already proven that he is an amazing quarterback, and he can bring a team to Super Bowls year after year.

Let’s get into what everyone wants to know.

Who’s going to win the Super Bowl, 43 year old Brady, or 25 year old Mahomes?

While the Buccaneers are a more balanced team, I still think the Chiefs are going to win. The Chiefs offense is unstoppable. Tyreek Hill can outrun any player in the NFL, Travis Kelce is the most dominant Tight End, and Patrick Mahomes is a top talent. Along with their explosive offense, their defense makes big plays when they’re needed.

The Buccaneers have a star-studded offense between Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski. They also have an amazing defense from Shaq Barrett to Lavonte David to Devin White.

Even though the Buccaneers have the more balanced team overall, I really can’t see the Chiefs offense being stopped in this Super Bowl, considering they beat the best defense in the NFL in last year’s super bowl against the 49ers.

No matter who wins, this should go down as one the best Super Bowls in NFL History.

Bater’s Best Bets: Week 17 NFL

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Previous Week’s Record:  2-1
Overall Season Record:  26-18 

 

As we finish this first year of NFL Best Bets, we are glad to do so with a guaranteed winning record and having provided a little respite from the sheer awfulness that was 2020. 

 

Now we begin 2021 with an injection of optimism and perhaps facing the biggest challenge of the season thus far, because Week 17 is perhaps the riskiest of the past 20 years to gamble in. 

 

Think about it: As of Thursday, the Cleveland Browns were facing a potential win-or-go-home game unable to practice because of COVID-19 cases on the team, the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting their most important starters but the Buffalo Bills may or may not pull theirs. Add the fact that the Los Angeles Rams will place their own playoff hopes in the hands of a backup quarterback who has never thrown a pass in the NFL and you have a recipe for craziness in the making. 

 

Alas, we go forth and place our bets because we are bold with Mahomian confidence and a healthy dose of Fitzmagic. 

 

You can find all odds for this weekend here, via Yahoo! Sports. 

 

BUFFALO BILLS (12-3) vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS (10-5) 

 

The Bills are just 1.5-point favorites at home. Hosts usually are at least a +3, so that means Vegas is thinking that the Bills will A) rest their starters or B) play at least a healthy portion of the game with Matt Barkley as their QB. 

 

This will be Tua’s first start against the Bills, who defeated the Fitzpatrick-led Dolphins 31-28 in a game that had the Fins leading 20-17 with six minutes left in the game before consecutive passing touchdowns by Josh Allen. 

 

If Tua can clear the cobwebs in his mind and play with confidence while the Dolphins defense plays with much more zeal and desperation than a Bills offense looking to stay healthy, I like Miami to win and finish fifth in the AFC. 

 

My pick: Bills 24-27 Dolphins (+1.5) 

 

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-10) vs. DALLAS COWBOYS (6-9)    

 

The most meaningful game for two teams that hope to drunkenly stumble into a playoff game at home. The Indianapolis Colts may miss the playoffs with a 11-5 record in the AFC, but the NFC East might gift the 6-10 Giants a divisional title. 

 

The Cowboys have won three games in a row averaging 36.0 points per game during that streak, while the Giants lost all the swagger they had after beating the Seahawks in Seattle and have averaged 8.6 points per game during their latest three-game slide. In fact, they haven’t scored more than 20 points since Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles. 

 

Dalton is hot, New York is not. 

 

My pick: Giants 17-20 Cowboys (-2) 

 

GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-3) vs. CHICAGO BEARS (8-7) 

 

The Bears have lost eight of their last nine against the Packers and haven’t prevailed in Green Bay since 2015, when Jay Cutler was their quarterback. 

 

Aaron Rodgers was the Packers QB back then and he still is now, with the NFC’s number one seed and consequent bye week in his sights and the fresh memories of putting up 41 points and four touchdowns on the Bears in Chicago during a 41-25 spanking that was 41-10 after three quarters in Week 12. 

 

A motivated Rodgers is a lethal Rodgers, and I’m afraid that the Bears will be glued to the TV in the locker room hoping for a Rams win over the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. 

 

My pick: Packers (-5.5) 31-20 Bears  

Tua Tagovailoa had reason to celebrate as the Dolphins won in his first NFL start against the Rams.

Martin’s Best Week 16 NFL Bets: Dolphins and More

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Previous Week’s Record:  1-2
Overall Season Record:  24-17 

 

We have arrived in the last week of 2020 for the NFL, the penultimate one of the season. And you know what? Good riddance to the worst year ever. The one that made us play with fear and uncertainty, the one that infected players and coaches from coast to coast, the one that kept fans away from cheering on the teams they love!  

 

No matter what happens the rest of this year, the best bet you should make is that 2021 will be better for everyone.   

 

Now let’s take a look at what Week 16 has in store for us. One thing is for sure, I am not putting any money on the Pittsburgh Steelers. They couldn’t even beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football to give us a winning slate last time around. For shame. 

 

You can find every game’s odds here on the Yahoo! Sports website. We took the ones as of Thursday morning. 

 

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-7) vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-5)  

 

Two teams heading in opposite directions.  

 

The Raiders are 1-4 in their last five games, just a push away from being eliminated from playoff contention and from their 17th season with eight or fewer wins in their last 18 tries dating to 2003. Their defense has allowed 36.0 points per game since they were 6-3.   

 

The Dolphins are 8-2 in their last 10 and 5-2 with Tua as their promising starting quarterback that doesn’t seem to make the same mistake twice. He takes care of the ball and the defense forces opposing turnovers while allowing 21 points or less in five of their past six contests. 

 

I don’t really care whether Derek Carr or Marcus Mariota start at quarterback for the Raiders. I’m going with the Dolphins, and the Raiders don’t even cover at home. 

 

My pick: Raiders 20-27 Dolphins (-3) 

 

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (6-8) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-9) 

 

The NFC East is such a shitshow that it is currently being led by a team whose owner currently believes he is the victim of a extortion while their backup quarterback is fined for “pulling a Harden” (AKA breaking COVID-19 protocols for stupid reasons). 

 

An organization in such a state of disarray shouldn’t be just two wins away from a division title and the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs, and yet that is exactly where the Ron Rivera Riverboaters find themselves.  

 

Christian McCaffrey looks to be MIA for the Panthers for the sixth straight game, and why wouldn’t he be? All his presence can do is increase his risk of aggravating his quad injury and putting Carolina’s top five draft pick in jeopardy. 

 

The Panthers have allowed seven sacks combined in their past two games against the Broncos (11th in the league in that category) and the Packers (10th). Now they will face a hellacious Washington front four led by rookie sensation Chase Young that’s tied for fourth in the league in sacks. 

 

My pick: Washington (-2) 20-17 Panthers  

 

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PICK 

 

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-8) vs. BUFFALO BILLS (11-3) 

 

As if 2020 wasn’t bizarre enough, we end it with the division-leading Buffalo Bills that boasts a quarterback that is also an MVP candidate facing a Patriots team with nothing to play for and serious questions under center for this game and for the future. It’s like the Freaky Friday of football. 

 

The Pats were a Cam Newton fumble away from at least forcing overtime in Buffalo back in Week 8, but they ended up losing 24-21 instead during what would be the beginning of the end for them. 

 

The Bills’ offense has averaged 34.8 points per game since then, and they are a Kyler Murray Hail Mary in Arizona away from being 8-0 since Week 7. 

 

Their firepower and motivation to secure the second seed in the AFC will be too much for Belichick and his players to overcome. 

 

My pick: Bills (-7) 31-23 Patriots   

Betting Better: How to Win in the NFL Game

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Though betting in the NFL may still pose some risk percentage, there are still useful ways to improve your winning chances when placing a wager. Most bettors just kind of know the tip of the iceberg when predicting some game’s outcome, but there are still some critical betting factors that only a few people take into account, and that’s what makes them expert bettors. 

 

If you’re still reading here, then you will know in a bit what some of these vital betting factors are. As long as you’re open and willing to learn, you will soon reap the rewards and will shortly become a better NFL bettor. To explain further, provided below are some powerful tips that help improve your winning chances in NFL betting. 

Look For The Edge

One of the best ways to gain a better chance of winning your NFL bet is to look for some clear edge in some matches by trying to identify which is the best NFL team to win in a particular game. There will always be those matches where the other team is dominating over the other, though there is still a risk of losing, the percentage is far lesser than most typical games. 

 

For example, the Philadelphia Eagles are not in the top ranks but still have an incredible offense. They won 5 games against teams in the top 15 defense. Although they won in the two games, they even failed to cover the spread of 6.5 when they played against these two teams, especially with the ones that have higher passing defenses that ranked 12th and 10th in the league. They had a rough time going through their opponents’ pass defenses. 

 

When they played against a team with a passing defense ranked 24th, they easily won by 38-21, covering a higher spread of 7.5. And when they played against Arizona, whose strongest passing defense only ranked 30th in the league, it was a no-brainer match for them, and got the easy W. 

 

Given that it was an easy win against the team ranked 24th, how much more against a team who’s passing defense ranked 30th? This is what pro bettors call an edge. Pro bettors identify these edges so easily because they do their homework way better than typical bettors do.

Set A Safe Budget

One of the most common cliches that every bettor has heard is to “only bet money that you can afford to lose.” Being too familiar with this idea, many bettors tend to sweep this truth under the rug. And for some, they continue to bet whenever they want without reservations. With that said, it is one of the best formulas to become broke in betting. 

 

Expert bettors consider the worst-case scenarios all the time, especially when things do not go their way. With that said, successful bettors, most of the time, prevent gambling temptations by limiting a budget only for betting. They make it a non-negotiable! That’s why they are successful in a general perspective.   

Numbers Don’t Lie

Another essential attitude when engaging in NFL betting is to check the numbers because they never lie. Numbers like facts, statistics, ranks in the offense, ranks in defense, etc., reveal almost every strength and weakness of all the currently active teams. And not everyone takes the time to study and analyze these critical factors.  

Many bettors, mostly amateurs, make poor bet judgments because they tend to rely on uneducated guesses or emotions rather than do their research and acknowledge what the current numbers tell. This is where most bettors lose their money and fail. Acknowledging the numbers and facts in NFL betting are critical components to become a successful bettor.

Continue Expanding Your Game Knowledge

Expanding your game knowledge is one of the critical components to increase your winning chances in NFL betting. Successful NFL bettors do not stop learning things about the sport. Even though they have become so familiar with the game’s critical aspects, they do not take this as an excuse to stop studying and learning more about the sport. 

 

For instance, a particular NFL team is ranked 20th in passing defense in the past season. But because they have adjusted their roster by acquiring some key players and a promising rookie in the current season, their defensive qualities and numbers can go up. And who knows, they might just make their way to the top 5 rankings in best passing defense. 

Discipline is Everything

In the game of NFL betting, discipline is everything. If you do not discipline yourself to look for the edge in specific matches, you won’t profit. If you don’t discipline in setting a safe budget, you might end up using important money. 

 

If you don’t discipline yourself by considering what the numbers tell, you will have wrong predictions most of the time. And if you don’t discipline yourself to expand your sports knowledge, your winning chances will decline sooner or later. Although discipline sounds cliche, it undeniably influences the success of a pro bettor. 

Takeaway

The ideas above are beneficial, mainly if your goal is to become a successful bettor. Remember that to absorb these ideas successfully, you must make sure to execute them every time you decide to bet to improve your winning chances in NFL betting significantly.

 

Dolphins Loss Chiefs

Week 15 Dolphins/Patriots Odds and Prediction

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The Miami Dolphins face the New England Patriots in Week 15 at 8-5 and in control of their playoff destiny.

 

Miami Dolphins (8-5) vs New England Patriots (6-7)

Sunday Dec. 20th, 1PM EST

Line: Dolphins -2.5

O/U 41.5

 

For the changing of the guard in the AFC East to be complete the Patriots must be eliminated from playoff contention outright, even though Buffalo has nearly clinched the division.

The Dolphins are just a slight favorite despite a better record and being at home. Both teams are in vastly positions after New England beat Miami convincingly 21-11 in Week 1. Cam Newton has struggled and the Dolphins’ defense has become one of the best in the league.

 

Newton has just five touchdown passes against 10 interceptions but his 11 rushing scores are tied for the second highest total in the NFL. In Week 1 Newton was very efficient through the air completing 15-of-19 passes for 165 yards. However it was on the ground where Newton did his most damage with 15 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Miami is playing much better on both sides of the ball and since Tua Tagovailoa took over at quarterback they are limiting mistakes with the football. Ryan Fitzpatrick started under center in Week 1 and threw three interceptions without a touchdown. Conversely Tua has so far thrown just one pick in seven starts.
New England is the 5th best rushing team in the NFL entering Week 15 averaging 147.5 yards per game, while Miami’s defense ranks 21st in the league allowing 120.2 yards per game. Where Miami excels is in pass coverage and their 16 interceptions are second in the NFL. Xavien Howard leads the NFL with nine picks and has firmly entered the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Newton will be without wide receiver Julian Edelman which gives him even fewer weapons.

 

Miami will need to be careful as New England still has a solid defense led by Stephon Gilmore, they are right behind the Dolphins with 15 interceptions. Tua will need to take what the defense gives him, and if Mike Gesicki and Devante Parker can go that will give the offense a huge boost.

The Dolphins need to find a running game to help Tua against a tough New England defense, and Bill Belichick will try to take away anything easy. New England’s run defense is worse than Miami’s, ranking 23rd allowing 124 yards-per-game. If Miami can run the ball in this one it bodes well for success to close out the season.

I predict Miami will finally get the ground game going and control a fairly low scoring game. The Dolphins’ defense can force Newton into mistakes and I see that trend continuing in this matchup. Field position will be critical and the Dolphins have perhaps the best kicker and special teams in the NFL.

That could make the difference in a close game.

 

Prediction: Dolphins 24, Patriots 20

 

Related:

Houtz Special: Five Things to dish about before Sunday’s matchup vs New England

Tua Tagovailoa made his debut in a brief appearance, but the big story of the Miami Dolphins is their rise as a playoff contender.

Five Reasons, Martin’s NFL Best Bets: Week 15

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Previous Week’s Record:  1-2
Overall Season Record:  23-15 

 

Note:  Martín had been posting his NFL plays since Week #1 for the Canadian betting site point spreads under the pseudonym of “El Hombre” (that clearly took a lot of imagination on his part). Most importantly, though, is the fact that he has been racking up the profits and now he is able to put his name on his picks (no pressure, we know). Now he makes his Five Reasons gambling debut with three games left in the regular season, he’s hitting about 65 percent winners – wow, not bad for free analysis! – Here is his latest on this week’s games and his three best bets. 

 

All odds are based on the lines from Yahoo! on Friday afternoon. 

 

MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-5) vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-7) 

This game is tricky, because my brain is telling me two very different things.

The first is that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is the venom that poisons opposing rookie quarterbacks. He is 21-5 in his career against them, and he hasn´t lost to one since Geno Smith defeated him in 2013 (???). His latest victim was Chargers sensation Justin Herbert, who had a big slice of humble pie in a 45-0 drubbing by the Pats. Tua is not playing better than Herbert this season, even though he did show flashes of his potential against Arizona and most recently mounting a comeback against Kansas City.

On the other hand, these were the coaches of the rookie QBs that Belichick faced since that loss to Geno: Anthony Lynn, Pat Shurmur, Sean McDermott, Bill O´Brien, Jeff Fisher, Tony Sparano.

Brian Flores is better than all of them. He not only knows Belichick´s defensive tendencies after working for him, but he now also has seen what Cam Newton can do as Patriots QB (not much). That was a luxury he didn´t have when the Dolphins lost to the Patriots 21-13 in Week 1 with Fitzpatrick as quarterback and little to no offseason work.

Miami´s defense is leaps and bounds better 14 weeks later, and Tua is brash enough to end Belichick´s streak.

My pick: Dolphins (-2.5) 23-17 Patriots 

 

DALLAS COWBOYS (4-9) vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (5-8) 

 

Dallas has a worse record, but more to play for in a must-win game for them to stay alive in the NFC East race. However, they haven´t been able to win two games in a row all season, and that is just sad.

Meanwhile, the Niners are 4-2 on the road with a defense that sits in the top half of the league allowing 23.9 points and didn´t allow an offensive touchdown in last week´s  23-15 loss to Washington.

Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton´s winless playoff record shows us he isn´t known to rise up to the occasion in must-win situations, and they really can´t count on the worst defense in the NFL to do so either.

My pick: Cowboys 20-24 49ers (-3) 

 

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PICK 

 

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-2) vs. CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-10-1) 

 

The formerly undefeated Steelers are pissed off after consecutive losses and face a Bengals team that is averaging…10.0!? points per game during the five-game losing streak that began when Joe Burrow got injured.

Watch that romantic comedy your girlfriend has been begging you to, stop procrastinating on your Christmas shopping, call your grandma…do anything but watch this game.

My pick: Steelers (-13) 30-10 Bengals 

The Dolphins' Xavien Howard makes a one-handed grab for his ninth interception of the season.

Why do teams keep throwing at Xavien Howard?

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It’s no mystery that cornerback, Xavien Howard, has proven himself to be the Dolphins (8-5) best player this season, and one of the best players at the position in the franchise’s history, up there with Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain and others.

Before last Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs (12-1), Howard already had 8 interceptions.

Then he got another. He was guarding Tyreek Hill, and mossed him Odell-style with a one handed interception, leading to an offensive touchdown catch by Mike Gesicki.

The Dolphins overall have had a takeaway in their past 19 games straight and have had 26 total takeaways on the year. Howard’s now 9 interception has obviously been a huge part of those two stats.

While Howard has given up a good amount of yards, he has taken the ball away enough to largely contribute to the Dolphins’ eight wins, playing opposite free agent Byron Jones, who finally got his first interception.

The 27-year-old attended Baylor University and was picked by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2016 season.

In 2018, Howard had 7 interception to tie the league for most interceptions. This was enough to get him a pro bowl spot and get him onto the All-Pro second team.

With 20 career interceptions, Howard has been a great addition to the Dolphins defense over the past 4 years. As many say, defense wins championships, so let’s hope Howard and the rest of the Dolphins defense can bring home the trophy.

And maybe a Defensive Player of the Year along the way, if teams keep taking shots at him.

Tua, Dolphins Bounce Bengals after Brawl, now 8-4

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Just when you think the Miami Dolphins are back to the same old team you’ve agonized over for the last 20+ years, they get into a benches-clearing brawl with the Cincinnati Bengals, lose 3 players to ejection, and turn into a completely new team at halftime. Stephen Ross may as well rename the team because these boys ain’t the same.

The first half of the Dolphins’ home game versus the Bengals was a hot mess. Even with Cincinnati starting their backup quarterback, Brandon Allen, who isn’t exactly known for his grace under pressure, the Dolphins looked absolutely lackluster opposite them. Both the offense and defense struggled enormously. The one TD, a sneaky trick play that punter Matt Haack ran in on the field goal attempt, was called back due to penalties. A team usually touted for their lack of penalties ended the day with eight for 54 yards, and penalties weren’t the only mistakes being made.

The one bright spot of the first half was Xavien Howard, who picked off Brandon Allen on his second possession of the game. But then Howard was ejected for a couple of playground-style blows exchanged with Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd (who was also ejected), and the Fins lost their best player down 7-6 at the half. Boyd was arguably the only bright spot of Cincy’s offense up until his ejection. He snagged the only score for the Bengals off a catch and run TD that went for 72 yards—and don’t give Brandon Allen any credit for that, please.

Kyle Van Noy was the only productive defensive player that didn’t get into trouble in the first half, handing out a couple of sacks on Allen. It was a poor outlook for the Dolphins, with many calling for Tua to be benched and replaced with Ryan Fitzpatrick.

We don’t know what Bill Belichick used to say to his team after bad first halves during the Patriots’ dynasty, but whatever it is, Brian Flores apparently knows. The Dolphins opened up the second half on a beautiful no huddle drive that totaled 75 yards in eight plays and three and a half minutes. Tua looked vintage, Alabama-style, slinging balls to Mike Gesicki in between and over the heads of a totally lost Bengals’ secondary. From there, the Dolphins scored two more field goals to secure the game and held the Bengals to 0 points (although kicker Randy Bullock did miss one from 53 to end the first half).

Just as the offense stepped up, Brian Flores’ defense did the same, totaling six sacks, 11 QB hits, and two interceptions. Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins teamed up on a strip sack touchdown that was ultimately called back, something Christian Wilkins is apparently still upset about. Shaq Lawson had two sacks himself and Kyle Van Noy added a third in the second half, along with Zach Sieler.

After one of Lawson’s sacks Brandon Allen was ruled out with a chest injury and Ryan Finley stepped in for the rest of the game. He was immediately pummeled by the Dolphins’ defensive line and secondary when Nik Needham came up with the Fins’ second interception of the day.

It was a game to remember, primarily because of a brawl that Brian Flores himself instigated and ended with four players ejected. After an early hit by Mike Thomas on Jakeem Grant, who was violently laid out while returning a punt, Flores had to be physically restrained by his own players, which then resulted in a benches-clearing brawl. Devante Parker and Mack Hollins were both ejected for the Dolphins after exchanging blows with Shawn Williams and William Jackson III. Surprisingly, Grant returned to the game just a few plays later.

The biggest takeaways from this game are the sheer grit of this team, which bounced back after an incredibly disappointing first half performance (something you could never say about the Dolphins before), and the unity in the locker room. Multiple players were quoted calling the team “a family,” and insisting that they stand up for their teammates.

The Heat might not have a monopoly on “culture” in Miami anymore, thanks to Brian Flores.