Getty Steelers QB Mason Rudolph
The winless Dolphins have arrived on the primetime stage. It won’t be a sexy matchup on Monday night when Miami pays a visit to Heinz Field to take on the Steelers, but it is still vital to Pittsburgh in the AFC playoff hunt. The game will be the 85th appearance on Monday Night Football for the Dolphins, the most in NFL history.
Miami (0-6) will be without RB Kenyan Drake, who did not travel with the team for non-injury reasons. According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, trade talks are progressing for Drake, who will most likely be dealt before Tuesday’s deadline. Even with Drake, the Dolphins offense has not been effective this season, scoring a league-worst 10.5 points per game.
Pittsburgh (2-4) is starting to get healthy as Mason Rudolph returns from a concussion. With the uncertainty atop the AFC North standings, the Steelers still have some hope for the postseason as they enter a crucial stretch of their schedule with three straight home games starting Monday night against Miami.
Here’s a gambling breakdown for the Monday night matchup between the Dolphins and Steelers.
Game Details: Dolphins at Steelers
Date: Monday, October 28
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Heinz Field (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
TV: ESPN
Spread: Steelers -14
Total: 43
*All odds are courtesy of Covers
Betting Trends
- Dolphins are 2-4 ATS this season
- Steelers are 4-2 ATS this season
- Under is 4-2 in Dolphins games this season
- Under is 4-2 in Steelers games this season
- Steelers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games
- Dolphins are 3-12 ATS in their last 15 road games
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How Dolphins +14 Can Cover
Protect the football and pray. Miami is last in the league in turnover margin and Ryan Fitzpatrick has already thrown five interceptions in just five games this season. The Dolphins offense has struggled to move it as a whole, averaging just 258.7 yards per game. The Miami D is also getting gashed and has allowed a league-most 35.2 points per game this season. WR DeVante Parker has been a bright spot for the offense, scoring a touchdown in three straight games.
How Steelers -14 Can Cover
Get Mason Rudolph back in the groove. The quarterback returns from a gruesome concussion that suffered earlier this month against the Baltimore Ravens. A home game against the lowly Dolphins is the perfect “get-right” spot for the young signal-caller. The Steelers will also look to exploit the Dolphins’ 31st-ranked rushing defense that allows 160.8 yards per game. Defensively, Devin Bush leads all rookies with 52 tackles and has recorded an interception in back-to-back games.
Prediction
The age-old adage is you should never play an underdog that you don’t think can win the game outright. That is the strategy I am going with here as there is no way Miami can go on the road and get a win at Heinz Field and this feels like a perfect spot for Pittsburgh to finally flex their muscle. Mason Rudolph’s return should steady the Steelers offense and I expect Minkah Fitzpatrick to make a few big plays on defense against his former team. Pittsburgh rolls.
Steelers 35, Dolphins 10
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