NFL
NFL Week 7 preview: Take the plunge with the Dolphins
NFL Week 7 is nearly upon us and this weekend sees a huge clash between the top sides in AFC East and NFC East, with the Miami Dolphins hitting the road as they face the Philadelphia Eagles.
We preview two of the key fixtures below.
Miami Dolphins @ Philadelphia Eagles
This match up has the potential to be a real firecracker, with the Miami Dolphins leading the AFC East and the Philadelphia Eagles heading the NFC East, and both sides carrying a 5-1 record into this game.
The Miami Dolphins have been running riot this season, scoring 223 points across their six games so far – more than any team in the NFL this season. Their offense is a force to be reckoned with, as highlighted by the fact they nearly broke the NFL record for most points in a game earlier in the season when they crushed the Denver Broncos 70-20 in Week 3. It’s packed with direct speed, with their trio of Tyreek Hill, Devon Achaine and Raheem Mostert all clocking sprints of over 21mph. Wide receiver Hill has scored six of the Dolphins’ 30 TDs this season and is just 17/20 to add to that total.
Miami have the head-to-head edge with nine wins to the Eagles six from their 15 meetings, but somewhat surprisingly come here as the 6/5 underdogs, with the Eagles priced at 5/7 to make the most of their home advantage at Lincoln Financial Field.
The Eagles’ price is even more surprising considering they come here on the back of defeat last week to the New York Jets, where they failed to score in the last two quarters and fell to a 20-14 defeat. In contrast, the Dolphins rolled over the Carolina Panthers 42-21.
The Eagles have only scored 15 TDs – half the amount of their opponents – and with their defence having conceded 124 points, they don’t look to have the strength to stop the Dolphins scoring, while they should also struggle to outscore the Florida side. At 6/5 the Dolphins look excellent value.
Detroit Lions @ Baltimore Ravens
The Detroit Lions continued their excellent form last week, cruising past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-6 and taking their winning streak to four games. They face a tough test this week against the Baltimore Ravens, a side they have only beaten once in their five meetings, with that victory coming nearly 20 years ago.
The Lions have been in sparkling form though and their offense is flowing freely, scoring 21 TDs – the third most in the NFL – this season. Running back David Montgomery has been a standout this campaign, rushing for 385 yards and making six touchdowns, while they have a good spread of players capable of receiving the final pass. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is rated most likely to score a TD at 29/20.
The Ravens bounced back from a defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, winning their NFL London game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against the Tennessee Titans 24-16. The Ravens are known for their sound defence and have conceded only 91 points so far this season.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is a standout for the Ravens and is capable of both making and receiving the final pass. The 26-year-old is 5/4 to score a TD on Sunday and he might be the one to unlock the Lions defence and end their winning streak at 5/8.
The spread here is only +/-3, so a tight game can be expected and with both sides capable of putting on strong defensive shows selecting under 43 points (10/11) to be scored might represent decent value.
