The Miami Dolphins will try to turn their season around and post their second consecutive win when they take on the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. The Ravens (6-2), who lead the all-time regular season series 8-6, have won the last three games against Miami. The Dolphins (2-7), who snapped a seven-game skid last Sunday, are looking for their first win over Baltimore since a 15-13 victory in 2015. The Ravens are 2-1 on the road this season, while the Dolphins are 1-3 at home.
Kickoff from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Baltimore is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Ravens vs. Dolphins odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 46.5. Before you make any Ravens vs. Dolphins bets or predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine NFL expert Mike Tierney has to say.
A national sportswriter whose work appears in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. He’s used his experience to crush the NFL, going 187-147 against the spread the past three seasons. In addition, Tierney is an outstanding 26-13-1 on his last 40 against the spread picks involving the Ravens. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Tierney has zoned in on Ravens vs. Dolphins. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are the NFL lines and trends for Ravens vs. Dolphins:
- Dolphins vs. Ravens spread: Baltimore -7.5
- Dolphins vs. Ravens over-under: 46.5 points
- Dolphins vs. Ravens money line: Baltimore -380, Miami +300
- BAL: Ravens are 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six Thursday games
- MIA: Dolphins are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games in November
Why the Ravens can cover
Quarterback Lamar Jackson leads Baltimore in passing and rushing. In eight starts, Jackson has completed 173-of-266 passes (65 percent) for 2,209 yards and 13 touchdowns with seven interceptions for a 96.2 rating. He has also carried 97 times for 600 yards (6.2 average) and two touchdowns. He has had five explosive plays of 20 yards or more and has converted 36 first downs. Last week against Minnesota, Jackson threw for 266 yards and three scores, while rushing for 120 yards.
His top target has been Marquise Brown, who leads the Ravens with 46 receptions for 682 yards (14.8 average) and six touchdowns. He has had 14 explosive plays and converted 26 first downs. Last week against Minnesota, Brown had nine catches for 116 yards, his fifth career game with 100 receiving yards and third this season.
Why the Dolphins can cover
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle led Miami with eight catches for 83 yards last week against Houston, his third game with eight or more receptions this season, the most among rookies. Waddle has at least seven catches and 40 receiving yards in three of the past four games and is looking for his third home game in a row with at least 80 receiving yards. He leads all rookies with 56 catches, tied for third-most all-time by a player in his first nine career games.
Another weapon in the Miami arsenal is tight end Mike Gesicki. He had 54 receiving yards last Sunday and has 50 or more receiving yards in three of the past four games. Gesicki also has a touchdown catch in two of his past three home games. He is looking for his fourth game in a row against an AFC North opponent with a receiving TD.
How to make Dolphins vs. Ravens picks
Tierney has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning under the total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and who to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Ravens vs. Dolphins on Thursday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Tierney’s Ravens vs. Dolphins picks, all from the NFL expert who’s 26-13 on picks involving Baltimore, and find out.
