The Miami Dolphins will look to remain undefeated when they take on the Bengals in Cincinnati on Thursday night to open play in Week 4 of the NFL season.
Dolphins vs. Bengals odds have held relatively steady, with the line ranging from Cincinnati -3.5 to -4 at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and PointsBet.
Let’s take a look at the latest Thursday Night Football odds as well as our Dolphins vs. Bengals prediction.
TNF Odds: Point Spread, Moneyline, Total
Here are Thursday Night Football odds across the sports betting industry.
NFL · Thu (9/29) @ 8:15pm ET
| MIA Dolphins | at | CIN Bengals |
| Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio | ||
Dolphins Look to Remain Unbeaten
Miami is one of only two 3-0 teams in the league, along with Philadelphia, the fewest through three weeks of the season since 2017 when there also were two (Kansas City and Atlanta). Last year, five teams opened 3-0 including the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams.
Last week, as a 4-point underdog, the Dolphins were 21-19 home winners over Buffalo, the favorite to win Super Bowl (+400 at DraftKings).
Cincinnati, meanwhile, averted an 0-3 start on the heels of last year’s Super Bowl appearance with a 27-12 win in the Meadowlands against the Jets, the team that stunned the Bengals last year 34-31 as an 11.5-point dog.
Miami rookie coach Mike McDaniel will be working on three-days’ prep for the first time. Dating to 2014, first-year bosses in this spot have gone 4-22 straight-up (SU) and 7-19 against the spread (ATS). And then there’s the question about whether his QB will be available.
This is a familiar Thursday night scenario for the Bengals and fourth-year coach Zac Taylor. In Week 4 of 2021, the Bengals played host to Jacksonville and rookie boss Urban Meyer and rallied to win 24-21 as an 8.5-point favorite.
The Dolphins were far from impressive in beating the Bills. Miami was outgained 497 yards to 212 (only 41 yards rushing). The Dolphins had just 39 offensive snaps to Buffalo’s 90. This came a week after their comeback from a 21-point deficit at Baltimore when Miami produced an NFL season-high 547 yards of total offense. QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for 469 and six TDs in the 42-38 win.
Analysis: Tagovailoa’s status for this game is listed as questionable. He was limited in drills on Tuesday while dealing with back/neck/ankle issues. He was knocked woozy last week after being hit to the ground after a throw, with the back of his head snapping off the ground. He left briefly but returned to action.
If he can’t go, his backup is the more than capable. Veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater was 7-7 as a starter in Denver last season.
Cincinnati overhauled its offensive line this offseason to provide QB Joe Burrow better protection. The unit yielded 13 sacks through two weeks before limiting the Jets to two last week.
The O-line also needs to help get the running game going. Bengals RB Joe Mixon, the league’s third-leading rusher last season, is averaging only 2.8 yards carry on 58 carries. But help is on the way in the form of Miami’s defense. The Dolphins are allowing 5.0 yards a carry, tied for sixth worst in the NFL.
And one more thing. What happened to Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (190 receiving yards vs. the Ravens in Week 2) against Buffalo? Hill had just two catches for 33 yards against an injury-ravaged Bills secondary.
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Dolphins vs. Bengals TNF Prediction
In summary, the questions surrounding Tagovailoa are making preparations more difficult since the QBs have vastly different styles. Factor in the short week and this game being played on the road, and it all seems too much for Miami to overcome.
Forecast: Bengals 28, Dolphins 13
Also read: Best NFL betting apps | Super Bowl 57 odds | NFL Week 4 Betting Picks & Predictions
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