In what should be a heavily one-sided game, the Dolphins look to keep pace in the AFC while the Commanders’ season is on the rocks after having lost five of their last six.
2019 was the last time both of these teams met in a regular season game. On a day in which the teams entered the game with a collective 0-9 record, the then-Redskins pulled out the win, 17-16. Four seasons later, it is the Dolphins who have gained the upper hand in the standings, while the Commanders, with a loss, will push their count of consecutive non-winning seasons to seven.
Miami’s offense continues to be explosive, averaging 430.5 yards and 30.8 points per game. While not nearly on the pace they once were after having dropped 70 on the Broncos in Week 3, the Dolphins remain the league’s No. 1 scoring offense through 12 weeks of football. Some of Tua Tagovailoa’s most reliable offensive weapons, Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert, found themselves on the team’s first injury report for this weekend, though Mostert and Hill were back at practice yesterday and will play in Week 13. Safety Jevon Holland, who recorded a 99-yard pick-six last week on an ill-advised Hail Mary at the end of the first half by Jets quarterback Tim Boyle, however, enters the weekend listed as questionable with knee issues.
One of the greatest plays in Miami Dolphins History. This Jevon Holland pick 6 is beautiful
— Troy King (@TKingMode) November 24, 2023
Conversely, the Commanders have spent most of this season trying to evaluate what they have under the new ownership group led by Josh Harris and Magic Johnson. Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was fired earlier this week, and Ron Rivera’s tenure with the Commanders may be in its last month of life, depending on what ownership elects to do this offseason. Time will tell if it will include cleaning out and starting a rebuild.
On the football field for Washington, Sam Howell has led the league in passing yards through 12 weeks, with 3,339. However, he is also in a tie with Josh Allen for most interceptions thrown this year (13).
Jahan Dotson needs to record 65 receiving yards in this game in order to accomplish back-to-back seasons with 500 receiving yards, while Terry McLaurin can extend his streak of games with four-plus catches to 12.
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Game Info
Date: Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023
Start time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Arlington, VA.
Stadium: FedEx Field
TV Info: FOX, NFL+, Sunday Ticket
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Point Spread: example: WAS +9.5 (-110), MIA -9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: example: WAS (+350), MIA (-455)
Over/Under: example: O/U 49.5 (-110)
The Dolphins are a 9.5-point favorite, the largest point spread of any one game this week.
Asked @unclelukereal1 about Commanders/Dolphins:
"Washington has no chance in this game. Absolutely no chance….Ya'll aint ready for this."— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) December 1, 2023
What To Watch For
This game should be heavily one-sided in Miami’s favor. The Commanders possess the league’s worst scoring defense, giving up 29.2 points per game, and Tua Tagovailoa should have all of his offense available for this game. Miami needs a win to keep pace in the heavily-contested fight for AFC home-field advantage, and they should comfortably cruise to their ninth win of 2023. For the Commanders, the final month of this season will offer clues as to which direction they will go this offseason, and with the firing of Del Rio, those plans may already be well underway.
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