Eagles vs. Dolphins: TV broadcast map for Week 13

Eagles vs. Dolphins: TV broadcast map for Week 13

The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in a game that can go a long way towards making up some ground in the NFC East. With a win, the Eagles will move to 6-6 on the season, in a first-place tie with the Dallas Cowboys.

With the Birds in Miami to face the lowly Dolphins, FOX broadcast of the game will only be seen in the Philadelphia and South Florida areas. Most of the country will see the Ravens take on the 49ers in the FOX early game.

Eagles vs. Dolphins: 4 things to watch on offense

Eagles vs. Dolphins: 4 things to watch on offense

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) are heading to Miami after a loss to Seattle and will visit the Dolphins (2-9) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Dolphins have won two of their last four games, but are still firmly in tank mode as they search out a top-five pick.

With the Eagles desperately needing a win to pull even with Dallas, here are four things to watch when Philadelphia has the ball.

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Carson Wentz vs. Dolphins banged-up defense

Carson Wentz is never lacking for confidence, but with the Miami Dolphins next up on the schedule, Sunday is a good time to get the wheels rolling towards a playoff run. Miami’s defense ranks last in the NFL in passing DVOA by Football Outsiders, and Miami is allowing 8.8 yards per attempt, which is third-worst in the NFL.

6 surprising stats for Eagles, Dolphins

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) are heading to Miami after a loss to Seattle and will visit the Dolphins (2-9) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Dolphins have won two of their last four games, but are still firmly in tank mode as they search out a …

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) are heading to Miami after a loss to Seattle and will visit the Dolphins (2-9) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The Dolphins have won two of their last four games, but are still firmly in tank mode as they search out a top-five pick. The game offers some interesting matchups, dynamics and surprising stats for both teams.

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1. Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t get much help with the YAC

When the Dolphins wide receivers make a big play or rack up huge numbers, it’s usually by the grace of Fitzpatrick’s arm. In a unique stat provide by Inside Edge, Fitzpatrick is No. 4 in the NFL when it comes to the percentage of his passing yards coming through the air.

Dolphins receivers are not among the top in the league at yards after the catch.

Philadelphia Eagles at Miami Dolphins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing the Eagles at Dolphins Week 13 NFL matchup, with NFL betting odds, picks and best bets

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) look to right the ship for a December run as they travel to play the Miami Dolphins (2-9) at Hard Rock Stadium at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

Philadelphia at Miami: Week 13 preview, betting trends and notes


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  • Scores in Eagles games have hit the under in four of the last five games.
  • Miami is 2-5 at home against the spread in its last seven home games.
  • The Dolphins have a better record ATS (5-6) than the Eagles (4-7).
  • Philadelphia is 2-4 against the moneyline in its last six games, while Miami is 2-12 against the moneyline in its last 14 games.
  • The Dolphins have the NFL’s 30th-ranked offense and 30th-ranked defense.

Philadelphia at Miami: Key injuries

Eagles TE Zach Ertz was held out of practice after suffering a hamstring injury. RB Jordan Howard still hasn’t been cleared for contact with a shoulder injury. WR Alshon Jeffery (ankle) returned to practice, but was limited.

In Miami, all of the Dolphins practiced Wednesday, but WRs Allen Hurns (ankle) and Albert Wilson (hip/chest), CBs Ken Webster (ankle) and Ken Crawley (shoulder), and S Steven Parker (groin) were limited.

Philadelphia at Miami: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 4 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Philadelphia 31, Miami 10

Moneyline (?)

This has all the makings of a college moneyline with Philadelphia (-455) a massive favorite over Miami (+340). As much as Philly’s offense has struggled and been missing key weapons to the offense for the last month, -455 is a stiff price to pay to get such little return. While we would avoid this one for obvious reasons, if you were to make a bet, the only one that makes sense is a small wager on Miami on the off chance of Fitzmagic from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Against the Spread (?)

The Dolphins have been ugly all season, which is why they’re a 9.5-point home dog (-110 on each team). If the Eagles can’t blow this one out, they don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. Including the Dolphins, four of the Eagles’ final five games are against teams currently 2-9 (Miami, New York Giants and two against Washington). This is a statement game for the Eagles – good or bad – and we think it’s going to be an aggressive statement for a team with a fresh ring. LAY THE 9.5 POINTS.

Over/Under (?)

The O/U is 44.5 points (-115 on the over, -106 on the under). Miami is last in the league in points allowed, giving up 31.5 per game. But the Eagles defense, despite an anemic showing from the Philly offense, held Tom Brady and Russell Wilson to 17 points each in their last two games. Miami’s offense? Fitzpatrick is going to be under attack all day. He may not get 10 points. TAKE THE UNDER … but not by much.

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Eagles now 9-point road favorites over the Dolphins in Week 13

The Philadelphia Eagles open as 9-point road favorites over the Miami Dolphins

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The Philadelphia Eagles are 5-6 on the season but set to embark on the easiest portion of their 2019 schedule. The Eagles will travel to Miami to face the 2-9 Dolphins on Sunday and even with the Birds offense sputtering as of late, Vegas oddsmakers still believe Philadelphia is the superior team.

according to odds from BetMGMthe Eagles are now 9-point road favorites.

BetMGM had the Eagles as 7.5-point favorites on Sunday night, so the line is certainly moving in their direction. Eight of the Dolphins nine losses have come by double-digits and they’ve lost their past two games by a combined 34 points.

The Eagles are looking to snap a two-game losing streak after Sundays 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lincoln Financial Field.

{Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.}

Dolphins have protected Josh Rosen with decision to bench him

The Miami Dolphins made the decision to bench quarterback Josh Rosen earlier this season — in doing so Miami protected Rosen from himself.

One thing we can all agree upon? The 2019 Miami Dolphins’ offense is not very good.

That statement might be the easiest evaluation during the weekly bouts involving Miami. Sure, they’re scrappy. They have fight. They don’t quit. Much of that is due to the reckless, backyard style spearheaded by the bearded madman himself: Ryan Fitzpatrick. His ability to extend plays with his legs and savvy under pressure have covered up some of the warts this offense possesses and while simultaneously allowing some of the skill players to make something out of nothing. But Fitzpatrick also taken some serious licks from a multitude of defenders.

With Rosen under center, this team was different. And he would be getting annihilated behind this porous offensive line. The skill players would have no chance to make something out of nothing, because Rosen himself can’t make something out of nothing. It’s not his style. By benching the second year quarterback, multiple positives happened for the aqua and orange:

  • Rosen can continue to to be groomed to the pro game without being destroyed on the field. Josh was not the pro-ready prospect he was sold as coming out of UCLA. And if he cannot correctly identify the defense, he cannot effectively operate the offense, thus hampering his own development as well as the production of the entire team.
  • Additionally, Rosen is a traditional pocket passer. This piecemeal offensive line has Fitzpatrick running for his life on nearly every play, and he’s still taken 3.5 sacks per start this season despite his ability to evade pressure. Can you imagine Rosen behind this line these past two months? He very likely would have been pulled for injury if he hadn’t been pulled for another player.
  • Fitzpatrick galvanized the offense, catapulting them into a more competitive state. Guys like Devante Parker and Mike Gesicki have experienced nice bumps in their past production with Fitz in the lineup. Even being down by several scores, the offense doesn’t roll over. This allows the coaches and Chris Grier to identify who is worth keeping around past year zero.
  • Finally, the move protects Josh Rosen, the asset. Whether he is in the long-term plans or is destined to yet again be sent off to a third team in as many seasons, he offers no value as damaged goods.

The fact is, Miami found it worth their while to bring Rosen over from Arizona for one reason or another, and they quickly realized they weren’t going to get his best or be able to give them their best in 2019. Don’t write him off for next season quite yet.  Yes, he appears to be the type of quarterback that needs stability around him to produce at a high level.

It just so happens that Miami has assets galore after the 2019 season. The offensive line needs a complete overhaul. If successful in that endeavor, and Rosen grows as a pro behind the scenes, there’s a chance we see his best ball next season. Whether that includes a rookie waiting in the wings remains to be seen.

All things considered, The Dolphins truly did do Josh Rosen a favor in not leading him to slaughter in 2019. The results will speak for themselves in the untold future.

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Last-minute fantasy football thoughts for Week 12

Touchdown Wire’s Pat Yasinskas shares 11 last-minute fantasy football thoughts of Week 12.

As you get ready to finalize your lineups for Week 12 of the NFL season, here are 11 random and last-minute fantasy football thoughts:

11. Eddy Pineiro will bounce back

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago kicker is under a lot of heat after missing five kicks in his last four games. Things hit a low point last week against the Rams. Pineiro missed two field-goal attempts and the Bears elected to pass on him trying another one and went for it on fourth down. But the Bears have been uncommonly patient and supportive of their kicker. He’ll reward them with a big day against the Giants.

Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best

Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.

 

Future QB Rankings: Rating all 32 NFL teams’ situations from worst to best

Touchdown Wire ranks the 32 NFL teams in terms of stability and potential at the game’s most important position over the next 3-4 seasons.

Tom Brady might be the best quarterback ever, but he’s not the best in the NFL right now. He certainly won’t be the best in 2022.

He’s human, after all, and at age 42, regression is inevitable even for someone with six Super Bowl rings. That puts the New England Patriots in an uncertain situation at quarterback two or three years down the road. The New Orleans Saints, with 40-year-old Drew Brees under center, find themselves in a similar scenario.

Other teams, such as the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, likely will face difficult personnel decisions at the quarterback position much sooner than that. Only a handful of teams, notably the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks, appear secure in their quarterback situation for years to come.

All this got us thinking about the quarterback situations of the future — and where each of the NFL’s 32 teams ranks in terms of preparedness at the game’s most crucial position.

By quarterback situations, we mean the full overview of each team’s quarterbacks group, including backups and a potential succession plan, if necessary. For this exercise, we will define the future as three to four years down the road.

To help form these opinions, we consulted with a blue-ribbon panel of one former head coach, two former general managers and one current general manager. They were asked for their thoughts on each team’s quarterback situation. They provided insight to inform our rankings.

With that in mind, we present Touchdown Wire’s future quarterback rankings for every NFL team, from worst to first:

32. Miami Dolphins

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this season, many observers accused the Dolphins of tanking to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and presumably select a quarterback. Since then, Miami (2-8) has been eclipsed by the ineptitude of Cincinnati (0-10) and Washington (1-9), so the Dolphins might not get the first QB off the board. Currently, the Dolphins have Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen on their roster. Rosen has failed in his playing time. There’s no way he’ll be back next year. The Dolphins have the option to hang onto Fitzpatrick, 36, who’s currently under contract next season at $5.5 million. It makes sense to keep Fitzpatrick around for one more year to help groom a young quarterback. That could be LSU’s Joe Burrow, Alabama’s Tua Tagavailoa (although his recent hip injury now complicates his draft status), Oregon’s Justin Herbert or Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts. Two members of my panel said they like Burrow better than Tagovailoa. Either way, it’s going to take some time to develop a young quarterback.

31. Chicago Bears

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For the moment, Mitchell Trubisky is Chicago’s starting quarterback. But it doesn’t appear that he will be in that role next year — although he remains under contract and the team holds a fifth-year option on the No. 2 overall pick from 2017. Given his level of play this season, it’s highly unlikely he will receive the option year, and he might not even see 2020 with the Bears — although the cap hit for cutting him would be slightly more than $9 million. The Bears are 4-6 after going 12-4 last year. There’s one main reason for the decline. That’s Trubisky. My panelists say he’s holding the offense back and could end up keeping a good team out of the playoffs. All four panelists agree Trubisky should be nothing more than a backup. Current backup Chase Daniel’s contract expires after this season. So there’s no telling who will be Chicago’s quarterback next year. Maybe the Bears will draft a quarterback. But with a talented roster already in place, the Bears should be first in line to sign New Orleans backup Teddy Bridgewater as a free agent.

30. Cincinnati Bengals

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Veteran Andy Dalton has been benched, and the Bengals are giving rookie fourth-rounder Ryan Finley a shot. There should be no turning back to Dalton, even though he remains under contract for 2020 with a $17.5 million scheduled salary. The Bengals can cut Dalton after the season without any salary cap ramifications. It’s too early to judge Finley. Cincinnati is going to end up with an early draft pick and could have a shot at Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert or Jalen Hurts. The Bengals will be starting over. But, given their current state, that’s not a bad thing. “Dalton had more than enough time and couldn’t win consistently,” one panelist said. “I have no idea what they have in Finley. But they have to draft a quarterback if they’re sitting there at No. 1 or 2.”

29. Washington Redskins

Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The current situation is a mess. Veterans Colt McCoy and Case Keenum, who clearly aren’t the answer, each is in the last year of their contract. The Redskins have little choice but to play rookie Dwayne Haskins, who has five interceptions and two touchdown passes, the rest of this season. Call it an audition for Haskins. But this situation is complicated because the Redskins currently have interim coach Bill Callahan, who took over when Jay Gruden was fired. There will be a new coach next year, and he might not like Haskins. With an early draft pick likely, the new coach might want his own guy. Give up on Haskins after only one season? Arizona did it with 2018 first-round pick Josh Rosen after drafting Kyler Murray. All four of our panelists said Haskins was overrated when he was drafted.

28-25 / 24-21 / 20-17 / 16-13 / 12-9 / 8-5 / 4-1

What we learned from Bills’ Week 11 victory over Miami

What we learned, Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins, NFL week 11

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

With questions starting to creep in about the Bills and the overall outlook of their 2019 season, a comfortable, yet fun win, in Miami, was just what the doctor ordered for Sean McDermott’s team.

The Bills rebounded from a tough loss in Cleveland and got back on the winning track by lighting up the scoreboard at Hard Rock Stadium. Buffalo produced its highest-scoring output of the season in a 37-20 trouncing of the Dolphins.

The Bills offense got up off the canvas after a week of taking punches in the form of criticism from fans and local media for numerous subpar performances since September. Any offensive shortcomings the Bills have been experiencing this season were forgotten for most of the day Sunday as the Bills posted 424 yards of total offense and seven different scoring drives.

It was a big day for quarterback Josh Allen. Allen had his best outing of the season, completing 21 of 33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 56 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown. Meanwhile, receiver John Brown had his biggest and best day yet for Buffalo with nine catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

The Buffalo defense had an overall strong day, even though Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 323 yards. The Bills sacked Fitzpatrick seven times and produced a takeaway for the first time since October. The run defense rebounded in a huge way by allowing Miami just 23 rushing yards. It was a major change for a run defense that had been gashed in recent weeks.

The Bills now sit at 7-3 and have to feel a bit more comfortable than they did last week about their playoff outlook. They can get to 8-3 this coming week back at home against the 3-7 Denver Broncos before they make their Thanksgiving trip to Dallas.

Here are four things we learned from the Bills’ win Sunday in South Florida: