The Dolphins extended the contract of Ryan Tannehill in the offseason and he played like a big-money quarterback in his preseason debut.
Miami has high hopes with its signal-caller locked up however a lack of depth was evident in last week’s loss.
ODDS
Carolina had an impressive win on the road last week and was positioned as 1-point favorites against the Dolphins, who are 3-10 ATS during the preseason under head coach Joe Philbin. The total opened at 40.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
Dolphins starter Ryan Tannehill was sharp in his preseason debut, picking apart a rebuilt Chicago defense and throwing for a touchdown on the game’s opening drive. He went 6 of 7 for 56 yards and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to finish off an 85-yard drive and called it a night. He’s expected to play a few more series this week ahead of backup Matt Moore. Josh Freeman and McLeod Bethel-Thompson were ineffective combining for three interceptions and cost the Dolphins any chance of getting a win.
After playing three series in the preseason opener we’re likely to see more of Cam Newton against the Dolphins. Newton played the entire first half in last season’s second preseason game and was the least effective of the three quarterbacks completing 50 percent of his passes in last week’s win at Buffalo. He’ll get a few extra reps in order to fine-tune his game. Derek Anderson looked comfortable in his time completing 7 of 12 attempts for 83 yards and scored while Joe Webb was 8 of 15 and also had a scoring pass. The Panthers will likely keep three quarterbacks on the opening day roster with Webb’s versatility as a receiver and special teams player.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin figures an extended trip during the preseason might help his team win on the road this year. The Dolphins will spend most of the week in South Carolina working with the Panthers in a two-day joint practice session ahead of their preseason game Saturday. Philbin said the joint practices will be a first for him in 13 years as an NFL assistant and head coach. Philbin agreed to the schedule in part because the Dolphins play seven of their first nine games away from Miami. Under Philbin the Dolphins have been a pretty good road team, but they’re eager to do even better. In each of the past two seasons, their home and away record has been an identical 4-4.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“As I told the team, we’ve got to get used to winning on the road. Let’s be honest, that’s going to be a key to our season. We’re going to be semi-road warriors early in the year.” – Dolphins coach Joe Philbin expressing the importance of winning road games with his team playing seven of their first nine away from Miami.
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
The Dolphins have a tight battle brewing for the backup running back spot. Lamar Miller is a sure bet to start again and the Dolphins will likely keep fifth-round pick Jay Ajayi. So the question remains: Will the Dolphins keep four running backs? And if they only keep three, who gets left out? “I think it’s still an open competition,” said coach Joe Philbin. Damien Williams, LaMichael James and Mike Gillislee are all competing for the No. 3 spot and decisions need to be made.
INJURIES
Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin took a big hit to his back against the Bills and was limited in practice. Also, reserve cornerback Teddy Williams sustained a concussion and hasn’t been cleared to resume football activities.
The Dolphins lost linebackers Chris McCain and Jordan Tripp to ankle injuries last week and their availability against the Panthers is uncertain.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Dolphins first-teamers are good but beyond that there are some holes, as evidenced by last week’s crumble when the reserves were badly outplayed by Chicago’s. And of course during the preseason reserves will get plenty of work. The Panthers had perhaps the best play from their trio of quarterbacks than any team in the league but Cam Newton is the guy. As he goes, so go the Panthers. He’ll get a shot against Miami’s defense led by Ndamukong Suh. A win on the road this week is important for the Dolphins, who want to taste victory away from Miami leading into the regular season, where they play seven of their first nine.
Miami 23, Carolina 21
BookMaker sent out the NFL betting odds for this Saturday game at Panthers -1 with a total of 40. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time odds and player props during the game. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers game is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2015, at 7 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium.
