Even though both the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants are 5-7 heading into the final quarter of the season, they're still both very much so alive in their respective conference playoff races.
A loss for either would be devastating for sure though, which is why this Monday Night Football showdown is incredibly crucial.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
New York Giants PK
Miami Dolphins PK
Over/Under 47.5
ODDS ANALYSIS
The NFL odds have been all over the board this week in this game. The line opened up at a pick 'em, proof of just how close these two teams are to one another, and both teams have been favored at one time or another along the way.
That said, things have settled right back at a pick 'em as of this article's publishing on Wednesday evening, and we have to think that that's just about where things are going to close.
A total which opened at 47.5 has dropped just a tick to 46.5.
WHEN THE NEW YORK GIANTS HAVE THE BALL
The Dolphins pretty much can't stop anyone on defense. They rank No. 22 in the league against the pass and No. 30 against the rush. Not surprisingly, the end result has been 25.0 points per game, a number which includes giving up at least 33 points three times since the start of November.
The Giants don't have the world's best offense for sure, but they have the one man who can make or break any live bet in Odell Beckham Jr. He's arguably the best receiver on the planet right now, and he makes catches that just shouldn't be humanly possible. With five straight 100+ yard games and at least one touchdown in four of the five, it would be understandable if you bet on Beckham to do some awesome things. However, for live betting, this is a fine line.
There are tremendous stretches of games where Beckham just seems to be invisible, and not surprisingly, those are the times when the Giants go dull on offense. That said, just when you've forgotten about him, Beckham is there to make a ridiculous one-handed catch in the end zone from 50 yards away.
Live betting is a dangerous proposition one way or the other when the Giants have the ball.
WHEN THE MIAMI DOLPHINS HAVE THE BALL
It's not much easier when Miami has it either, and once again, it really doesn't have a lot to do with the Dolphins.
Ryan Tannehill is who he is. He's going to throw a pick in this game in all likelihood, and he's probably throwing a touchdown as well. Jarvis Landry will make some plays, but the rest of the passing game is likely to be pretty anemic.
Ever since Dan Campbell took over as the team's interim coach, both Lamar Miller and Jay Ajayi have gotten a little more playing time and time with the rock in their hands. If the Dolphins are playing from ahead, games can get ugly as it did last week against Baltimore. Keep in mind that Miami would love to hold this ball for 40 minutes if it gets the opportunity to do so, and if every drive took eight minutes, all the better.
The real variable here though, is how bad the Giants are on defense. They've allowed a ton of passing touchdowns this year to seemingly every opponent. Tannehill has shown that he can post amazing games; just go look at the first half he had against the Texans for proof of that.
If Miami gets ahead though, this game should slow down a lot. That's the biggest cue for live bettors to take and one which cannot be forgotten, particularly out of the locker room for the second half.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The Week 14 game between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins is scheduled for Monday, December 14, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. ET at Sun Life Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
