Titans Dolphins Betting – Randy Moss Debuts For Tennessee In Miami
The Tennessee Titans got a bye week at just the right time, but now they have to go back to work and take on the Miami Dolphins.
NFL Betting: Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins
Online Betting Odds: Tennessee Titans -1.5
Why To Bet On The Titans
As said above, Tennessee’s bye week was perfectly timed. The Titans had just lost premier receiver Kenny Britt due to a hamstring injury suffered in an Oct. 31 loss at the San Diego Chargers. Britt will be out for an extended period of time, long enough to miss this game, at any rate. Thankfully, the bye week prevented the Titans from playing shorthanded, and in the interim, they gained receiver Randy Moss on waivers after the temperamental and controversial superstar was waived by the Minnesota Vikings. Moss certainly compensates for the loss of Britt, who was having a fabulous season as the team’s go-to wide receiver.
Tennessee has quietly gone 5-3 over the first half of the season and has rebounded from last year, when the club lost its first six games of 2009 and scrambled just to reach the .500 mark by season’s end. This year, the Titans are once again in the mix for a playoff berth, and since the Dolphins’ offense is struggling under quarterback Chad Henne, Tennessee might not have to do too much on offense to win.
Miami is 4-4, and the Dolphins have not scored more than 23 points in any of their victories. The most points Miami has scored in a regulation win this year was 22 (the team scored 23 in an overtime win at the Green Bay Packers). The Dolphins don’t hit big plays and they struggle horribly in the red zone, as proven by the fact that they’ve scored only one offensive touchdown in three of their four wins. If Tennessee doesn’t hand Miami some turnovers, the Titans will be in very good shape.
Why To Bet On The Dolphins
The best reason to pick Miami is that Tennessee has an uncertain quarterback situation. Vince Young has been injured the past few weeks, and while Kerry Collins has kept this team afloat in Young’s absence, Young is the number one guy for coach Jeff Fisher. After the Titans’ bye week, Young might be able to practice and then play against the Dolphins, but it’s unclear if that will in fact happen.
Perhaps Young will play, but a quarterback with his speed won’t be fully fit. If Young is much less than 100 percent, that could actually hurt the Titans, who might be better served if they rest Young one more week and allow Collins, the veteran, to try to get the ball to Randy Moss. It will be very interesting to see how well Moss does, but in this first game of the Moss era in Tennessee, the Titans will probably have some difficulties in the passing game.
It will take time for Moss to blend into the offense and establish a solid rapport with his quarterbacks. If the not-very-experienced Young is the quarterback in this game, don’t expect a lot of pitch-and-catch brilliance. Miami should benefit from the circumstances surrounding Tennessee’s quarterback drama.
How The Game Will Play Out
Tennessee will not get an efficient performance at quarterback, and Moss will not run wild. Miami’s defense will play a high-impact game and force at least two turnovers, and that will be enough for the Dolphins in a rugged, low-scoring game. Tennessee has scored at least 29 points in each its five wins this year; the Titans would do well to hit 20 points against Miami, and they probably won’t do so.
Titans Dolphins Betting Pick: Dolphins
