This week, the 9-5 Dolphins head to Las Vegas to face the 7-7 Raiders. They do so as 3-point favorites, according to BetMGM.
There was a time this season when these two teams had the same record. In Week 10, the Dolphins beat the Chargers and the Raiders beat the Broncos, giving both teams a 6-3 record. It set the table for what looked like a premiere AFC playoff showdown in Week 16. Thus moving the game to primetime Saturday night.
But since then the two teams have gone in completely different directions.
The Raiders have lost four out of their last five games while the Dolphins have won three of five. Now the Dolphins are assured a winning season and currently sit inside the playoff bubble, while the Raiders sit at .500 with their playoff lives hanging by a thin thread.
Where the Dolphins excel is their defense, which leads the league with the fewest points allowed (257) and the most takeaways (26). The Raiders’ defense has been their downfall in most games and ranks near the bottom in both points allowed (421) and yards (5,396).
Those numbers ultimately led to the firing of defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. And now with two weeks under his belt, interim defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli hopes to right the ship on his side of the ball. That’s the one area that could hold the key as to whether the Raiders can be competitive in this game.
