Dolphins vs. Bills Week 17 Prediction
The Dolphins will clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Bills on Sunday, or with a loss by either the Ravens, Browns or Colts. Will Miami take care of business with a small upset win over Buffalo today at 1:00 p.m. ET?
Game Snapshot
123 Miami Dolphins (+2) at 124 Buffalo Bills (-2); o/u 42
1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, January 3, 2021
Venue: Bills Stadium, Orchard Park, NY
TV: CBS
Miami Dolphins DFS Spin
Tua Tagovailoa was not deemed a “close contact” of COVID-positive Ryan Fitzpatrick. It beggars belief that quarterbacks who must do everything together during the week are not “close contacts,” but the NFL says you’re not as long as you follow all distancing and masking guidelines. The coronavirus tends to get around those precautions if you are indoors together long enough, but unlike the Broncos in Week 12, the Dolphins at least did what the league’s rules asked of them. Tagovailoa will be backed up by Jake Rudock for Sunday’s must-win game against the Bills, who probably will not be going full steam with only seeding to play for. With his supporting cast uncertain, Tagovailoa remains a low-floor QB2.
Buffalo Bills DFS Spin
Josh Allen completed 27-of-36 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the Bills’ 38-9, Week 16 win over the Patriots, adding 35 rushing yards on four attempts. Allen was rested early in the fourth quarter of the blowout win after a near-perfect night. He should have had five touchdown passes, but both Taiwan Jones and Dawson Knox committed blatant drops in the end zone with nobody around on the same drive before Zack Moss capped it off with a short rushing score. Allen’s first touchdown was a four-yarder to blocking TE Lee Smith before Allen and Stefon Diggs hooked up for three touchdowns from 50, 18, and eight yards away in the second half. Allen now holds the Bills’ franchise record for completions and touchdown passes and is going to be in the MVP conversation. With the Bills and Steelers tied at 12-3 headed into Week 17 and fighting for the No. 2 seed in the AFC, Allen should be out there against the Dolphins before the playoffs.
Dolphins vs. Bills Betting Prediction
The Dolphins are just 2-6 against the spread in their last eight meetings with the Bills in Buffalo, while the favorite in this series has cashed in five of the last seven meetings overall. The Dolphins are also just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games played in the month of January and are 2-6 against the number in their last eight games played in Week 17. The Bills, meanwhile, are a perfect 7-0 against the spread in their last seven games overall and have covered in their last four games when favored.
NFL WEEK 17 BETTING PREDICTION: BUFFALO BILLS -2