Odds Say Dolphins in Unfamiliar Territory in Week 3

The Miami Dolphins will face a considerable challenge in trying to stop their season-opening slide with their game at Buffalo on Thursday night, about as big a challenge as any they've faced in the Mike McDaniel era.

At least that's the case based on the oddsmakers.

The Dolphins will enter the game against the Bills as 12-point underdogs, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, and that represents the second-biggest point spread against the Dolphins since Mike McDaniel became head coach in 2022.

It's actually the most the Dolphins have been underdogs in the regular season because the one game where the point spread was bigger and Miami was getting more points was the playoff matchup in 2022 — yes, also at Buffalo.

And the the next-biggest spread against the Dolphins during McDaniel's tenure was 6 points and, guess what, it also was for a game at Highmark Stadium, specifically the Week 9 matchup last season.

DOLPHINS KEEP IT CLOSE

As Dolphins fans know, they didn't win any of those three games when they were underdogs by 6 or more points.

But all three games were decided by three points, two of them on walk-off field goals by Tyler Bass and the other after the Dolphins had the ball at midfield down three late in the game.

And for that last game, the playoff matchup at the end of the 2022 season, it was Skylar Thompson at quarterback for the Dolphins because Tua Tagovailoa was on IR.

Heading into that playoff game, the feeling of doom was every bit what we've experienced this week, if not worse.

For those keeping track of such things, this will be the 23rd game where the Dolphins will go in as underdogs under McDaniel. They are 5-11 in the previous 22 and their victory where they were underdogs with the biggest point spread came in 2022 against those same Buffalo Bills in Week 3.

DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN?

In a way, this game feels a bit like the one at Highmark Stadium last season when the Dolphins were in desperation mode, coming in with a 2-5 record and as pretty significant underdogs.

The Dolphins didn't win that game, but easily could have and they played well enough to convince the organization it could make a run in the second half of the season and therefore wasn't going to trade veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell so he could go play for a contender.

And, lo and behold, the Dolphins did make a run, winning six of their next eight to put themselves in position to potentially earn a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season.

Could history repeat? Could the Dolphins put on a good performance against Buffalo and turn things around even after another loss?

Could the Dolphins actually make some mini-history and record their biggest upset win under McDaniel?

Who knows. What we do know is the Dolphins' blowout losses against Buffalo under McDaniel have come when they were slight underdogs and they've been very competitive when they've been big underdogs.

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