Arizona Cardinals vs Miami Dolphins Matchup

Check out our week 8 Cardinals vs. Dolphins pick and preview to get our insight on to who will win and cover in Miami Gardens.

The Dolphins are the favorite in this week eight non-conference matchup, with the money line at -188. The game, set for 1:00 ET on Sunday, October 27th, will be televised on FOX. The Cardinals, with a +3.5 point spread and a +157 money line, are on the road at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. The over/under line is set at 46 points.

Cardinals vs. Dolphins Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NFL
Teams: Arizona Cardinals at Miami Dolphins
Where: Miami Gardens at Hard Rock Stadium
Date: Sunday, October 27th
Betting Odds MIA -3.5, ARI +157 | MIA -188 O/U 46

Cardinals Preview:

With a 3-4 record, the Cardinals have a 30.3% chance of making the playoffs and a 26.4% chance of winning the NFC West. They rank 21st in our NFL power rankings. Arizona is 2-0 in division games, including a win over the 49ers in week 5, but they couldn’t follow that up, losing to the Packers in week 6. However, they bounced back in week 7 with a 17-15 win over the Chargers.

Against the spread, the Cardinals are 4-3, including 3-2 as underdogs. In week 7, they covered the +1 spread by beating the Chargers. Their O/U record is 3-3-1, with their games averaging 46.9 points compared to a line of 47.6.

Cardinals Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 8, the Cardinals rank 13th in our offensive power rankings. They are 17th in the NFL in scoring, averaging 21.4 points per game, and sit 15th in total yards with 331.3 per game. Arizona has leaned on their run game, ranking 6th in rushing yards per game (150.3) on 27.6 attempts per contest. Kyler Murray has had some struggles, with a passer rating of 66 in week 7, where he threw for 145 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception against the Chargers.

On 3rd down, the Cardinals are 16th in the league, converting 39.4% of their attempts. They are 10th in red zone attempts and have a conversion rate of 42.1%. Arizona has been strong early in games, ranking 4th in the NFL in 1st-quarter scoring.

Cardinals Team Defense

In their 17-15 win over the Chargers, the Arizona Cardinals' defense gave up 395 yards but held them to just 15 points. The Cardinals struggled to stop the pass, allowing 336 yards through the air on 27 completions. However, they were tough against the run, allowing only 59 yards on 22 attempts (2.7 yards per attempt).

Despite allowing the Chargers to convert on 42.9% of their third downs, Arizona's defense managed three sacks and had more QB hits and tackles for loss than the Chargers. The Cardinals also kept the Chargers out of the endzone, not allowing a single passing touchdown.

Dolphins Preview:

Heading into week 8, the Dolphins sit 25th in our NFL power rankings and have an 11.5% chance of making the playoffs. Miami is 2-4 this season, which puts them 2nd in the AFC East. In week 7, they couldn’t build on their week 5 win over the Patriots, losing 16-10 to the Colts. The Dolphins were +3 underdogs in that game but couldn’t cover the spread, bringing their ATS record to 1-5.

Miami’s O/U record this season is 1-5, with the under hitting in their last two games. Their matchups have averaged 33.2 points per game, while the O/U line has been 43.1. Against the Colts, the teams combined for 26 points, with the line set at 44.

Dolphins Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 8, the Dolphins rank 31st in our offensive power rankings. They are 27th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 11.7, and also 27th in passing yards per game, with 179.5, despite ranking 14th in passing attempts. Miami is 22nd in the league in total yards per game, averaging 308.2, and they have struggled on 3rd down, converting just 32.1% of their attempts, which ranks 27th in the NFL. However, they have been efficient in the red zone, ranking 2nd in the league with a 100% conversion rate.

In week 7, Miami scored 10 points in a loss to the Colts, with all of their points coming in the first half. Tyler Huntley completed 7 of 13 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Jonnu Smith led the team with 7 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown. De'Von Achane added 77 rushing yards on 15 carries. Miami's offense converted 6 of 15 3rd-down attempts and scored on 1 of 3 red zone trips.

Dolphins Team Defense

In their 16-10 loss to the Colts, the Dolphins' defense held Indianapolis to just 129 yards passing on 10 completions. However, Miami struggled to stop the run, allowing 155 yards on 37 attempts (4.2 per attempt). The Dolphins' defense also kept the Colts out of the end zone through the air, but they didn't record any sacks and had a tough time generating consistent pressure, as they lost the quarterback hit differential.

Miami's defense was tough to throw against, as the Colts only managed a 41.7% completion rate. Additionally, the Dolphins' defense held the Colts to a 30.8% conversion rate on third down.

Cardinals vs Dolphins Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last three road games, Arizona has averaged 21 points per game while allowing 30. The team's record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Miami has an ATS record of 1-4 while averaging 10 per game. The team went 1-4 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Cardinals have gone 3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Dolphins have a straight up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 1-2.