The Miami Dolphins head to Ohio to face the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. How do the oddsmakers see this game?
The Miami Dolphins face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, looking to back up their Week 16 win over the San Francisco 49ers with a second-straight victory. Miami continues to hold on to slim playoff chances and a win over the Browns, who have struggled for much of this season, could help carry them toward a spot in the AFC playoff picture.
Cleveland comes into this game having lost to their AFC North and in-state rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals. The loss extended their current losing streak to four games and included the team moving to their third starting quarterback of the year, with Dorian Thompson-Robinson taking over from Jameis Winston, who had replaced Deshaun Watson. Thompson-Robinson is expected to start against the Dolphins, despite a two-interception, five-sack performance against the Bengals.
How will this game play out? The oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook see a tight game between two teams who were expected to be contenders in their respective conferences, but have not lived up to those prediction.
What are the records for both teams?
Miami climbed to 7-8 on the season with their win over the 49ers, keeping them alive in the chase for the AFC playoffs. They are currently the ninth team in the race for the top seven positions, tied with the Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals as the three teams remaining with a chance to jump into the playoff bubble.
The Dolphins have to win their final two games to have any chance at the postseason, starting with this week’s game against the Browns then carrying into next week’s contest against the New York Jets. They also will need help, with either the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers both losing their remaining two games or one of those two losing out and the Indianapolis Colts losing one game.
The Browns have been eliminated from playoff contention with their 3-12 record. That mark ties them for the worst record in the conference, but tie breaks have them 12th out of th 16 teams in the AFC. They would hold the fifth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if the season were to end today
What is the all-time history between the teams?
This will mark the 20th regular season meeting between the two franchises. Miami has the slight edge in the overall record at 10-9. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, with the Dolphins winning both of those games.
Most recently, the teams met in 2022, with the Dolphins winning the Week 10 contest 39-17 in Miami.
What are the FanDuel Sportsbook odds?
This game has already seen a lot of movement. It initially opened on Sunday with the Dolphins favored by three points. Almost immediately, it jumped to Miami -5.5. Overnight, the line continued to grow, sitting at Dolphins -6.5 as of noon Monday. Miami is -295 on the moneyline while the Browns are +240. The point total is 40.5.
Spread: Dolphins -6.5
Moneyline: Dolphins -295 | Browns +240
Point total: 40.5
