Dolphins-Bengals Week 4 Predictions Roundup
The Miami Dolphins will look to move their record to 4-0 in the 2022 when they face the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Thursday night.
The Dolphins will enter the game as 3.5-point underdogs according to the SI Sportsbook.
Here's a roundup of national predictions on this game:
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Will Brinson
Analysis: "I'll be honest here, I don't even want to pick this game and that's mainly because I've whiffed on every Dolphins game I've picked this season. Through three weeks, there are only two teams I've gone 0-3 picking and the Dolphins are one of them (The Browns are the other). With the Dolphins, I've been having a zig-zag problem: When I think they're going to zig, they zag. When I think they're going down, they go right. When I think they're going to lose because they're trailing by 21 points in the fourth quarter, they win. I think the Dolphins are mocking me. I can't handle it anymore. ... At this point, I don't even think Dolphins fans want me to pick their team to win. Every time I pick them to lose, they win. I'm not sure what that means for Thursday, but we're going to find out."
Prediction: Bengals 34, Dolphins 27
Analysis: "This is a tough spot for Miami. They are coming off a big, emotional division victory over the Bills and now must travel to play a good Bengals team on a short week. This could be Joe Burrow vs. Tua Tagovailoa, depending on Tagovailoa's health. These two met in college. I think at home on a short week Burrow will get the best of it — even if Tua plays. Bengals will win it with a nice offensive showing."
Prediction: Bengals 30, Dolphins 20
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Analysis: "A win Thursday, then, against the defending AFC champs, in our view, would be even more impressive than beating the Ravens or Bills. Yes, the Bengals are 1-2, but their advanced stats are actually quite good (10th in point differential, 10th in EPA per play). Plus, their porous pass protection seemed to have stopped the bleeding against the Jets. That thesis will be put to the test Thursday by an aggressive Dolphins defense that ranks 26th in sack rate (4.9%) but third in pass rush win rate (53%). Joe Burrow has regressed in Year 3, ranking middle of the pack in CPOE (.6), EPA per play (.07), QBR (47.1), and passer rating (85.1). But Miami has allowed 297.7 passing yards per game (31st), 7.3 yards per attempt (26th), and has an opponents’ passer rating of 104.2 (26th). The Dolphins lead the all-time series 18-7 but haven’t won in Cincinnati in a decade."
Adam H. Beasley Prediction: Bengals 27, Dolphins 20
Dalton Miller Prediction: Bengals 27, Dolphins 24
Dallas Robinson Prediction: Bengals 28, Dolphins 21
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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM
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Analysis: "By the numbers, the Dolphins defied logic with their win over the Bills to get to 3-0, following a near-impossible comeback to take down the Ravens. There is bound to be some regression to the mean and their blitzing defense plays well into the hands of Joe Burrow, who got well passing last week. Tua Tagovailoa's back injury and limited running game help will make this spot difficult in a hostile environment on a short week. Miami is bound for the classic letdown while Cincinnati continues marching back into the AFC playoff conversation."
Prediction: Bengals 27, Dolphins 23
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Analysis: "Coming off a big victory over the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins are just one of two remaining undefeated teams. To get to 4-0, Miami will have to knock off the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals, who just notched their first victory of the season this past weekend."
Ethan Cadeaux prediction: Bengals 23, Dolphins 17
Matt Weyrich prediction: Bengals 30, Dolphins 24
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Analysis: "The Dolphins are one of the best teams in the NFL. But even the best teams struggle to meet expectations when the hype gets this intense. Something tells me that, coming off a huge win over the Bills and on a short week, Miami will disappoint against a Bengals team that will claw its way back to .500."
Prediction: Bengals 31, Dolphins 28
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Mike Florio
Analysis: "The Dolphins have pulled an inside straight for two straight weeks. The Bengals know they can’t afford to fall to 1-3, and they’re good enough to find a way to beat a better-than-expected franchise that won’t catch Cincy napping."
Prediction: Bengals 27, Dolphins 21
Michael David Smith
Analysis: "Tua Tagovailoa vs. Joe Burrow is a good quarterback matchup that we may see for many years to come. I think Burrow is the better quarterback, but right now Tagovailoa has the better team round him."
Prediction: Dolphins 21, Bengals 20
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Analysis: "TThe Dolphins' defense played 92 snaps in the Miami humidity Sunday and now have to travel on a short week. That should be easier because of a deep defensive line getting big contributions from Melvin Ingram, Zach Sieler and Trey Flowers. The Bengals' defense is similarly sound, yet hasn't been tested against a quality offense. While 3.5 points is too much to give the undefeated Dolphins, I think Joe Burrow can create enough plays against a tired Miami secondary."
Prediction: Bengals 27, Dolphins 26
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Analysis: "The Dolphins haven't started 4-0 since the last season of Don Shula's legendary career ... all the way back in 1995, having come up short the past five times they started 3-0. The last of those seasons was 1996, which was Jimmy Johnson's first as head coach, just like this is Mike McDaniel's first year as head coach. There's little question the Dolphins have as much or more talent on this 2022 team than they did in those previous 3-0 starts of 1996, 1998, 2002, 2013 or 2018, and it really should surprise no one if they're able to make it four in a row against the Bengals on Thursday night. The Dolphins have shown the ability so far this season of coming up with big plays at key moments to pull out wins. But they also are a few plays away from being 1-2 instead of being 3-0, so the margin for error isn't huge. And that margin decreases when you factor in the short week with the road game and the challenge of facing a Cincinnati team with its own aspirations. This has the makings of a very entertaining game with two offenses capable of putting up big numbers, but in the end we're thinking it will be Burrow and company who have the final word."
Prediction: Bengals 29, Dolphins 27
