Dolphins-Colts Game Preview and Predictions: Can Miami Overcome Injuries?

For a change, the Miami Dolphins are given a chance by more than just one or two national media members heading into their Week 10 game against the Indianapolis Colts — and that's despite the injury to starting quarterback Malik Willis.

The Dolphins will go into the game with a 1-7 record but after giving playoff contenders New England and Detroit a battle before losing at Hard Rock Stadium the past two weeks.

That, of course, with quarterback Malik Willis and standout defensive lineman Zach Sieler in the lineup, with both now on injured reserve. The Colts also have their issues, having traded four veterans — Quenton Nelson, DeForrest Buckner, Keenan Allen and Josh Downs — in the midst of a wildly disappointing season that's already seen GM Chris Ballard lose his job.

The Colts did retain star running back Jonathan Taylor and veteran defensive tackle Grove Stewart, who had been rumored to be on the move, and it's not like they're playing for draft position since their 2027 first-round pick belongs to the New York Jets as the result of the Sauce Gardner trade that keeps looking worse every day.

Indianapolis is favored by 3.5 points, according to the Fan Duel Sportsbook.

This is the second consecutive year the teams will face each other, the 2025 meeting coming in the season opener when the Colts humbled the Dolphins, 33-8, in a game that set the stage for Miami's disappointing 7-10 season that produced the regime change and rebuilding project that's going on right now.

That season-opening win was part of a fantastic start for the Colts, who once were 8-2 and very much looking like legit AFC contenders. The bottom then fell out and it hasn't stopped falling out, Indianapolis losing 14 of its past 16 games going back to last November 23.

This is why the Dolphins are being given a chance — even predicted by some — to win the game Sunday despite having a quarterback on his third team in two years ready to play his first real NFL snaps.

The Colts gave Dallas all it could handle last week before losing in overtime, and they may benefit from the uncertainty of their roster being done now that the NFL trade deadline has passed.

From this end, it's just difficult to give the Dolphins the nod here with an unproven quarterback who will have to work with the same subpar supporting cast that's hampered Willis so far this season, and without Aaron Brewer out on top of everyhing.

The Dolphins defense probably will be able to keep the score close, but we'd still call it something like 20-10 for the Colts.

THE NATIONAL PREDICTIONS FOR THE DOLPHINS-COLTS GAME

Sports Illustrated

Albert Breer: Dolphins

Eva Geitheim: Colts

Mitch Goldich: Dolphins

Mike Kadlick: Colts

Gilbert Manzano: Dolphins

Conor Orr: Dolphins

John Pluym: Colts

Matt Verderame: Dolphins

USA Today Sports

Jarrett Bell: Colts 26, Dolphins 20

Nick Brinkerhoff: Dolphins 13, Colts 10

Chris Bumbaca: Dolphins 17, Colts 16

Nate Davis: Colts 16, Dolphins 10

Adam Kaufman: Colts 20, Dolphins 13

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Colts 23, Dolphins 16

The Sporting News

Analysis: The Dolphins have been pushing superior teams to the limit, thanks to their defense often holding up well under Jeff Hafley. They just can't win when called upon to find a passing offense that's not there, especially now without Malik Willis. Miami will go into this old-school AFC East matchup and pound away with Ollie Gordon III. The Colts' offense is a shell with now-lesser receivers around Daniel Jones.

Prediction: Dolphins 23, Colts 20

ESPN

Matt Bowen: Dolphins

Mike Clay: Colts

• Jeremy Fowler: Colts

Dan Graziano: Dolphins

• Kalyn Kahler: Dolphins

Pamela Maldonado: Colts

Eric Moody: Colts

Jason Reid: Colts

• Benjamin Solak: Colts

• Lindsey Thiry: Colts

Seth Wickersham: Colts

NBC Sports

Analysis: With the uncertainty of the trade deadline over, the Colts can get back to focusing on trying to win football games.

Prediction: Colts 17, Dolphins 7

NFL.com

Jeremy Bergman: Colts 17, Dolphins 16

Brooke Cersosimo: Colts 16, Dolphins 13

Gennaro Filice: Colts 20, Dolphins 9

Bobby Kownack: Colts 10, Dolphins 6

Dan Parr: Colts 20, Dolphins 16

CBS Sports

Analysis: This is the dog game of the week between two struggling teams. But one is young and playing hard on the way up, while one is on the way down after trading away assets. The problem for Miami is that quarterback Malik Willis is out. That means Kyle McCord will start at quarterback. Miami will hang around against the depleted Colts team, but the Colts will win it late.

Prediction: Colts 23, Dolphins 22

The Athletic

Chad Graff: Dolphins
Jon Greenberg: Dolphins
Larry Holder: Colts
Josh Kendall: Colts
Steve Louis Goldstein: Dolphins
Austin Mock: Colts

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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