Dolphins vs. Lions: Miami opens as favorites for Week 8

The Miami Dolphins ended a three-game losing streak on Sunday, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 16-10 on Sunday Night Football. As the game ended, the opening odds for next week’s game were released, with the Dolphins listed as the favorites for their Week 8 visit to to the Detroit Lions.

Miami is now 4-3 on the season, winning all four games in which the same quarterback started and finished the game. Miami’s three losses came in games in which starter Tua Tagovailoa was knocked out of the game with a concussion (Week 4 at Cincinnati Bengals), backup Teddy Bridgewater was removed from the game with no concussion (Week 5 at New York Jets), and third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson sustained a hand injury (Week 6 vs. Minnesota Vikings). Tagovailoa returned on Sunday night and, despite second-half offensive struggles, the team held on to win the game with a strong defensive performance. The win pushes the Dolphins back into Wildcard position for the playoffs as the mid-point of the season approaches, now in the sixth seed spot.

The Lions lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, dropping them to 1-5 on the year, giving the worst record in the league. They will be looking to end a four-game losing streak as Miami comes to town.

The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook seem Miami as the favorite for the game, but it may not be as by as large a margin as expected. As of Sunday night, the line opened with the Dolphins as a 3.5-point favorite. By Monday morning, it slid back a little, now sitting with Miami -3 for the game. The point total for the game is set at 50.5. On the moneyline, Miami is -170 for the straight-up win, while the Lions are +145.

We will continue to watch the line as the week progresses. Kickoff for the Dolphins and Lions is at 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 30.