Bengals vs. Dolphins Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
Two teams that expected to be in the playoffs this season instead are playing out the string in Week 16 and were flexed out of primetime as the Cincinnati Bengals visit the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon. Cincy is -1.5 on the NFL odds with a total of 50.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
This was the Sunday night game of Week 16 and entering the season it looked like it would be important this late with both clubs having playoff expectations, but it’s not relevant and was kicked out of primetime for Patriots-Ravens, as it should have been.
Cincinnati’s season has been an abject disaster with yet another Joe Burrow injury and that torpedoed everything as the Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention with Sunday’s home blowout loss to Baltimore. That’s now three straight seasons missing under coach Zac Taylor, so it stretches the imagination that he will be in the job in 2026. It would be a coveted one, though, simply because of Burrow. He’s a top-three NFL QB if he can stay on the field, and teams with top-three QBs don’t often have their head coaching jobs come open.
Miami fired GM Chris Grier after starting 2-7 but the team opted to keep coach Mike McDaniel, which is a little unusual. McDaniel might be saving his job for next year with the team looking much better before losing Monday night in Pittsburgh to also be eliminated.
Including one playoff game in the early 1970s, Miami leads the all-time series 18-8 but lost the last matchup, 27-15 in Cincinnati in September 2022. Burrow threw for 287 yards and two scores, while Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for 193 with a TD and pick before leaving injured.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow had recently said that football wasn’t “fun” for him of late, leading to some speculation he will force his way out of Cincinnati. In Sunday’s 24-0 home loss to Baltimore, it didn’t look like Burrow was having much fun, including a crushing pick-six. It was his first time being shut out personally since playing for LSU at No. 1 Alabama in 2018. Burrow entered the game at 10-0 in his NFL career in Week 15 or later.
It was Cincy’s first home shutout loss since 2017. He took another beating Sunday and I wonder if there’s a though to just shut him down at this point with a bad offensive line in front of him that lost right tackle Amarius Mims in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury.
The plan for now is Burrow to keep playing. In the previous two games, Burrow led the Bengals to 32 points in Baltimore and 34 in Buffalo. The former Heisman winner said those fun comments were aimed at his team or the city.
For the fourth time this season, the Bengals did not score a touchdown in the first three quarters. Wideout Ja’Marr Chase had 10 catches for 132 yards and went over 100 catches on the season with his 16th career game of least 10 catches. The Bengals are 1-5 SU in their past six road games.
Miami Dolphins
Miami’s extremely thin playoff hopes were put to an end Monday as the franchise’s inability to win in very cold weather continued in a 28-15 loss in Pittsburgh that really wasn’t that close. The Dolphins had won four straight on the back of their defence and running game but neither was very productive.
One bright spot was veteran tight end Darren Waller with two fourth-quarter TD catches when the game was out of hand. It was Miami’s 14th straight loss in a game under 40 degrees at kickoff including playoffs, the longest streak in the league. It was also the team’s 14th straight loss on the road vs. teams with a winning record.
Coach Mike McDaniel is now 4-16 career overall vs. teams with a winning record but 30-15 against those at .500 or below like Cincinnati. Star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game with a calf injury. This game will feature half-empty stands now. Miami is 9-1 in its past 10 at home vs. Cincinnati.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Bengals vs. Dolphins?
h
CIN
MIA