Jets vs Dolphins Week 18 odds: Miami opens as favorite over New York and to claim AFC playoff picture spot
The Miami Dolphins beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season 21-19. In the second-half of the annual home-and-home series between the AFC East rivals, the Bills came away with a 32-29 win. After a 1-1 split with a 51-50 total score, the Dolphins and Bills will meet in the Wild Card round of the 2023 playoffs after the Bills won the AFC East and the Dolphins qualified for the final spot in the AFC playoff bracket.
The oddsmakers do not see this game coming out as close as the last two games. According to oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook, the Dolphins open as 10-point underdogs to the Bills. The moneyline has Buffalo -406 and the Dolphins +370. No point total had been set as of publication.
The line likely takes into account the unknown status of Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Miami’s starting quarterback has been in the NFL concussion protocols the last two weeks, missing the team’s Week 17 game at the New England Patriots and their Week 18 game against the New York Jets. It is not yet clear if Tagovailoa will be able to progress through the protocol and be available for the team’s first playoff game since 2016.
Miami also has question marks surrounding backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who did not play against the Jets after sustaining a dislocated finger against the Patriots. Bridgewater, who was available as the backup in Week 18, struggled to grip and throw the ball all week leading up to the game.
If neither player is available, rookie Skylar Thompson would be the presumptive starter for the Dolphins.
If either of Miami’s top two quarterbacks appears set to make their return to the lineup, it will be interesting to see how the line moves throughout the week. The kickoff for the game had not been scheduled as of publication.
