Could we see the Dolphins get their fourth consecutive win against the Panthers?
Our forecast for Friday’s game.
The winning performance in our team predictions for this game was the first by a Dolphins quarterback since 2004. Last week, Deshaun Watson threw for a league-high 417 yards against the Jets, fueling the Dolphins, a win that snapped their 0-2 start to the season. But the Jaguars’ big win against the Titans was eye-opening. Jacksonville, the team expected to be competitive this season, beat the previously undefeated Titans, 30-9. The win has pushed the Jaguars to 2-0 and put added pressure on the Dolphins to beat the Panthers to remain undefeated at 2-0. Matt Moore has been pretty solid, but Matt Moore is just fine — nobody actually expects the Dolphins to be as good as everyone thinks. So, I think there’s some pressure on the team to continue to play great football and get a win and perhaps make it four straight. So who will step up? Ryan Tannehill looked very good in the preseason, and the team looks like it’s starting to break out of its 1-2 start. Miami’s last loss was at home against the Patriots. The road game at Seattle was a thriller. But the Falcons whipped the Patriots, 40-17, in Week 1, giving us the Dolphins’ fourth straight loss in their first two games this season. I don’t see the Panthers finding a way to win this game, and they’ll continue their string of losing seasons. What’s their record now? A last-place finish in the NFC South. The Dolphins, by contrast, have rallied this season and are looking like the team people expected. They need to continue that momentum. Matt Moore is 5-2 against the Panthers in his career, with six touchdowns and only one interception. I think the Dolphins will show the Panthers they’re a competitive team on the road. And as long as the defense continues to come up with big plays to slow down Cam Newton and Melvin Gordon, the offense could gain another win.
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