The Panthers come into this game as somewhat of an anomaly, as we’ve only had one week’s worth of Cam Newton 2.0 to gauge how Carolina’s coaching staff will utilize him. The Dolphins head into Week 12 riding a three-game win streak and will look to continue to build on those solid performances. How will this Panthers vs. Dolphins game play out, what are the current NFL odds, and what is our pick and prediction?
Carolina Panthers vs. Miami Dolphins pick, prediction, opening betting line | Week 12
- Spread: Panthers -1.5 (Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Moneyline: Panthers -120, Dolphins +100
- Over/Under: 42.5
It’s great to see Cam back in Carolina. The Panthers had a few nice play designs on Sunday against Washington, disguising throws as Newton runs, especially on the opening touchdown to DJ Moore. A healthy Newton combined with Christian McCaffrey and the knowledge and offensive mind of coordinator Joe Brady is enough to make any opponent think.
After having another week to relax back into the No. 1 jersey for the Panthers, Newton will start again on Sunday against the Dolphins. Those extra days of practice will do the entire offense a world of good. Newton certainly looks healthy, as he rushed for 46 yards and a TD on 10 carries against WFT. He went 21-of-27 through the air for 189 yards and 2 TDs, the second of which was an absolute dime to McCaffrey up the seam. The loss wasn’t on him.
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The Dolphins’ three-game win streak includes an impressive performance against the Ravens in which they contained Lamar Jackson to just 39 rushing yards, his second-lowest total on the ground all season. How will that compare to trying to contain Newton and McCaffrey this upcoming Sunday?
Tua Tagovailoa had a very solid day against the Jets and seems to be settling in. A 273-yard day in which you complete 26 of 33 passes with 2 TDs will do that for you. Jaylen Waddle had yet another excellent performance, and Mike Gesicki continued to stay involved. The Panthers’ defense is no slouch, though, and talents like Jeremy Chinn will capitalize on any mistakes.
Dolphins vs. Panthers betting trends
The Dolphins have cashed five unders in their last six outings. In all five, they scored 24 points or fewer themselves, and they haven’t allowed an opponent to put up more than 17 points in any of their last three games (all wins).
The Panthers are all over the place against spreads and over/unders. However, in their last three games as favorites, they’ve lost outright and against the spread. With that said, Newton was only on the roster for one of those contests. He could snap that streak — along with Miami’s winning streak — on Sunday.
Dolphins vs. Panthers prediction
I can’t help but draw comparisons to the Dolphins’ performance against the Ravens, in which they deployed blitz packages and disguised their defense in order to throw off a strong Baltimore offense. That said, Newton and McCaffrey could end up being too much for Miami to contain.
Yet, if the Dolphins can control the pace of the game, put together methodical drives like they’ve been doing in recent weeks, and slow down the run, they’ll force Newton into passing situations. That’s how they can win the game. Miami has a very strong secondary and two young safeties who are emerging as a brilliant duo. Force Newton to throw with urgency, and the Dolphins could take this one.
Panthers vs. Dolphins Prediction: Dolphins 23, Panthers 17