Monday Night Football Odds: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
Monday, September 12, 2011
by Aengus Moorehead
Time & Venue: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, September 12, 2011. Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Last Year’s result: New England Patriots 14-2 - Miami Dolphins 7-9
Prediction 2011-12: New England 14-2 - Miami 7-9
NFL Football Odds: New England -7.5
Analysis:
Bill Belichick is the sovereign of demure and non-disclosure, but the coach of the New England Patriots made no secret of his strategy this offseason: He's all in. Following a second straight home playoff loss, Belichick brought in a bevy of high-profile veterans – most notably Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth – in a shocking pair of trades following the lockout.
Even for a franchise that has a reputation of being a halfway house for malcontent stars (see: Randy Moss and Corey Dillon), those acquisitions scream out that nothing less than another Super Bowl ring will satisfy Belichick. He utterly disregards any counsel which may impact his reign and his quest begins Monday night at AFC East rival Miami.
Miami had its own share of offseason drama. QB Chad Henne remains the starter after a much-publicized failed trade for Denver's Kyle Orton, and star WR Brandon Marshall was stabbed in the abdomen (allegedly by his wife) and later revealed that he suffers from borderline personality disorder. The Dolphins have their own personality issues as a team, particularly a stunning inability to win at home (1-7) last season. The RB tandem of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams was scuttled in favor of ex-Saint Reggie Bush and second-round rookie draft pick Daniel Thomas.
Behind unanimous MVP selection Tom Brady, New England was an offensive juggernaut last season, running up a league-high 518 points before being run out of the playoffs by the Jets. Belichick overhauled a defense that couldn't sniff a QB by bringing in the massive Haynesworth along with pass rushers Shaun Ellis and Andre Carter. Ochocinco did not make much of an impression in preseason as he tries to adjust to an offense that spreads the ball around. That Patriots drafted RBs Shane Vereen and Stevan Ridley to back up 1,000-yard rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
The New England Patriots swept the Dolphins in lopsided fashion last season, outscoring them 79-21. NFL betting odds have the Patriots as a 7.5-point favorite on the road in this AFC East affair, and they're 3-2 SU and ATS in their last five trips to Miami, with three games going over the posted total. Last year's visit to Miami yielded a 41-14 beatdown for the Patriots, which was the third time in five games that they had dropped 40 points or more on the Dolphins in the Sunshine State.
New England brings its talents to South Beach and will get a tougher-than-expected matchup from a gritty Miami defense in stifling heat.
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The Pick: Take points and Dolphins.
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Category
Tags
albert haynesworth - andre carter - benjarvus green-ellis - bill belichick - brandon marshall - chad henne - chad ochocinco - corey dillon - daniel thomas - kyle orton
