Bengals (1-13) at Dolphins (3-11)
Dolphins schedule
L L L L ........ Baltimore ........ 59-10 ..... New England ..... 43-0 .......... atDallas .......... 31-6 .... L.A. Chargers .... 30-10
BYE
L ...... Washington ...... 17-16 L ....... atBuffalo ....... 31-21 L .... atPittsburgh .... 27-14 W ........ N.Y. Jets ........ 26-18 W .. at Indianapolis .. 16-12 L .......... Buffalo .......... 37-20 L ..... at Cleveland ..... 41-24 W .... Philadelphia .... 37-31 L ...... at N.Y. Jets ...... 22-21 L .... at N.Y. Giants .... 36-20 Dec. 22 ...... Cincinnati ...... 1 Dec. 29 at New England 1
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s by 1 ⁄2
Bengals’ keys to victory: If the Bengals can get RB Joe Mixon going and keep the offense in thirdand-short, the Dolphins will be unable to bring their aggressive blitzing into the fray with consistency. Getting multiple bodies on Miami rookie DT Christian Wilkins will be key for the Bengals’ efforts on the ground. Defensively, Cincinnati must force miscues out of Miami’s offense in order to manufacture a short field and steal possessions and points from the Dolphins.
Dolphins’ keys to victory: Miami needs to protect the football and not make the backbreaking mistake. Look for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to continue to take calculated risks and give WR DeVante Parker and TE MIke Gesicki opportunities to win high-point catches in traffic. If the Dolphins can force Cincinnati’s defense to stay on the field in the Florida sun by being effective on third downs, it could wear down the Bengals in the second half.
Matchup to watch: Bengals S Jessie Bates vs. Dolphins QB Fitzpatrick. Bates has had a successful second pro season despite the Bengals’ struggles overall; can he take advantage of the occasional ambitious throw by Fitzpatrick and generate a key turnover? Fitzpatrick has just three games this season with multiple turnovers and has improved lately.
Who wins? The Dolphins seem to have a critical advantage in the coaching department and will have an edge in the form of the South Florida sun. Look for those factors to add up and for Miami to outlast Cincinnati.
Dolphins, 27-17 line:
Dolphins