South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
STAFF PREDICTIONS
Latest line: Ramsare favored by3 ½ points. Over/under: 46.
DaveHyde SportsColumnist (Seasonrecord: 3-3) Rams21, Dolphins20 Thedebut ofTuaTagovailoa gets helpedbythescheduling gods as LosAngeles has to fly across the country after playingMonday night. This shouldbe a gamewhere points are tough to come by with two soliddefenses. TheRamsare justmore developedas a teamthan theDolphins right now.
OmarKelly DolphinsColumnist (Seasonrecord: 3-3) Rams28, Dolphins21
Even though theRamsare playing on a shortweek because of theMonday Night game, andhave a cross country trek tomake, their strengths play perfectly into Miami’sweaknesses, making this abadmatchup for theDolphins. TheRams feature a physicaldefensive andoffensive front and shoulddominate the line of scrimmage.
SafidDeen DolphinsWriter (Seasonrecord: 4-2) Dolphins27, Rams17 TuaTagovailoa andthe Dolphins get offto a fast start against a talented Ramsdefense, while Miami fendsoffRamscoach SeanMcVay’sdynamic offense. TheDolphins get a win inTagovailoa’smuchanticipatedstartingdebut as the 22-year-oldshows why theDolphins view him as theirnext franchise quarterback.
KathyLaughlin SportsEditor (Seasonrecord: 2-4) Dolphins24, Rams21
This is a tough call. Asmuch as rookiequarterbacks can struggle in theirfirst starts (andhaving less than three minutes of playing time doesn’t help), you knowthe Dolphins are going to be excitedanddoing everything they can to helpTua Tagovailoa succeed. Andthey are at home. AndtheRams are coming offaMonday night gameanda shortweek, while theDolphins hadabye andtwoweeks to prepare. Regardless of outcome, shouldbe exciting game.
KevenLerner AssistantSportsEditor (Seasonrecord: 4-2) Rams24, Dolphins20
TheRamsdefense, ledby AaronDonald, was superb in shuttingdown the Bears on Monday night— andshould do the sameagainstTua Tagovailoa in hisfirstNFL start. TheRamsare sixth in theNFLin yards pergame
allowed(312.9) andonly the Ravens have allowedfewer points pergamethan the
Rams(17.7). They also have allowed just 33 total points in the secondhalves of their seven games.
SteveSvekis AssistantSportsEditor (Seasonrecord: 3-3) Dolphins30, Rams14
Dan Marino’sfirsthome victorywas a 30-14decision andcameonOct. 30, 1983 in the OrangeBowl, against the LosAngelesRams. TheDolphins scored16 unansweredpoints after the gamewas tiedat halftime. So, despitesomeconcerns aboutTuaTagovailoa’s durability, let’s go forsome serendipity with this play.