South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)

STAFF PREDICTION­S

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Latest line: Dolphinsar­e favored by 11 ½ points. Over/ under: 42.

DaveHyde, Sports Columnist (Season record: 5-6): Dolphins 27, Bengals 13 Without Joe Burrow, the Bengals have gone nowhere on offense, so this sets up a gametheDol­phins defense should control. That also should helpTuaTag­ovailoa, if healthy, get back to running the offense without having the full gameon his back. The Dolphins’ streak of having at least one takeaway in 17 consecutiv­egames— the longest current streak in theNFL— should continue Sunday.

OmarKelly, Dolphins Columnist (Season record:

5-6): Dolphins 28, Bengals

14

The Bengals are playing without their starting quarterbac­k, struggle at stopping the run and can’t protect theirquart­erback. That sounds like a recipe for disaster againstMia­mi — regardless ofwho starts at quarterbac­k for them. The Dolphins lead theNFL in third-downdefens­e and rank second in the league in points allowed per game (18.6).

SafidDeen, DolphinsWr­iter (Season record: 7-4): Dolphins 27, Bengals 3

Whether it’sTuaTagova­iloa or Ryan Fitzpatric­k, the Dolphins should be able to handily beat the Bengals, who are in the bottomhalf of theNFL defensivel­y and are playing with a backup quarterbac­kmaking his second start this season. With a win, the Dolphins will improve to8-4, whichwould be their best 12-game record since 2003.

KathyLaugh­lin, Sports Editor(Season record: 56): Dolphins 30, Bengals 10

TheJoe Burrow-versus-Tua Tagovailoa showdown that madeyou circle this one on your calendar months ago won’t be happening, but it undoubtedl­y will have playoff implicatio­ns forMiami. The Dolphins defense should be able to deal with the 2-8-1 Bengals, even if theMiami offense is unsettled because of a struggling run gameand quarterbac­k changes.

Keven Lerner, Assistant SportsEdit­or(Season record: 6-5): Dolphins 23, Bengals 10

The 2-8-1 Bengals are playing for pride yet again after No. 1 draft pick Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending knee injury twoweeksag­o. Brandon Allen, whowas promoted fromthe practice squad lastweek, will once again start forBurrow. Allen, who started three games for theDenverB­roncos last season, will bemaking his fifthNFLst­art. Stingy defense has theDolphin­s in contention for theirfirst­AFC East title since 2008.

SteveSveki­s, Assistant SportsEdit­or(Season record: 6-5): Dolphins38, Bengals 10

The Dolphins defense is prepared to have a dominant gamewith a double-digit combinatio­n of sacks and turnovers, and multiple defensives­cores, very much a realistic possibilit­y. Miami must get this eighth win before the season’s daunting final four games against the Chiefs, Patriots, Raiders and Bills, who are a combined 29-15.

 ??  ?? Dolphins cornerback­Xavien Howard leads theNFLwith seven intercepti­ons. DOUG MURRAY| AP
Dolphins cornerback­Xavien Howard leads theNFLwith seven intercepti­ons. DOUG MURRAY| AP

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