Tua Tagovailoa is ready to return to action, and that will give the Miami Dolphins a big boost on Sunday Night Football. The Dolphins have lost three straight games since Tagovailoa was injured, and that has left them in the middle-of-the-pack in the AFC playoff picture. Tagovailoa is expected to lift the Dolphins past the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7, but Miami can’t afford to look past Pittsburgh after the Steelers upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
The Miami Dolphins will look to put an end to a three-game losing streak when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. This game will be played on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
NFL Week 7 Betting Odds
Pittsburgh Steelers +7
Miami Dolphins -7
Total 45
Money Line: Steelers +260, Dolphins -320
Odds Analysis
This line has danced around seven points all week, so the oddsmakers would hate for Miami to win this game by seven points. Pittsburgh bettors have had a few opportunities to grab Steelers +7.5, and Miami backers have had a couple shots to grab Dolphins -6.5. Meanwhile, the total for this game has risen from 44 to 45.
Pittsburgh Steelers
While we might not know for sure until Sunday, it looks like Kenny Pickett will get the start for the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. The first-round pick out of Pittsburgh made his second start last week against Tampa Bay, but he left the game after suffering a concussion. Mitch Trubisky was superb in relief and led the Steelers to an upset win over the Buccaneers. Pickett has yet to clear the concussion protocol, but he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday afternoon.
That’s good news for George Pickens as the fellow rookie has thrived with Pickett under center. Pickett to Pickens is something that Pittsburgh fans hope to hear often over the next few years, and Pickens has shown he is one of the most talented receivers in the class although he was a third-round pick. Diontae Johnson is the leading receiver, but he has caught a lot of underneath routes, and the Steelers are hoping No. 1 tight end Pat Freiermuth can overcome a concussion to play this week.
Pittsburgh certainly misses T.J. Watt, but the big concern with this defense is the injury situation in the secondary. A whopping seven defensive backs have injury designations, and three of their starters (including All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick) could miss this week’s game. The reserves did an excellent job last week against Tampa Bay, but it’s a lot to ask two weeks in a row.
Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa announced last week that he would be ready to start this game. Tagovailoa was at the center of discussion surrounding the NFL’s concussion protocol after suffering a shot in Week 3 and returning to action later in the game. Although he wasn’t diagnosed with a concussion, he stumbled off the field, and he did take a shot the next week against Cincinnati that kept him out for two weeks.
The return of Tagovailoa will make Miami the most explosive offense in the league once more if he shows what he did through the first three weeks. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle have been frightening for opposing defenses with Hill catching 50 passes for 701 yards and two scores, while Waddle has 30 receptions for 533 yards and three TDs. Waddle is listed as questionable to play with a shoulder injury, so that’s something to watch prior to Sunday night.
Miami does not have a good defense this season. The Dolphins have been surprisingly poor on this side of the ball, ranking in the bottom ten in scoring defense and total defense. The secondary was supposed to be the strength of the defense, but they are allowing 7.5 YPA with just one interception through six games. Byron Jones has missed the first six weeks due to injury, and his absence seems to have really hurt.
Steelers at Dolphins Free Pick
This has the potential to be a blowout. Miami has the speed to torch Pittsburgh’s secondary, and Tagovailoa could have the best game of his career if he shows no ill effects from the concussion.
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