Week 9 in the NFL begins tonight in Miami with a clash between the 2-5 Ravens and the 2-6 Dolphins.
Despite these teams’ records, this game should feature playoff intensity. The Ravens have no margin for error as they look to reach the playoffs after a 1-5 start. Miami, on the other hand, needs to play well in order for head coach Mike McDaniel to keep his job.
Despite their 2-5 record, the Ravens — who get Lamar Jackson (hamstring) back tonight after a three-game absence — are currently the clear favorites to win the AFC North. At DraftKings, Baltimore is -130 to once again win this division, well ahead of the 4-3 Steelers (+160) and the 3-5 Bengals (+800). FanDuel lists the Ravens at -125 to win the AFC North, followed by the Steelers at +180 and the Bengals at +600.
The Dolphins remain a huge longshot to reach the playoffs despite last week’s stunning 34-10 road win over the Falcons. DK lists Miami at 60-to-1 to make the playoffs, while the Fins’ current playoff odds at FD are 50-to-1.
How To Watch Ravens vs. Dolphins
- Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
- TV: Prime Video
Ravens vs. Dolphins Betting Odds: Spread, Moneyline, Total
Ravens vs. Dolphins Injury News, Betting Analysis
Latest Baltimore Ravens Injury News, Impact (Thursday, October 30)
When it comes to the Ravens’ injury report, everything starts with Lamar Jackson’s return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for his team’s last three games. Without Jackson, Baltimore’s offense stalled out in ugly losses to the Texans and Rams, but the switch from Cooper Rush to Tyler Huntley last Sunday did pay off in a crucial win.
Whether Jackson is 100 percent healthy or not, he should make life much easier on RB Derrick Henry, and the difference between Rush/Huntley and Jackson in the passing game is almost impossible to overstate.
Elsewhere, the Ravens finally appear to be healthy after a slew of injuries took a heavy toll earlier this season. While DL Nnamdi Madubuike is on IR, key defensive starters Kyle Van Noy, Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey — to name a few — all enter this game with no injury designation.
The Baltimore offense also has its full complement of weapons, both up front and at the skill positions. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Isaiah Likely are all good to go after missing at least one game early this year.
Latest Miami Dolphins Injury News, Impact (Thursday, October 30)
The Dolphins have a handful of would-be key contributors on IR. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is the biggest name, but this team is also missing cornerbacks Kader Kohou, Artie Burns, Storm Duck and Jason Marshall Jr. They’re also missing guard Liam Eichenberg, who is yet to see any game action in 2025 after starting 14 games in 2024.
The Miami offense is down two tight ends, Darren Waller and Julian Hill, while defensive end Bradley Chubb is questionable, safety Ashtyn Davis is doubtful and his backup, Ifeatu Melifonwu, is questionable.
Despite a number of absences last week in Atlanta, the Dolphins were dominant on both sides of the ball. Miami outgained the Falcons 338-213 in a game they led 17-3 at halftime en route to a 34-10 victory.
Ravens vs. Dolphins Prediction, Best Bets Against The Spread
This is as good a place as any for me issue a mea culpa to the Dolphins, who I accused of quitting in multiple pieces last week. While they certainly showed that they are unlikely to be an easy out for most of their opponents going forward, I have a feeling that starting tonight, the now-healthy Ravens will look like the playoff contender they were expected to be this year.
The Ravens’ Week 8 win over the Bears with Huntley under center last Sunday was impressive. In a wide-open division like the AFC North, it was also a rare example of a “pivotal” step forward from 1-5 to 2-5.
With Smith and Hamilton back in action the last couple of weeks, Baltimore played well on defensively against both the Rams in Week 6 and the Bears in Week 8.
Tonight, don’t be surprised if the Ravens — who have allowed a total of just 33 points and 34 first downs over the last 120 minutes against solid competition — bring Tua Tagovailoa back down to earth. The embattled Miami QB deserves a ton of love for his four-TD, zero-pick effort vs. the Falcons, but he’s thrown 10 interceptions (with at least two in three games) this year, and he’s also been sacked at least twice in all but three of his team’s games.
But the biggest reason to like Baltimore tonight has to be its running game. For one thing, Miami is among the worst teams in the league at stopping the run. And it’s a scary thought for the Dolphins — and the rest of the NFL — that Baltimore ran for a total of 356 yards the last two weeks without Jackson. With the Ravens OL seemingly in gear after an up-and-down start, it’s easy to envision Henry and/or Jackson running wild tonight.
I’m not totally convinced that Baltimore will jump out to a big early lead, but I do like the road favorites to ultimately win big, even if Miami gets off to a strong start tonight.
Best bet:
- Ravens -7.5 (-110 at bet365)
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