Power vs. Power. Who will win? Miami’s Ricky Williams (4 straight 100+ yard games) will be facing the NFL’s second best rushing defense (62 yards per game with 5 straight games holding opponents under 100 ypg). I believe that Denver’s great streak will end on Sunday. While the teams Denver has played so far have abandoned the run in the face of adversity, Ricky is getting the ball about 25 times per game and I believe the Dolphins will give it to him enough to wear down the Broncos.
On the other side of the ball, Miami’s defense is no slouch. They enter the game with the fourth best rushing defense in the league. Putting the game on Griese’s shoulders has proven to be a bad formula for the Broncos (think Baltimore two weeks ago).
While both teams have started strong, Miami has started stronger. In the first quarter, Denver has outscored opponents 24-0 while Miami has outscored their opponents 44-10. If Miami can get a lead in this game and hand the game to Ricky, they will win.
As you can tell, this is a pretty even matchup. The Wunderdog sees some value, though and will lean towards the more consistent team that is scoring 6 points more per game and getting over a field goal. In addition, Miami qualifies for a historical situation that is 21-3 over the last ten years (10-1 the last three). Go fins!