SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

BY ADAM GREENE

We get a playoff game two weeks before the playoffs begin as the Las Vegas Raiders try to hang onto their tenuous hope of a postseason berth when they host the Miami Dolphins, the team they’d have to take it from Saturday night in Sin City.

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (+3, O/U: 47.5)

Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.

Kickoff: Dec. 26, 8:15 p.m. EST

Broadcast: NFL Network

THE HISTORY

Considering these are two of the more storied franchises in the NFL, with 10 Super Bowl appearances and five Super Bowl championships between them, it’s surprising that they’ve only met in the playoffs four times. Especially when you consider so much of their success has overlapped across the 1970s and 1980s. Las Vegas hold a 3-1 postseason advantage over Miami and a 20-18-1 record in the all time series.

They last met up on Sep. 23, 2018, with the Dolphins winning 28-20. Ryan Tannehill threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns for Miami in the win. Derek Carr tossed 345 yards worth of passes, a touchdown and two picks. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (9-5)

The Dolphins come into this game winners of three of their last four, with their only defeat coming at the cleats of the Kansas City Chiefs. Because what else was going to happen? Last week they hammered the final nail in the New England Patriots dynasty with a 22-12 win. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 145 yards and a pick. Salvon Ahmed rushed 23 times for 122 yards and a touchdown. Matt Breida carried the ball 12 times for 86 yards and Miami rolled up 250 rushing yards as a team.

Defensively they sacked Cam Newton three times and forced a fumble.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-7)

The Raiders all but squandered any realistic hope of making the playoffs last week in a 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. It was the second defeat in a row for Las Vegas, who can boast that they’re the only team to beat the Chiefs in 2020 and with just two weeks to go, that’ll probably hold up.

Derek Carr got knocked from the game early and was replaced by a very sharp Marcus Mariota. Mariota threw for 226 yards, a touchdown and an interception while rushing for 88 yards and a score. Josh Jacobs carried the ball 26 times for 76 yards and a touchdown. Carr is expected to start Saturday night.

THE PICK

Las Vegas is hanging onto its playoff hopes by the skin of its teeth and this is where they finally get knocked out for good. Jon Gruden can’t blame this season on anyone other than himself and general manager Mike Mayock as they’ve not been especially hit by COVID-19 or injuries. This is the team they built to play in 2020 and it’s heading for, at best, a .500 finish. Dolphins 26, Raiders 21

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