Miami at Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — The Miami Dolphins will visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a National Football League matchup at U.S. Bank Stadium. Miami enters at 0-3, while Minnesota is 3-0. The forecast at game time calls for 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
Miami is seeking its first win after a 24-10 loss to Kansas City in its most recent game. In that defeat, Malik Willis passed for 210 yards and rushed for 56 yards. Ollie Gordon II ran for 41 yards, caught three passes for 14 yards, returned a kickoff 20 yards and scored a touchdown. De’Von Achane added 17 rushing yards. The Dolphins also have losses at San Francisco and at Las Vegas. Willis, the player to watch for Miami, passed for 197 yards and rushed for a touchdown at San Francisco, then passed for 220 yards and rushed for a touchdown at Las Vegas. Miami will look to generate more consistency on offense and avoid a fourth straight loss.
Minnesota has opened the season with three wins and will try to remain unbeaten. The Vikings beat Tampa Bay 23-16 in their most recent game. Kyler Murray passed for 168 yards and rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown in that victory. Aaron Jones Sr. ran for 58 yards and caught five passes for 34 yards. DeeJay Dallas added two rushing yards. Minnesota also has wins at Chicago and against Green Bay. Murray, the player to watch for Minnesota, passed for 18 yards and rushed for 9 yards against Green Bay earlier this season. The Vikings have relied on balanced production and timely defense while building their undefeated record.
The matchup features two teams moving in opposite directions. Miami has struggled through the first three weeks, dropping road games at San Francisco and Las Vegas before falling at home to Kansas City. The Dolphins will need Willis to protect the ball and create plays with his arm and legs. Minnesota has been efficient on offense and has found ways to close out games. The Vikings will aim to control the tempo at home and keep their perfect start intact. U.S. Bank Stadium is expected to provide a strong home-field advantage for Minnesota.
Miami’s upcoming schedule includes games against Cincinnati, the N.Y. Jets, New England, Detroit, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Denver, Chicago and Green Bay. Minnesota’s next opponents include New Orleans, Indianapolis, Detroit, Buffalo, Green Bay, San Francisco, Atlanta, Carolina, New England and Detroit. Both teams will be looking to build momentum before the middle of the season.
Interstat’s game simulator projects Minnesota to beat Miami 35-17. Miami has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +10. The over/under for the game is 38.5.