The Miami Dolphins lost to the New England Patriots in Week 8 and face a tough test in Week 9 as they try to bounce back against the Detroit Lions. This season, the Dolphins are focused on improving week to week and laying the foundation for future success. While they sit at 1-6 for the year, they fight each and every week, playing hard until the final whistle, a great sign for a team with 14 rookies and in the midst of a complete franchise rebuild.
The Lions come into Sunday’s Week 9 game with a 5-2
record and looking like a team that can make a deep run in the NFC playoffs. After a disappointing 9-8 record in 2025 leading to a fourth-place finish in the NFC North, Detroit is looking to return to the form that brought them back-to-back division titles in 2023 and 2024. The NFC North is a tough division, however, with all four teams above the .500 mark and having won at least five times already this season.
How will Sunday’s game play out? This feels like a game that could get away from the Dolphins, a byproduct of how diametrically opposed their 2026 trajectories are. Theoddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook, however, seem to think this game might be a little tighter than might be expected.
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Lions (-6.5) at Dolphins
Over the last two weeks, I was right on my prediction of the Dolphins beating the Jets straight-up, and on Miami losing to New England but covering the spread. This week, I am not as bullish on the Dolphins’ chances. The Lions are the better team in this matchup, and I think they’ll cover the 6.5-point spread, even with the injuries they are facing. Miami will play the Lions tough, and they might keep it close for much of the game, but in the end, I think the Lions pull away.
Prop Bets
Any time touchdown scorer: Ollie Gordon II
Yes: +100
The Dolphins running game ran into a speedbump against the Patriots. After averaging 125 yards rushing in their last five games, Miami was held to just 74 yards in Week 8. They have to correct that in Week 9. It will not be easy, Detroit has the ninth-ranked rush defense in the league, allowing just 96.6 yards per game. The Dolphins will have to be deliberate in getting the ball to Gordon, continue to feed him even if they are getting stuffed early, and make this a physical game. In the end, I think Gordon will be able to find the endzone at least once in this game and this prop hits.
Sam LaPorta receiving yards: 48.5
Over : -114
Under: -114
Miami has struggled covering tight ends this season, and they face another who could cause problems in LaPorta. They have allowed four tight ends to surpass the 48.5 yards mark (T.J. Hockenson, 119 yards; George Kittle, 80 yards; Mason Taylor, 62 yards; Travis Kelce, 59 yards) and would have had five on that list if Hunter Henry had not been injured in the second quarter Patriots game (3 receptions, 30 yards when he departed). Unless Miami comes with a different scheme to handle tight ends, LaPorta reaching 49 yards receiving seems likely.
Chris Bell longest reception: 13.5
Over: 122
Under: -108
Bell is averaging 12.3 yards per catch, but the rookie has not been the primary target in the passing game – where Malik Washington has nearly double the amount of targets, almost three-times the receptions, and more than double the yards. Bell has been targeted more than fellow rookie Caleb Douglas – in part because Douglas missed three games with an injury – but Douglas has one more reception and almost 80 more yards than Bell. Miami is playing it smart with Bell, who tore his ACL less than a year ago, but it has depressed some of his stats this season. The flashes are there, and Miami will need him to flash in this game if they are going to pull off the upset. His longest reception this season was for a 44-yard gain, so the potential for a big play is there. He may not pick up that big of a gain in this game, but a 14-yard reception does not seem out of reach.
All odds provides by FanDuel Sportsbook.
