The Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are both just a few games away from starting the 2023 NFL season.
Denver is currently 0-2, having lost its first two games under head coach Sean Payton by a combined three points. The Broncos trailed the Washington Commanders by 11 points in the fourth quarter of Week 2, but quarterback Russell Wilson’s 50-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Denver as time expired The team offers unlikely hope.
That disappeared quickly. After losing by one point in Week 1, Denver failed on a two-point conversion attempt in Week 2, losing 35-33. The Broncos are one of eight 0-2 teams in the league, although they outscored opponents 21-3 in the second quarter. Commanders.
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Miami has been much better in close games this season. The Miami Heat came back from behind to beat the New England Patriots 24-17 last weekend. Previously, the team opened the new season with a two-point victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is healthy after an injury-filled 2022 and leads the NFL with 715 passing yards through two games. Tagovailoa has surpassed Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the current MVP favorite in the eyes of many sportsbooks.
As of Tuesday, books like BetMGM, FanDuel and DraftKings gave Tagovaailoa the best chance to win the award. Mahomes has the second-best odds on every sports betting site.
The Week 3 matchup between these two AFC teams will determine whether the Broncos can break through for their first win of the season or if the Dolphins remain undefeated. Here’s what else fans should know ahead of Sunday.
Broncos-Dolphins TV, streaming information
The Broncos-Dolphins game is scheduled to begin at 1 pm ET on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game will air on CBS for fans in both markets. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Trent Green (analyst) will participate in the conference call.
Fans who wish to watch the game live can do so through NFL+, Fubo or the NFL Sunday Ticket package.
Will Jaylen Waddle play?
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle may be the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL. But one half of that duo likely won’t play in Week 3.
On Sunday night against the Patriots, Waddle left the game late in the fourth quarter after taking a hard hit from linebacker Marte Mapp while trying to catch a ball. Waddell did not return to the game. Mapp was punished for a violent attack. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed during a press conference Monday that Waddle was being treated for a concussion.
“We’re going to keep moving forward,” McDaniel said. “He’s already starting to make progress in the process.”
Through the first two weeks of the season, Waddle had eight catches for 164 yards. The former No. 6 overall pick caught 75 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his second season in the NFL. The Dolphins will update Waddle’s status on their injury report this week.
Sean Payton has made changes
Former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was criticized for the team’s clock management and penalty shooting issues during his 15 games with the team last season.
Payton played two games in Denver, too. In their eventual loss, the Broncos had to use multiple timeouts to avoid penalties and often lined up at the line of scrimmage at the last second.
Payton said during Monday’s press conference that he and other coaches in Denver are working to simplify the language for game calls as a potential solution.
“I think, No. 1, the No. 1 thing we always try to focus on — but we have to do better as coaches — is reduce the rhetoric,” Payton said. “If we have a longer game, then we can easily get the wristband. We have to reduce the variables.
“I just said this in a team meeting – if we’re going to [mental errors] Whether it’s defense or offense, we have a hard time breaking down the huddle and lining up, and then we have to see if we have too much capacity [the game plan]. So, frankly, how do we reduce the rhetoric on the line of scrimmage or in the crowd? …This will improve. “
Payton mentioned the wristband could be something to watch in Week 3. Wilson has rarely worn a wristband during his career, although he did wear some under Hackett last season. Quarterbacks sometimes wear wristbands with plays or audio written on them as a way to streamline play calls during games. If Wilson takes the field in Miami this weekend, maybe the Broncos do make some big changes.
Broncos vs Dolphins betting odds, over/under
Caesars Sportsbook has the Dolphins as a 6.5-point favorite over the Broncos based on Tuesday afternoon betting. The over/under for the game is 48 points.
