New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins: 5 bold predictions for Week 5

By Jason Leach

·Updated: October 6, 2023

The (1-3) New York Giants travel to Hard Rock Stadium to take on the (3-1) Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon.

The Giants come into this matchup as huge underdogs following their 24-3 drubbing at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. The Dolphins are looking to rebound after suffering their first loss of the season (48-20) to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Both teams losing last week is pretty much all these two teams have in common, as Miami has scored the most points in the league (150), and the Giants have scored the fewest (46).

With the game having the makings of a blowout, here are five bold predictions for the matchup.

Miami will have 600 yards of total offense

It’s hard to envision a scenario where New York’s defense will be able to contain the fast and high-powered Miami offense. Miami leads the NFL in points per game at 37.5, and yards per game at 511.

On Friday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll was asked how he prepares to face a team as fast as Miami when nobody on New York’s practice squad can replicate their speed.

“Try to put our fastest guys out there and give them as good of looks as we can. That’s what you do each week. So obviously, those two guys are lightning speed. But we’ve used all our receivers on the look team this week, guys that can run, and try to give them the best look we can.”

This is a bad matchup for New York’s defense. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale loves to blitz, but blitzing against a team with this speed puts you in danger of giving up six points at any moment. Miami’s offense will have a field day on Sunday and will rack up 600 yards of offense. Coach Martindale’s already having nightmares.

Kayvon Thibodeaux will have another multi-sack game

While Evan Neal, one of the Giants’ 2022 first-round picks, was making headlines for all the wrong reasons, the team’s other first-round selection had one of his best games.

Kayvon Thibodeaux sacked Geno Smith twice in what was the first multi-sack game of his career during the team’s 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Miami will be without starting tackle Terron Armstead, who was put on IR with a knee injury, and Kendall Lamm will start in his place. Expect Thibodeaux to get the better of Lamm and sack Tua Tagovailoa at least twice as he registers back-to-back multi-sack games.

Tyreek Hill will have over 150 yards receiving

Before the season started, Tyreek Hill stated he wanted to have over 2,000 yards receiving this season. Well, he’s almost on pace to accomplish this feat as the 29-year-old wide receiver is averaging 117.5 yards per game, which averages out to 1,997 yards over 17 games.

With the exception of Adoree’ Jackson, New York is young at the corner position. Look for Tagovailoa to target Hill often, particularly when he’s matched up against rookie Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III. Look for Hill to have another big game and get back on pace to eclipse 2,000 receiving yards, with another day topping 150 receiving yards.

New York’s defense will force its first turnover of the season

Believe it or not, New York is the only team in the NFL that has yet to force a turnover. It seems almost unfathomable that a team can go a month without creating a turnover, but this is one of the reasons why the team is 1-3.

This week they’ll face a Dolphins team that has five turnovers on the season. The only chance for New York to stay in this game is to force turnovers to end drives. New York will end this dubious streak by either intercepting Tagaovailoa or forcing Raheem Mostert or De’Von Achane to fumble.

The Dolphins defense will sack Daniel Jones seven times

Daniel Jones has been sacked 22 times this season, which is the second most in the NFL. Last week he was sacked ten times, and we could see history repeat itself without second-team All-Pro Andrew Thomas and starting center John Michael Schmitz on Sunday.

This does not bode well for the Giants, as they’re facing a Dolphins defense that is looking to redeem itself after giving up 48 points last week. Bradley Chubb and the rest of Miami’s front seven will pressure Jones often and sack him at least seven times.

Prediction: Even if Saquon Barkley makes his return after missing the last two games with a sprained ankle, New York doesn’t have the talent or firepower to keep pace with the Dolphins. This will be another long day for Big Blue.

Miami vs. New York Week 5 score prediction: Dolphins 37, Giants 17.