Prop bets
Eric Decker receiving yards: 59.5 versus Dolphins (O/U -110)
John Parolin of ESPN Stats & Information says: Setting the prop at 59.5 for a team's top receiver in a Monday night game seems awfully low until the Jets' offense gets involved. Reports in a 12-hour span over Tuesday and Wednesday had Ryan starting both Vick and Smith at quarterback. We know it's Smith now. What does this mean for Decker, who hit at least 60 yards in five of his 10 games this year? Because of the turmoil at quarterback, per-game numbers have to start with a per-quarter approach. Decker averaged 11.9 yards per quarter with Smith at quarterback (47.6 yards per game).
Despite the stellar reputation of the Dolphins pass defense, the top receiver on each Dolphins opponent actually outgained his receiving yards average against all other opponents this year (114 percent of per-game average). Applying that 114 percent to Decker's 47.6 yards-per-game average with Smith under center still leaves Decker short (54.3 yards). That also doesn't factor in how Smith is trending as a passer -- the last we saw of Geno, he was a combined 12-of-20 for 94 yards and three interceptions across two games against the Bills, averaging 4.7 yards per attempt and recording a combined 0.4 Total QBR. This is not the stat line of a quarterback moving in the right direction, even if it was against the league-leading Bills defense (39.9 QBR allowed). As for Miami's defense? A 40.3 QBR allowed, second best in the league.
The play: Under
Ryan Tannehill passing yards: 240.5 at Jets (O/U -110)
Parolin says: Like most of these props, there's a pretty even split between how often Tannehill has gone over and under this year. Tannehill has reached 241 pass yards in five games this year and fallen short in six. But the opponents come into play here -- Tannehill has reached the over against the Bills,
Green Bay Packers,
Chicago Bears,
Oakland Raiders and
San Diego Chargers (in Miami), five teams with an average QBR rank of 14th and three that rank outside the top 10. The teams to hold Tannehill to an under were the Bills, Broncos,
Detroit Lions,
New England Patriots,
Kansas City Chiefs and
Jacksonville Jaguars, with an average rank of ninth and four of six in the top 10. All of the teams to hold Tannehill to 240 yards or fewer rank in the top 19 in QBR, while Tannehill has averaged 278 yards per game against his two opponents in the bottom 13 in QBR. So where do the Jets rank? Dead last. By a mile. Jets opponents this year have a 79.0 Total QBR, which would rank fourth best in the league as an individual player and just ahead of
Tom Brady.
The play: Over