The Miami Dolphins head north to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the third preseason matchup of the year for both teams. The Eagles and Dolphins both have 1-1 records so far, with the Eagles picking up their win last week in fine fashion, beating Buffalo, 20-16. The Dolphins took a 31-7 beating at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens last week and look to get back on their 2016 footing in their real dress rehearsal for the regular season. Take a look at our preview for this matchup and check the NFL preseason betting lines before picking a winner.

NFL Preseason: Miami at Philadelphia (Thursday, August 24)

When: Thursday, August 24, 2017, 7:00 PM ET
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
TV: NFL Network
Radio: WQAM 560 AM Miami / WIP 940 AM Philadelphia
Live Stream: NFL Live
NFL Odds:  Philadelphia Eagles -3.5

Why should you Put Your Cash on the Miami Dolphins?

Jay Cutler is the starter in Miami, for better or for worse, until Ryan Tannehill returns. He went 3 for 6 for 24 yards, although he did have a bomb called back because of a holding penalty. The Miami offense was sluggish all night long, as Matt Moore just attempted three passes off the bench and picked up 11 yards. Jay Ajayi only carried the ball twice — for a grand total of minus-two yards. Last year, the Dolphins scored 22.7 points per game — about the middle of the pack in the NFL — and they need better line play and coordination against the Eagles.

Back to work in Philly. pic.twitter.com/b93urVnNhg

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 22, 2017

Miami has an opportunistic pass rush, led by Ndamukong Suh, and they also have a fast secondary. Their defense, however, got absolutely torched a week ago by the Ravens. If you like them to win against the Eagles, then you see them covering receivers much more effectively and getting more of a push through that offensive line. The Ravens’ line is stouter than the Eagles is, so Miami should have a shot here.

Winning SU Picks for NFL Preseason Week 3

Why should you put your cash on the  Philadelphia Eagles?

Carson Wentz did look sharp in his brief appearance for the Eagles last week, going 6 for 9 for 56 yards. Matt McGloin came on and put up 131 yards through the air — and threw an interception. Nick Foles, the #2 on the depth chart, remains questionable. Darren Sproles should see some action on the field for the Eagles carrying the ball — between him and LeGarrette Blount, the Eagles should run the ball much more effectively than they did a year ago.

The key to the Eagles’ win over Buffalo came on the defensive side of the ball. That Eagle secondary picked off three passes and sacked the Buffalo quarterbacks six times. Ronald Darby, a cornerback who had come over from Buffalo via trade, had one of those interceptions and defended two other passes. If the Eagles can get as much out of their scheme against Miami, they should do well — after all, it’s not like Jay Cutler has put together much of a reputation in recent seasons for effective ball handling. By harassing Cutler (and Moore), the Eagles should force some bad throws — and haul in some more interceptions. Having that control over the rhythm of the game should give the Dolphins an edge here.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

The Dolphins didn’t just make it to the playoffs because of their tandem of Ryan Tannehill and Jay Ajayi. Ajayi is a gifted runner and will make life easier for Cutler during the season. However, the Dolphins’ defense was aggressive and forced mistakes in bunches last year. I like them to get back to form against the Eagles and force Wentz into some mistakes.

With that said, I’m very wary of picking Cutler to win in this situation. He has not shown that he can consistently lead his teams to victory in several years — which is why he has bounced around from one team to the next. I see the Eagles eking out another close win, in 23-20 fashion.