Dolphins vs. Steelers: 2017 AFC Wild Card Final Odds, TV Schedule, Predictions

It's times like these you wish you had the Elias Sports Bureau on speed dial.

When was the last time an NFL team beat another by double digits, only to then be a double-digit underdog against that same team later in the season? Has it ever happened before this week?

That's the case Sunday, as the Miami Dolphins, winners of a 30-15 contest over the Pittsburgh Steelers in October, find themselves as 12.5-point underdogs against the same team in the playoffs.

It's a peculiar situation, no doubt, but one that might make sense when you dive into the stats.

Let's take a look at the game details and dive into some predictions.

Game Details

When: Sunday, Jan. 8, at 1:05 p.m. ET

Where: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh

Television: CBS

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 46

Spread: Pittsburgh (-12.5)

Odds per OddsShark.

Notable Predictions

Prediction No. 1: Le'Veon Bell Amasses Over 200 All-Purpose Yards

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Here's a set of numbers for you to review: 134, 201, 142, 182, 298, 131 and 137.

That's the number of total yards Le'Veon Bell has gained in each of his last seven games.

Bell managed to rush for 1,268 yards this season, good enough for fifth in the league, even though he missed four games this year.

Simply put, he's one of the top two running backs in football. (Flip a coin to decide whether he or Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson is No. 1.)

The Miami Dolphins held Bell in check in October, as Bell gained only 53 rushing yards on 10 carries, but Bell was on the sideline for most of the game as running back Jay Ajayi gained 204 yards for the Dolphins, helping them control the clock all game. (Miami held the ball for more than 36 minutes.)

In Pittsburgh, where the high on Sunday is 17 degrees, and against a run defense that allowed 4.8 yards per carry, Bell should have a big day.

Prediction No. 2: Jay Ajayi Struggles to Top 50 Rushing Yards

Ronald C. Modra/Sports Imagery/Getty Images

Bell and Ajayi's stat lines from October's game could easily be reversed Sunday, with Bell gaining over 200 yards this time and Ajayi failing to find much momentum on the ground.

There is a two-fold problem for Ajayi, the Dolphins' best offensive weapon.

First, center Mike Pouncey is on injured reserve. Pouncey only played in five games this season, but he was on the field for Ajayi's monster 529-yard rushing performance over three midseason games.

Since that time, Ajayi has topped 79 rushing yards just once, although that one time was an incredible 206-yard game against Buffalo on Christmas Eve.

Second, the game script is not in Ajayi's favor. If Pittsburgh is successful running the ball with Bell, it'll go a long way toward controlling the clock, which will keep Ajayi off the field.

This game also projects to be a two-touchdown win in Pittsburgh's favor, and if the sportsbooks are accurate, then Miami is going to have rely on quarterback Matt Moore and its trio of wide receivers to quickly fight their way back into the game.

Ajayi is a heck of a running back, but he will struggle Sunday.

Prediction No. 3: Steelers 27, Dolphins 13

If the Dolphins had a healthy Mike Pouncey and Byron Maxwell, who is listed as doubtful and likely will not play Sunday, then they would have a shot at winning this game outright.

That being said, both men were crucial contributors in the team's win over Pittsburgh in October, and Miami simply doesn't have the personnel to make up for the absence of both Pouncey and Maxwell.

Pittsburgh should win this game fairly easily, but expect the Dolphins to fight until the final whistle.