Dolphins, Jets Are Historic 20-Point Underdogs in Week 3 vs. Cowboys, Patriots

The AFC East rival Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are on track to become the first pair of 20-point underdogs in the same week since 1987.

ESPN's David Purdhum reported the last time there were two underdogs of that size was Week 5 of the 1987 NFL season, when the Philadelphia Eagles (+21) visited the Dallas Cowboys and the Atlanta Falcons (+23) hosted the San Francisco 49ers.

Neither the Cowboys nor the Niners covered the spread.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the New England Patriots were 22.5-point favorites over the Jets, while the Cowboys were 21.5-point favorites against the Dolphins, according to Caesars Sportsbook.

Though teams favored by at least 21 points are a perfect 35-0 since 1966, those teams are only 11-22-2 against the spread, per Purdhum.

New York quarterback Sam Darnold has mononucleosis, and there is no timetable for his return. Backup Trevor Siemian suffered an ankle injury in Monday night's loss to the Cleveland Browns, leaving third-stringer Luke Falk as the likely starter against the Pats.

Meanwhile, Miami has long looked like a team that is tanking the season to put itself in position to select a new franchise quarterback at the top of the 2020 draft. The Dolphins lost their first two games by a combined score of 102-10 and traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday, further cementing that outlook.

"I have a feeling that people are going to keep betting against [the Dolphins]," Ed Salmons, the vice president of risk for the SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas, told Purdhum. "It's not going to stop. I mean, what can you do? There's nothing you can do. You just make high numbers."

The Dolphins were 18-point underdogs against the Patriots last week and lost 43-0. Their struggles could force oddsmakers to push betting lines to historic levels as the season goes on.