The Miami Dolphins have taken a lot of heat this year for their inability to be competitive against the best competition. Their record shows that when they have played teams without winning records they have consistently succeeded, and sometimes by gaudy scores. Yet, play a team with a winning record, and the Dolphins get swamped.

Miami’s six wins this year have come against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots (twice), Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers. None of those teams have a winning record, and Miami won four of thoes games by two touchdowns or more, including a 70-20 triumph over Denver in third week action.

Those six wins are enough to perch Miami atop of the AFC East Division, a game ahead of the Buffalo Bills and further ahead of the New York Jets and New England Patriots.

But, when the Dolphins have met teams of the caliber they will be challenged by in the playoffs, they have failed in all three attempts. Their losses have come against the Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. They scored the last 14 points in Germany two weeks ago to close to within a touchdown of the winning Chiefs, but their other two losses were by two touchdowns or more.

On Sunday, they host the Las Vegas Raiders, who were downed three weeks ago by the Detroit Lions which prompted them to fire their coach and general manager while benching their starting quarterback. Since then, and since the Dolphins last played a game early two Sundays ago in Germany, the Raiders have rebounded with a pair of victories.

The Silver and Black took on the Big Apple twice and beat both the New York Giants and Jets in Las Vegas. Now, they look to extend their winning streak behind interim head coach Antonio Pierce and rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell.

What that serves up in Miami tomorrow is another opponent of the Dolphins without a winning record, which matches up with their six wins. It also finds Miami at home off a loss with two weeks to prepare, they had their bye week last Sunday following their game in Germany against the Chiefs.

Two weeks to prepare, against a team without a winning record and coming off a loss, yeah this is definitely a spot made for the Dolphins to excel.

So, how many points do we have to give?

Well, the line opened with the Dolphins a 9½ point favorite, and that did not deter the bettors from leaping for Miami. If the books were not worried, they would have inched the spread up while collecting Dolphins money. But they didn’t, they shot the spread up to 13½ points or more in an attempt to lure bettors to the Raiders.

Or, stated another way, the loser.

Sometimes, the big price we need to pay on a point spread proves to be no cost at all.

Qoxhi Picks: Miami Dolphins (-13½) over Las Vegas Raiders