Setting the Stage for the Dolphins-Panthers Week 6 Matchup

Breaking down all the details for the Miami-Carolina game at Hard Rock Stadium

The Miami Dolphins will look to move their 2023 record to 5-1 when they face the winless Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Here's all the pertinent info for this Week 6 Dolphins-Panthers matchup:

MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-1) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-5)

DATE: Sunday, Oct. 15

TIME: 1 p.m. ET

SITE: Hard Rock Stadium; Miami Gardens, Fla.

WEATHER FORECAST: The temperature between 1 and 4 p.m. ET in Miami Gardens will be between 86 and 89 degrees, according to The Weather Channel, with cloudy skies and a 15 percent chance of rain. The wind is expected to be 10-12 mph.

TV: CBS

Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Trent Green (color analyst), Melanie Collins (sidelines)

STREAMING: fuboTV (start your free trial)

SI Sportsbook betting line: Dolphins by 14.5 (over/under 47.5)

Final Injury Report:

Dolphins — OL Connor Williams (groin) is out; CB Nik Needham (Achilles) and RB Jeff Wilson Jr. (rbis/finger) are doubtful; FB Alec Ingold (foot), OL Robert Jones (knee) and Jaelan Phillips (oblique) are questionable.

Panthers — S Vonn Bell (quadriceps), G Austin Corbett (knee), TE Giovanni Ricci (shoulder), RB Miles Sanders (shoulder), S Xavier Woods (hamstring) and G Chandler Zavala (neck) are out; DE Derrick Brown (knee/ankle), OLB Brian Burns (ankle), TE Stephen Sullivan (hip) and TE Ian Thomas (calf) are questionable.

DOLPHINS-PANTHERS REGULAR SEASON HISTORY

Series record: The Dolphins lead 5-2

Last five meetings:

Nov. 28, 2021 at Miami; Dolphins 33, Panthers 10

Nov. 13, 2017 at Carolina; Panthers 45, Dolphins 21

Nov. 24, 2013 at Miami; Panthers 20, Dolphins 16

Nov. 19, 2009 at Carolina; Dolphins 24, Panthers 17

Sept. 25, 2005 at Miami; Dolphins 27, Panthers 24

Dolphins' largest margin of victory: 23 (2021 at Miami; Dolphins 33 Panthers 10)

Panthers' largest margin of victory: 24 (2017 at Carolina; Panthers 45, Dolphins 21)

Highest-scoring matchup: 66 points (2017 at Carolina; Panthers 45, Dolphins 21)

Lowest-scoring matchup: 22 points (1998 at Carolina; Dolphins 13, Panthers 9)

Former Panthers players with the Dolphins:

WR Robbie Chosen (2020-22), CB Eli Apple (2018-19)

Former Panthers coaches with the Dolphins:

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, quality control coach Josh Grizzard

Former Dolphins players with the Panthers:

LB Kamu Grugier-Hill

Former Dolphins coaches with the Panthers:

Senior defensive assisstant Dom Capers, WR coach Shawn Jefferson, senior assistant Jim Caldwell

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PANTHERS SCOUTING REPORT

For the second consecutive game, the Dolphins will face a team going through some tough times. The Panthers made wholesale changes in the offseason despite finishing strong in 2022 under interim head coach Steve Wilkins, bringing in former Colts head coach Frank Reich before pulling off a big draft trade to land the first overall pick to select QB Bryce Young. A season-opening loss at Atlanta in a game where the Panthers outgained the Falcons 281-221 but had a minus-3 turnover ratio seemed to set the tone, and things have just gone south since. Carolina is looking for its first win of the season, though it did come close against New Orleans (20-17) and Minnesota (21-13).

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THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL WIN ...

The Dolphins are favored by 14.5 points in this matchup, which is an even bigger spread than last week when they were favored by 12.5 — and won by 15 points despite a minus-3 turnover ratio. Like last week, the Dolphins just appear to have too much firepower against a Carolina defense that lost some key players — LB Shaq Thompson, CB Jaycee Horn — early this season. The Panthers are 28th in the NFL in rushing yards per play allowed, which bodes well for the Dolphins running game. Young has yet to pass for more than 247 yards this season and the Panthers will be without starting running back Milles Sanders, so it's tough to envision their offense doing much damage in this game.

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THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL LOSE ...

Yes, the absence of Connor Williams at center has a lot of Dolphins fans concerned because the offensive line wasn't nearly as effective in his absence in Week 4 at Buffalo. But the Bills defensive line is among the best in the NFL; Carolina's isn't. But, sure, maybe the offense won't be performing with the same kind of efficiency with Williams missing the game along with IR'ed left tackle Terron Armstead. And maybe this is the game where Young breaks out and fully shows the playmaking ability he displayed at Alabama. And at 0-5, logic suggests that Reich won't be afraid to take chances and if he hits on some of those, maybe we might have a battle on our hands.

FINAL DOLPHINS-PANTHERS PREDICTION

Updating our fun stat from last week: This is now the sixth time since the start of the 2020 season that the Dolphins are double-digit favorites. They're 5-0 in those games, covering the spread all but once. They defeated Houston 30-15 last year as 14-point favorites; defeated the Jets 31-24 in 2021 as 10-point favorites; defeated the Jets 24-0 in 2020 as 10-point favorites; defeated Cincinnati 19-7 in 2020 as 10.5-point favorites; and, of course, defeated the Giants 31-16 last week. It's probably not a good idea for the Dolphins to be as sloppy with the ball as they were last week because that eventually could catch up to them, but the Panthers — just like the Giants — just don't seem to have the team to pull off what would be a major upset, though they likely will show a lot of fight early on before Miami pulls away. Dolphins 33, Panthers 13.

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