Dolphins At Seahawks: Point Spread, Storylines, Prediction And More

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has already made history. By virtue of their wins over the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots to open the season, Macdonald is the first coach in Seahawks history to win his first two games.

Seattle now takes its 2-0 record into a Week 3 home date with the Miami Dolphins. Can the team remain perfect and atop the NFC West?

This game is now significantly easier for Seattle on the heels of Miami Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being placed on injured reserve after suffering yet another concussion. Skylar Thompson will be starting under center for the Fins in this one.

Here, we preview this Week 3 matchup between the Dolphins and Seahawks. It will include a look at the point spread, some top storylines and a final prediction.

Dolphins-Seahawks Preview: Point Spread, TV Information And More

• Date: Sunday, September 22
• Time: 4:05 PM ET
• TV: CBS
• Point Spread: Seahawks (-4.5)

Top Storylines For Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks Matchup

The top story for this matchup is the scary injury Tagovailoa suffered for the Dolphins last week. Obviously, his health is a paramount concern moving forward.

On the field, Tua’s injury will have a major impact on the road against Seattle come Sunday. The Seahawks have proven clutch thus far on the young season. Can that continue? These are among the top storylines for this game.

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Tua Tagovailoa Injury And Impact On The Miami Dolphins

It’s not yet known when Tua will return to the field. He’s at least set to miss the next four games after being placed on injured reserve. But given that this is his third concussion in less than two calendar years, a longer absence seems to be in the cards. For now, it’s all about his health off the field.

"I think it would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject, and it's more in line of actually caring about the human being," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said when asked about Tua’s future in the NFL, via ESPN. "You're talking about his career — his career is his ... I just wish that people would for a second hear what I'm saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him.”

On the field, Skylar Thompson will get the start under center for Miami. A seventh-round pick out of Kansas State in the 2022 NFL Draft, he’s started two games throughout his career. That small sample size includes one touchdown compared to three interceptions. It’s certainly not a great situation for Miami to be in heading into Seattle on Sunday.

Geno Smith’s Excellant Start For The Seattle Seahawks

Smith showed out in overtime against the Patriots last week. He completed 5-of-6 passes for 42 yards en route to leading Seattle to the game-winning field goal. It’s just the latest example of Smith upping his game big time early in the season.

"That was a heck of a performance, man," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters after last week’s win, via the team’s official website. "I think Geno, there's a little chip on his shoulder. I like it because they just keep sleeping on this guy. He played at a super high level. He deserves all the credit that he's getting right now. He's playing his tail off."

Through two games, Smith is completing an absurd 74 percent of his passes for nearly 500 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. This comes after an offseason in which Seattle’s brass did not engage in contract extension talks with Smith’s camp. As Macdonald notes, he’s seemingly playing with a chip on his shoulder.

Status Of Kenneth Walker For The Seahawks

Seahawks starting running back Kenneth Walker is set to miss a second consecutive game with an oblique injury. While he’s officially listed as doubtful, Macdonald is not confident that the star back will suit up.

"Not looking great right now for the game with Ken Walker, but he's working his tail off, getting better,” Macdonald said on Friday.

Second-year player Zach Charbonnet will get the start in Walker’s stead for a second consecutive game. The former second-round pick from UCLA has struggled big time as a sophomore. He’s averaging 2.3 yards on 22 rush attempts.

It’s important for Charbonnet to up his game and create balance on offense. Simply put, it’s not sustainable for Smith to be averaging nearly 35 pass attempts like we’ve seen through the first two games. A repeat of last week’s 46-yard rushing performance from Seattle could lead to its first loss of the season.

Can The Seahawks Continue Early-Season Momentum?

Competition has not been great for Seattle through two weeks. Taking out the Denver Broncos and New England in narrow affairs could suggest that the Seahawks are not necessarily as good as their record indicates.

Sunday’s home outing against Miami will be telling. With Skylar Thompson starting under center for the Dolphins, these Seahawks are in position to move to 3-0 on the campaign. However, a lackluster performance in front of the home crowd could be telling.

After all, things get more difficult in the month following Week 3. That includes dates with the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills.

Final Prediction For Dolphins At Seahawks

I obviously like Seattle in this one. It would have been a different if Tua Tagovailoa were under center for Miami. I just don’t see how Thompson is going to lead the Dolphins to sustained success on offense.

• Seahawks: 23
• Dolphins: 13