Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2002 · Week 1

Final

Lions

Detroit

QB Mike McMahon

21·49

Dolphins

Miami

QB Jay Fiedler

Pro Player Stadium · outdoors · grass · 87°F · wind 12mph

Closing spread

MIA -9.5

Total

35.5

Model margin

+4.7est.

MIA perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Dolphins
  • Lions

How each play moved the game.

Dolphins winsLions wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Lionsedge mapDolphins
  • -0.148EPA / play+0.017
  • 34.3%Success rate45.0%
  • -0.156EPA / dropback+0.060
  • -0.134EPA / rush-0.028
  • 8.1%Explosive rate11.0%
  • 29.8%Third-down rate37.0%
  • 49.8%Red-zone TD rate65.1%
  • 0.96Points / drive1.85
  • 2.9%Turnover rate2.9%
  • +0.065EPA / play allowed-0.083

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

MIA lead 4–3 since 1999

Meetings average 49.4 points. MIA are 4-3 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2022 · W8MIA @ DET3127MIA
2018 · W7DET @ MIA3221DET
2014 · W10MIA @ DET1620DET
2010 · W16DET @ MIA3427DET
2006 · W12MIA @ DET2710MIA
2000 · W10MIA @ DET238MIA

Box score

Individual performances

Lions

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Mike McMahon13/2517911
Joey Harrington4/114100

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Mike McMahon2115.51
Lamont Warren581.60
Aveion Cason441.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Az-Zahir Hakim915970
Mikhael Ricks35680
Aveion Cason25370
Lamont Warren15131
Larry Foster1140
Bill Schroeder0200
John Owens0100

Dolphins

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jay Fiedler18/2720730

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Ricky Williams201115.52
Travis Minor11454.10
Robert Edwards4205.01
Jay Fiedler393.00
Ray Lucas2-2-1.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Randy McMichael45731
Robert Edwards44381
Chris Chambers34361
Oronde Gadsden25180
Dedric Ward1370

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +9.56.5%7.5%3.2%4.9%3.2%3.0%

Positive margins favour Dolphins; negative favour Lions.

Half-point at risk

3.23%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

61.5%

Expected total

45.6est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+3.65
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment-1.55
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+4.66