How to watch the Broncos vs. Dolphins Week 3 game: TV, betting info

The Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are just a few games away from having very different starts to the 2023 NFL season.

Denver is 0-2, losing its first two games under head coach Sean Payton by a total of three points. The Broncos trailed the Washington Commanders by 11 points in the fourth quarter of Week 2, but quarterback Russell Wilson’s 50-yard pass for a touchdown as time expired gave Denver improbable hope.

This quickly disappeared. After losing by one point in Week 1, Denver failed in its two-point conversion attempt to lose 35-33 in Week 2. The Broncos are one of eight 0-2 teams in the league despite leading 21-3 in the second quarter against the Commanders.

Miami has fared much better in close games this season. Miami held off a comeback from the New England Patriots to win 24-17 last weekend. This came after a two-point win over the Los Angeles Chargers to open the new campaign. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is healthy after an injury-filled 2022 and leads the NFL with 715 passing yards through two games. Tagovailoa has overtaken Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the current MVP favorite in the eyes of many sportsbooks.

BetMGM, FanDuel and DraftKings are among the books giving Tagovailoa the best chance to win the award on Tuesday. Mahomes has the second-best odds on every sportsbook.

The Week 3 matchup between these two AFC teams will determine whether the Broncos can earn their first win of the season, or whether the Dolphins will remain undefeated. Here’s a look at what else fans should know ahead of Sunday.

Television, streaming information for the Broncos-Dolphins

The Broncos-Dolphins game is scheduled to begin on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game will be broadcast on CBS for fans in both markets. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Trent Green (analyst) will be on the call.

Fans wishing to stream the game can do so via NFL+, Fubo, or the NFL Sunday Ticket package.

Will Jaylen Waddle play?

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle may be the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. But half of that duo might not be on the field in Week 3.

Waddle left Sunday night’s game against the Patriots late in the fourth quarter after taking a big hit from linebacker Marte Mapu while trying to catch a pass. Waddle did not return to the game. Mapu was penalized for this violent blow. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed in a press conference Monday that Waddle was in the concussion protocol.

“We’re going to move forward,” McDaniel said. “He has already started to make progress in this process.”

Waddle had eight catches for 164 yards through the first two weeks of the season. The former No. 6 overall pick caught 75 passes for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his second in the NFL. The Dolphins will update Waddle’s status on their injury report throughout the week.

Sean Payton is already making changes

Former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was criticized for the team’s clock management and penalty issues during his 15 games with the franchise last season.

After two games in Denver, so is Payton. On the way to their eventual defeat, the Broncos had to use several timeouts to avoid penalties and often rushed to the line of scrimmage to line up at the last second.

Payton said in a news conference Monday that he and other Denver coaches are working to simplify the language of play calls as a potential solution.

“I think, number one, the first thing we always try to consider, but we have to do a better job as coaches, is cut down on the verbiage,” Payton said. “If we have a longer game, then we can easily get to a bracelet. We have to reduce the variables.

“I just finished saying this in the team meeting: If we make (mental errors) defensively and offensively, we have difficulty breaking the group and getting aligned, so we have to see if we have too many (the game plan) Next, how do we reduce the verbiage at the line of scrimmage, or in the huddles, frankly?… It’s going to get better.

Payton mentions that a wristband might be something to watch out for in Week 3. Wilson has rarely worn one throughout his career, although he did last season under Hackett. A quarterback will sometimes wear a wristband that has plays or sound signals written on it in order to streamline play calls during a game. If Wilson takes the field in Miami wearing one this weekend, the Broncos may have made some significant changes.

Betting Odds, Over/Under for Broncos vs. Dolphins

Caesars Sportsbook lists the Dolphins as a 6.5-point favorite over the Broncos, according to a bet available Tuesday afternoon. The game’s over/under is listed at 48 points.