Sports Betting
Bengals vs. Dolphins First Touchdown Scorer Picks: 3 Juicy Bets for Thursday Night Football
Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sports7 in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies. When Jack isn't writing about sports, he's watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He's also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sports7 with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.
Get to know Jack Dougherty betterUpdated09 Dec 2022
We started off the NFL season with a bang by nailing Gabriel Davis at 10/1 odds to score the first touchdown in the season opener between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams. That sure was fun, but we haven't hit a single first touchdown scorer pick since that game.
That just means we're due, right?
It's time to get back in the win column. Here are three first touchdown scorer bets I'm targeting for the Thursday Night Football clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins.
Joe Mixon +500
Speaking of due, Joe Mixon is well past due to find the end zone this season. The Pro Bowl running back currently leads the NFL in touches (71) through three weeks, but he's yet to score a touchdown in 2022.
This is an irregular scoreless streak for Mixon. The 26-year-old scored 13 touchdowns in 16 games played last season, and he never went three straight games without finding the end zone at least once.
With Miami operating a running back by committee approach, Mixon is the overwhelming favorite to lead this game in touches. I also expect the Bengals to jump out to a lead early with the Dolphins dealing with key injuries and having to travel on a short week.
Mixon will score on Thursday night, so let's hope it comes early.
Jaylen Waddle +1000
The first touchdown scorer handicap for the Dolphins is a simple one for me. I have no idea how effective Tua Tagovailoa will be while dealing with back and ankle injuries, and the backfield is impossible to predict with Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert splitting touches.
So, with uncertainty surrounding this offense, I have to target one of these dynamic wide receivers to get loose and score on an explosive play. Jaylen Waddle (+1000) has more receiving yards and touchdowns than Tyreek Hill (+800) this season, plus he's priced higher in the first TD market.
This is a no-brainer.
Joe Burrow +2800
Cincinnati's new-look offensive line hasn't been good to start the season. Joe Burrow has already been sacked 15 times through three games, which is tied for the highest mark in the NFL.
Because of the constant pressure he's faced, Burrow has taken off to run 15 times in three weeks. He's racked up 73 rushing yards so far this season, which ranks fourth in the league among quarterbacks. It's only a matter of time until one of these scrambles finds the end zone.
There's also always the possibility of a quarterback sneak at the 1-yard-line, so I'll take a chance on Burrow at 28/1.
All betting odds courtesy of FanDuel as of 9/29.
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