Week 2 AFC East game picks: Raiders at Dolphins

Lead writer Nick St. Denis and AFC East Daily contributors Dan Begnoche, Sean Donovan and Sam Hollingsworth pick the Miami Dolphins' home matchup with the Oakland Raiders.

Nick's take:

This game will be based around one player -- Raiders running back Darren McFadden. Oakland will look to get McFadden in space in all kinds of different ways, and that alone will likely lift the Raiders to a win. The Raiders' defense isn't as good as the Texans', but it's still an annually-tough unit. Dolphins rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be tested by a strong defensive front once again, and I'm not sure this has the makings of a bounce-back game for him.

Prediction: Raiders 17, Dolphins 10

Sean's take:

Hosting the injury-riddled Raiders in the hot Florida sun may just be their best opportunity for a win in the early part of the season. Oakland is limited offensively beyond McFadden, and Miami should fare better against a depleted Raiders' secondary. Still, they must eliminate the turnovers, generate some big plays on defense and do better than 2-for-10 on third down. Might be too much for these young Dolphins.

Prediction: Raiders 16, Dolphins 13

Dan's take:

Tannehill and the Dolphins struggled in their first game against a sure-fire playoff team in the Texans. Though the Raiders aren't the Texans, it was pretty obvious Tannehill still has some kinks to work out. Look for both teams to run the ball much more, with McFadden winning the battle over Reggie Bush in the touchdown department. The Dolphins' winning streak over Oakland ends at three.

Prediction: Raiders 32, Dolphins 17

Sam's take:

Just like the situation the Bills finds themselves in, the Dolphins look to rebound from a sloppy Week 1 while serving their opponent with their second straight loss of the season. The Raiders struggled in the second half last week, and their lack of discipline continues to hurt them throughout games. The Dolphins need to and should capitalize on that, giving a glimmer of hope for the season of 2012.

Prediction: Dolphins 21, Raiders 20

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily