New York Giants vs Miami Dolphins Picks and Prediction for Saturday August 22, 2026

The New York Giants travel to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, to face the Miami Dolphins in NFL preseason Week 2 on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET. Both teams are looking for their first preseason victory after New York lost 13-10 to Minnesota and Miami fell 20-7 to Washington in their respective openers.

The current betting line has New York -2.5, with the Giants around -160 on the moneyline and Miami around +135. The total is 37.5 points. This is another relatively low preseason total, but the Week 1 performances provide a reasonable case for backing New York while expecting more scoring than the two teams produced in their openers. Get ready for the regular season of the NFL with our free NFL picks.

Giants Look to Build on a Competitive Preseason Opener

New York opened the preseason with a 13-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium. The Giants were competitive throughout the game, and one of the biggest positives was the work of the first-team offense. Jaxson Dart started at quarterback and completed 3 of 4 passes for 26 yards and a touchdown, including a 15-yard scoring pass to rookie Malachi Fields. Fields finished with three catches for 34 yards.

The Giants also received a highly efficient performance from Jameis Winston, who took over after Dart's early work and completed 8 of 9 passes for 89 yards. Cam Skattebo returned to game action and carried four times for 19 yards, while a 40-yard catch-and-run by Devin Singletary helped move New York into scoring position before Dart returned and threw the touchdown. The quarterback production was encouraging until the deeper portion of the rotation, when Brandon Allen threw two interceptions.

That quarterback depth becomes particularly important when handicapping a preseason game. New York didn't score much against Minnesota, but Dart and Winston combined to complete 11 of 13 passes, and the Giants showed they could move the football efficiently with the quarterbacks expected to receive the more meaningful preseason snaps. Cleaning up the turnovers from the back end of the rotation could make a substantial difference against Miami.

Dolphins Need More Production From Their Reserves

Miami opened its preseason with a 20-7 loss to the Washington Commanders. The Dolphins actually started well, putting together a 14-play, 93-yard touchdown drive after beginning at their own 7-yard line. Malik Willis directed the possession effectively, and Miami took an early 7-0 lead before Washington controlled the remainder of the game.

Willis completed 4 of 5 passes for 43 yards and added nine rushing yards. De'Von Achane rushed for 39 yards and scored Miami's only touchdown, while rookie Caleb Douglas contributed a 28-yard reception on the opening scoring drive. The Dolphins' defense also produced an early takeaway when Marco Wilson intercepted Sam Hartman in the red zone. There were legitimate positives when Miami's top units were on the field.

The concern comes from what happened afterward. Miami led 7-0 after its excellent opening drive but was outscored 20-0 the rest of the way. That's significant in preseason handicapping because these games are often determined by the second- and third-team units rather than the starters. Miami returns home for Week 2, which helps, but the Dolphins need considerably better offensive execution once the game moves beyond the opening rotation.

New York Giants vs Miami Dolphins Picks and Prediction

Pick: New York Giants -2.5

The pick is New York Giants -2.5. Miami's opening possession against Washington was impressive, but New York showed greater quarterback efficiency across multiple rotations. Dart and Winston combined to complete 11 of 13 passes, while the Dolphins failed to score after their first possession. With the spread still below a field goal, the Giants have enough quarterback depth to justify laying the short number despite playing on the road.

Pick: Over 37.5

The total pick is Over 37.5. The obvious argument for the under is that these teams combined for only 17 points in their respective openers, but both offenses showed more potential than those final scores indicate. Miami drove 93 yards for a touchdown on its first possession, while New York received efficient quarterback play from both Dart and Winston. A modest improvement from each team's reserve offense would put 38 points within reach, making Over 37.5 the slightly stronger position on the total.

Prediction: New York Giants 23, Miami Dolphins 17