NFL Preseason Best Bets for August 23: Fade Arizona With Clayton Tune Playing
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Rainman M.
- August 23, 2025
Top-rated sportsbooks have released their odds for all of the NFL games today.
Two evening games, in particular, interest me as worth investing in at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review): Jaguars vs. Dolphins and Raiders vs. Cardinals. For your preseason best bets, I will recommend the Jaguars-Dolphins over the Raiders -2.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Miami Dolphins
Saturday, August 23, 2025 – 07:00 PM EDT at Hard Rock Stadium
Jacksonville’s Defense
Unless the Jaguars’ defense gets all new players, a new culture, and a new coordinator, the “over” is always going to be interesting in Jaguars games.
The defense completely fell off a cliff in December 2023 when no-name quarterback Jake Browning channeled Joe Montana and led Cincinnati to a 34-point output.
Despite personnel overhauls and new coordinators, the defense remains terrible in August 2025.
So far, the Jaguars have given up:
- 31 points to a Steelers offense whose training camp performance had elicited grave concerns.
- 17 points to a Saints offense that threw an interception at Jacksonville’s 13-yard line.
- Opposing offenses thrive against Jacksonville because their quarterbacks have an easier time.
Skylar Thompson and Mason Rudolph were fantastic for Pittsburgh, while the Saints’ quarterbacks were very efficient, completing 75 percent of their passes.
Miami’s Offense
It is reportedly the case that starters will see action for Miami, which means that starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will probably play some.
Led mostly by backups, Miami has scored 24 points against a Bears defense that is much tougher than Jacksonville’s and against the Lions’ defense that is not as bad as Jacksonville’s.
It is reasonable to expect the Dolphins to exceed 24 points tonight.
Jacksonville’s Offense
Nick Mullens is solidifying the backup quarterback role for himself.
Mullens has done a great job with his efficiency and productivity. In his second drive against New Orleans, for example, he led the Jaguars on a touchdown drive.
While Jacksonville’s other quarterbacks weren’t as productive, they were also playing with a lead in what was, aided by turnovers deep in the opposing defense’s territory, a lower-scoring game.
Jacksonville’s backup quarterbacks, in a higher-scoring game with a Pittsburgh team that allowed a combined total of 27 points to Tampa Bay and Carolina, were still able to help the Jaguars score 25 points.
So, while the first-half over intrigues me with the thought that Mullens will play most of it, I like the full-game over because of how bad Jacksonville’s defense will be for the whole game and because of how effective, especially Seth Henigan, is behind Mullens.
With Miami scoring 27-30 points tonight, Jacksonville will easily score enough points to send the game over.
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals
Saturday, August 23, 2025 – 10:00 PM EDT at State Farm Stadium
Clayton Tune-Less
It might seem strange to see the Raiders favored on the road, but it makes total sense when you look at Arizona’s quarterback situation.
Clayton Tune will likely see a decisive amount of action for the Cardinals tonight.
Arizona is worth fading with Tune at quarterback. His ineptitude became apparent when he saw regular-season action and failed to exhibit either confidence or the ability to advance his offense.
Now, through two preseason games, he has 47 passing yards and an interception.
When Arizona reached 20 points against the Chiefs, Kyler Murray got substantial playing time and completed seven of eight passes for 96 yards. But Arizona’s head coach said that his team’s starters likely won’t see action tonight.
Arizona’s two backup quarterbacks played all of last week and helped the Cardinals muster all of seven points.
Raiders Quarterbacks Tonight
Raiders quarterbacks are much better than Arizona’s, and the former have a soft challenge that strengthens their outlook tonight.
Most recently, Arizona’s defense allowed Denver backup quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger to combine for 30-for-39, 395 passing yards, and two touchdowns.
The Broncos scored 27 points against the Cardinals, whereas the Chiefs scored 17 points because they were held back by the terrible play of new Chiefs quarterback Bailey Zappe, whom New England had for good reason no longer wanted.
Facing Seattle and San Francisco, the Raiders have been scoring around 20 points. Aidan O’Connell has some starting experience and has proven himself to be vastly more productive than Tune.
The productivity of Ehlinger creates assurance that any Raiders quarterback will succeed tonight, including Cam Miller, who was terrific against Seattle and has reportedly improved tremendously in practice.
With O’Connell getting substantial playing time, with Miller displaying great promise, and with the Raiders’ defense not exhibiting the feebleness that plagued Arizona’s last week, the Raiders will cover the spread tonight.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
