Dolphins (8-3) at Commanders (4-8), Sunday, 1 p.m., FOX

Latest line: Dolphins are favored by 9 1/2 points

Dave Hyde, Sports Columnist (Season record 8-3): Dolphins 31, Commanders 13

The resurgent Dolphins face another team whose high preseason hopes have gone splat. The offense faces a Washington defense that just fired coordinator Jack Del Rio and gives up a league-worst 29.2 points a game. The defense faces a below-average offense where Sam Howell passes so much he leads the league in yards and sacks. This easy stretch in the schedule stays easy.

Chris Perkins, Dolphins Columnist (Season record 7-4): Dolphins 31, Commanders 14

Expect Miami to be in top form as it takes down yet another sub-.500 opponent. The Dolphins are becoming proficient at playing complementary football and that trait should surface again against the struggling Commanders. Washington has allowed 30 or more points seven times this season and its defense ranks 29th. The offense has also struggled as Sam Howell leads the league with 13 interceptions.

David Furones, Dolphins Writer (Season record 9-2): Dolphins 31, Commanders 13

There’s just not much that’s impressive about Washington. With the way the Dolphins defense is playing, that goes with the team on the road. Miami mixes the effectiveness of the run game with some more discipline from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to get over his recent run of turnovers. Washington recently fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, while coach Ron Rivera is on the hot seat ahead of its bye week.

Kathy Laughlin, Sports Editor (Season record 9-2): Dolphins 27, Commanders 23

On paper, this should be an easy win for the Dolphins: an 8-3 team against a 4-8 team. However, that means there is a temptation for Miami to ease up, or look past the Commanders. Also, Tua Tagovailoa has looked human the past few games (as opposed to looking super human earlier in the season), and the Dolphins are on the road. Although the Commanders are not great at home this season, with only one home win, all three of the Dolphins’ losses have come on the road. Plus, Washington scored 31 points against the Eagles twice this season. Only the Bills have scored more points against the Eagles.

Keven Lerner, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record 10-1): Dolphins 27, Commanders 17

The AFC East-leading Dolphins are 9 1/2-point favorites over the reeling Commanders for good reason. The high-flying Dolphins tightened their grip on winning the AFC East for the first time since 2008 with last week’s rout of the reeling Jets. Miami’s next three opponents have losing records, and the Dolphins have dominated sub-.500 teams. The Dolphins’ run defense has been stellar, but the offense has turned the ball over six times in the last two games. Washington has lost eight of its last 10 games.

Steve Svekis, Assistant Sports Editor (Season record 7-4): Dolphins 31, Commanders 20

The Commanders have played better on the road than at home. Washington is 3-4 away from FedEx Field, but in Landover, since the season opener, when they topped the now-2-9 Arizona Cardinals 20-16, they have gone 0-4, getting outscored 146-73. One possible restrictor plate on the Miami high-octane offense could be the weather conditions. Temperatures are forecast to be in the low 50s with a better-than-50-percent chance of rain. Barring a monsoon, expect another 30-plus points output and Raheem Mostert having an outside shot at tying Mark Clayton’s club record of 18 touchdowns in a season (1984). Mostert enters the game at 15 scores. Washington allowed 40 sacks in the season’s first seven games (5.7 a game), but have seen that number settle, with 15 in the past five contests. Still, this is a good opportunity for Miami to continue its sack bonanza (28 in the Dolphins’ past seven games).