The NFL’s Week 4 has seen some good matchups, but only tonight’s Monday Night Football game on ESPN between the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints features a battle between undefeated teams. Ryan Tannehill has had a great early season for the Dolphins, but Drew Brees has performed even better for the Saints. The result could be a great quarterback showdown that will compel NFL fans far outside the Southeast to watch MNF live on ESPN or to watch Monday Night Football live online stream free via the ESPN App on Xbox 360.
The New Orleans Saints head into tonight’s MNF game leading the Dolphins by a large margin in almost every major statistical category. A quick rundown of NFL stats shows the Saints have the league’s fourth-ranked passing game, sixth-ranked offense and fourth-ranked defense, while their rushing game comes in at a lowly 23rd. By comparison, the Dolphins have the NFL’s 14th-ranked passing game, 26th-ranked overall offense, 22nd-ranked defense and 28th-rated rushing attack.
If a casual fan looked at those rankings alone, he or she would probably be surprised to learn that both teams go into the 8:40pm Eastern / 5:40pm Pacific kickoff undefeated. To be honest, most NFL analysts are also surprised at the records, at least for one team. ESPN has labeled the Dolphins “the biggest surprise in the NFL,” while the Saints have simply worked their way back to the league’s upper echelon now that Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton has returned to the team following his one-year ban for questionable defensive ethics.
The surprising Dolphins are probably why most people will watch Monday Night Football live online stream free via the ESPN App on Xbox 360. Other streaming resources exist like those listed above and below. Miami QB Tannehill has struggled this season avoiding sacks, falling victim to the defense a league-leading 14 times through just three weeks. Of course, being one of the four worst running quarterbacks in the NFL hasn’t helped matters. Still, Tannehill has gone 71-107 for 827 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints’ QB, Drew Brees, has trounced that, though, going 81-127 for 1,021 yards and six TDs.
Brees should be able to pad those numbers tonight, as the Dolphins’ defense has looked more like a MASH unit than part of a football team this week. Defensive end Cameron Wake (knee), defensive tackle Paul Soliai (knee), and linebackers Koa Misi (shoulder) and Jonathan Freeny (shoulder) are all listed as questionable for tonight’s live MNF game against the Dolphins, and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (groin) is confirmed out. The Dolphins will welcome back safety Chris Clemons (hamstring/quadriceps) and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ribs), but it’s unlikely that their return is enough to slow Brees’ weeks-long romp. Wake’s absence, in particular, will pave the way for a big MNF game for Brees.
Undefeated teams are a rarity on Monday night. The last time two teams 3-0 or better met on MNF was in 1998, when the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers in a matchup of 4-0 teams. Whether you watch Monday Night Football live online stream free via the ESPN App on Xbox 360 or on the network, either the Dolphins or Saints will end the game with that same 4-0 record. The Saints would love to be in that position, as they’re entering a tough road stretch for their next two games against the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.
If you believe the odds makers, the Saints will in fact leave victorious. All eight of the experts at CBS Sports picked New Orleans to win, as did both of Yahoo’s experts and all 13 of the experts picking for ESPN. That doesn’t mean it won’t be a great game to watch. In addition to the live streaming resources above and on Xbox 360, you should check the NFL’s Game Access options for watching tonight’s Monday Night Football game live online. Again, kickoff is scheduled for 8:40pm EST / 5:40pm PST on ESPN.
