After a big road victory last weekend, the Jets head back to Metlife Stadium today to play hosts to a "Tualess" Dolphins team. The Jets have a chance once again to get a winning streak going and eclipse the .500 mark. Today should be a good test for this Jets team as the Dolphins have had some early season success, even though Dolphins starting QB Tua Tagovailoa isn't there to contribute to the success today. Instead, we will see former Jets QB Teddy Bridgewater under center for the Dolphins which should be an interesting matchup to say the least.
In today's injury report, for the Jets, OT Max Mitchell is listed as out after he picked up a knee injury in last week's win against the Steelers. It is possible it might be some time for Mitchell before he returns back to the lineup. LB Quincy Williams once again will be out as he is still recovering from an ankle injury as well. LB Marcell Harris is listed as questionable with a neck injury, but he will most likely end up playing. The big news in the injury pool for the Jets has to be activating OT Duane Brown from IR. He is expected to start against the Dolphins, and he will definitely help out a much-depleted offensive line.
For the Dolphins, 7 players are listed as questionable coming into today's matchup, including Dolphins star WRs Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle. Being that the Dolphins are already without Tagovailoa today, Hill and Waddle more than likely will end up playing. CB Xavien Howard, OT Terron Armstead and RB Salvon Ahmed are other notable players on the Dolphins' injury report today who both are listed as questionable, but more likely than not will play.
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| Jets Rookie RB Breece Hall is coming off of a big week where he would score the game winning TD and win offensive rookie of the week |
For the Dolphins team preview, although they are a bit banged up at the moment, they are a force to be reckoned with this season. After signing WR Tyreek Hill this past offseason, this has lifted this offense and definitely provides some explosiveness for the Dolphins to score. Veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater will pick up his first start today in the Teel and Orange since signing this past offseason to back up Tua Tagovailoa. Along with Tyreek Hill, WR Jalen Waddle is a similar threat and both Hill and Waddle have quality vertical speed. Bridgewater and the Dolphins' offense can play short ball where they play quick vertical routes or screen routes for Hill and Waddle since they have breakaway speed. The Jets' defense must play well in the secondary to stop this explosive offense.
At RB, the Dolphins have Raheem Mostert, even though they don't run the ball all that much. They do rank Dead last in the league for rushing yards (Credit: Jets Gameplan ), so he is more used as a receiving back with how the Dolphins play offensively. At TE, they use both Durham Smythe and Mike Gesicki, who both are key end zone targets for this Dolphins' offense as well. Ultimately, this is a passing offense and not a rushing offense. The way the Jets can win this game defensively is to keep the pressure up front on Teddy Bridgewater when he drops back in order to rush his passes and decision making. While doing this, keep man coverage and drop a Tampa 2 with the 2 safeties (Jordan Whitehead and Lamarcus Joyner) back to help out in coverage when needed.
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| Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill is an offensive threat that the Jets must keep an eye on today |
Defensively for the Dolphins, they have solid depth at almost every position and will look to give Jets QB Zach Wilson a difficult time. Up front, DEs Emmanuel Ogbah and Christian Wilkins are solid pass rushers, along with LB Melvin Ingram, who is a veteran in the league and just signed with the Dolphins this past offseason. Those three will be looking to put pressure up front on Zach Wilson, so there will be big assignments for the two OTs today (Alijah Vera-Tucker and Duane Brown). LB Jerome Baker captains this defense and is a solid dropback LB and pass rusher as well. In the secondary, Former Pro Bowl CB Xavien Howard is one of the best when it comes to man to man coverage. Safety Javon Holland has also played well recently too. The Dolphins run a 3-4 defense, so the Jets and OC Mike LaFleur will have to mix up the play calling well, similarly to last week.
For the Jets, they must continue to play how they did in the fourth quarter of last week's win in Pittsburgh. Efficiency is key, and if QB Zach Wilson and the Jets' offense can stay efficient, this game could get very interesting. Jets WR Corey Davis once again proved last week why he is a reliable target for Zach Wilson late in games. He had 5 catches for 74 yards and a key Touchdown in last week's victory, but a lot of his receptions came late in the fourth quarter when the Jets needed to produce offensively. This combination needs to continue to excel. Along with that, after winning rookie of the week last week, RB Breece Hall should continue to build off of a good performance from last week as well, and he can play a difference maker for this Jets offense as well.
For today's prediction, the Jets will have the opportunity to go over the .500 mark today, but will it happen? I don't believe it will, unfortunately. Although the Jets will compete and show some fight today, the Dolphins' offense will prove to be too much for the Jets' defense to handle. I have the Dolphins winning this one in an offensive battle by a score of 30-27.
-Miles Chamberlain
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| The two starting QBs in today's matchup are Teddy Bridgewater (Left) and Zach Wilson (Right) |
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