The Dolphins don’t have a lot of room for error against the Jets, and the path to a win is pretty plain. If Miami wants to avoid another brutal result, it has to win the physical battles, stay out of its own way, and stop handing New York short fields.
That starts with Ollie Gordon II, who has become a bright spot in the absence of De'Von Achane. Gordon is averaging 5.0 yards per carry, which ranks seventh among qualified running backs, and his 3.38 yards after contact per attempt sits 12th.
The Jets, meanwhile, are giving up 4.2 yards per carry this season, and their interior defensive line has been mostly shaky by Pro Football Focus’ view, with nose tackle T'Vondre Sweat as the exception. Harrison Phillips has a 48.9 PFF grade, Jowon Briggs is at 46.7, and Darrell Jackson Jr. comes in at 59.2.
If Gordon gets rolling early, Miami can take some heat off quarterback Malik Willis and force New York to crowd the box.
The Dolphins also need to make life harder on the Jets’ ground game. New York’s offense has been at its best when the run game is humming: in its two wins, it went over 100 rushing yards, and in its four losses, it did not.
That matters because Jets quarterback Geno Smith has a reputation as a gambler with the ball, and the run game may be helping keep those mistakes down. Smith threw his first interception of the season last week against the New England Patriots, and if Miami can slow Braelon Allen - and possibly Breece Hall, who is questionable - it could push Smith into a tougher, less comfortable script.
Then there’s the special teams mess, which has become a weekly headache for Miami. The Dolphins have struggled badly in kick coverage and kick returns, and it’s been costing them field position over and over again.
They’re allowing 34.1 yards per kick return, the worst mark in the NFL and five yards worse than the second-worst team, the Baltimore Ravens. Opponents are starting drives at the 36.7-yard line against Miami, which ranks 31st.
The Jets have been much better in that department, starting at the 32.1-yard line, good for ninth. If the Dolphins keep giving New York easy field position, they’ll make a manageable matchup a lot more dangerous.
In Other News...
Dolphins Face An Awkward Kicking Test In Week 7
Miamis kicking carousel has already spun once this season, and it is about to turn again in a place nobody in South Florida wanted it to. Jason Sanders is now lining up for the New York Jets, setting up a Week 7 meeting with the team that moved on from him last offseason after weighing salary demands, injury concerns and inconsistency. Miami has been trying to find stability at the position ever since, even bringing back a previous competitor after recently cutting the replacement it had tried.
Sanders has been steady enough in New York, making 12 of 13 field-goal attempts, though the lone miss came on a 50-plus-yard try and he has also missed an extra point. For the Dolphins, the awkward part is not just seeing a familiar leg on the other sideline, but revisiting a decision that was supposed to solve one problem and instead turned the spotlight back on the most fragile job on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Get An Offensive Boost At The Perfect Time Against Jets
Miamis offense is getting a timely reinforcement for its Week 7 meeting with the Jets, with Caleb Douglas set to return after working fully in practice Friday. The wide receiver had missed the previous three games with an ankle injury, and his availability gives the Dolphins another option as they try to keep the offense moving against a division opponent.
The broader injury picture is trending in the right direction for Miami, too, with Kyle Louis, Jaylen Wright and Will Kacmarek all expected to be available or close to it. On the other side, the Jets have their own uncertainty to sort through, as Breece Hall is listed as questionable with a quad injury, leaving the backfield situation unsettled heading into the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Get A Rookie Back But One Big Jets Question Remains
Miami got a little healthier heading into its matchup with the Jets, activating rookie safety Kyle Louis off injured reserve and making him available for the upcoming game. The Dolphins also added some short-term depth by elevating edge defender Max Llewellyn and kicker Zane Gonzalez from the practice squad, moves that help patch together a roster thinned by injuries and recent releases.
Louis had been out since the season opener against the Raiders with a knee injury, so his return gives Miami another option in the secondary at a time when every available body matters. The bigger question now is how the Dolphins choose to deploy their reinforcements against New York, especially with the roster still in flux and a few spots needing to be covered on game day. [Read more 🡒]