The Miami Dolphins are heading into their first divisional game of the 2026 season with a matchup that could be their best shot at a win until these two teams meet again weeks later.
If Miami is going to get past the Jets, it has to come from a few specific players doing far more than they have for most of the year. The Dolphins need to clean up pre-snap issues, coverage breakdowns, and route-running mistakes, but that only gets them part of the way there. They’ve had two weeks to prepare, and that leaves no room for excuses.
At the top of that list is Austin Jackson, who has to hold up against a New York front that can make life miserable. The Jets know he’s been a liability in pass protection, and he hasn’t exactly stood out in the run game either through six games. David Bailey, one of the best rookies in this year’s class, is expected to spend the afternoon attacking him.
That matters because the Dolphins cannot function without a pass game. Malik Willis needs clean protection, and while Patrick Paul should be able to handle his side on the left, the right side remains the major weak spot. If Jackson loses his battle, Miami’s offense could spend the day stuck in the mud.
Chris Johnson is another player who needs to swing the game. Garrett Wilson is the obvious threat in the Jets’ passing attack, and while the Dolphins are likely to use JuJu Brents on him, Johnson still figures to be central to the plan on Sunday. He has moved between the inside and outside all season, and the arrow has been pointing up.
Miami needs Johnson to make his presence felt in both phases. If he does that, the Dolphins can help control the tempo and shape the down-and-distance situations. He has the kind of disruptive ability that can force Geno Smith into hesitant decisions, and that could lead to turnovers.
Then there’s Chop Robinson, whose production has to become more consistent if Miami wants its pass rush to matter. He’s been up and down this season, even if he did flash in Week 5. Jeff Hafley made it clear that one good game wasn’t enough and that Robinson has to keep stacking progress.
That pressure piece is huge. Josh Uche matters too, but Robinson is the edge rusher who can change the picture the most.
If he can bother Smith in the pocket, the Dolphins’ defensive line should have a better chance against the Jets’ run game. If he can’t, Miami’s defense could be in for a long afternoon.
And then there’s Willis, the player who can most directly determine whether Miami’s offense stays afloat. If he struggles, the offense will struggle with him. He is the one who can extend drives, push the ball downfield, and help turn possession into points.
That has not been his standard this season. His play has hardly reached average, and that is a dangerous place to be against the NFL’s fourth-ranked passing defense.
Willis has been erratic, especially when he gets moved off his spot. He has had more time to throw than all but three other quarterbacks in the league - just over 3 seconds - but that hasn’t fixed the problems.
Against the Jets, that inconsistency could turn into turnovers Miami can’t afford. Willis can’t be the Willis he has been all year.
In Other News...
Dolphins Face One Trade Deadline Test They May Not Budge On
With the trade deadline approaching, the Dolphins are shaping up as sellers, but one name appears to be off the table for now. ESPN reporters Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport said Miami is expected to listen on some pieces, yet the team views its young edge rush group as part of the future, not a short-term source of help for someone else.
Chop Robinson is the clearest example of that stance. A 2024 first-round pick with multiple years of contract control remaining, he should draw interest from teams looking for pass-rush help, but Miami does not currently plan to move him this season. For a club weighing its deadline options, that kind of line in the sand says plenty about which players it believes still fit into the long view. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Face A Jets Backfield Twist Right Before Kickoff
The Jets are still waiting on Breece Hall, who has not played since Week 3 because of a quadriceps injury and is now unlikely to suit up against the Dolphins in Week 7. There is still a chance he tests the leg in a pregame workout, but for Miami, the more immediate concern is the shape of New Yorks backfield if Hall is unavailable.
Braelon Allen has handled the lead role in Halls absence and is expected to get the start against a Dolphins defense that has shown vulnerability against running backs. If Hall cannot go, Allen would be the one carrying the load again, giving New York a familiar setup right before kickoff and leaving Miami to prepare for a backfield built around a runner who has already taken on a heavier workload. [Read more 🡒]
Malik Willis Just Changed A Bigger Dolphins Conversation
Malik Willis did not have eye-popping passing numbers, but he still ended up at the center of Miamis first win of the Jeff Hafley era against the Jets. The Dolphins got better answers from the offense as the game went on, with cleaner decision-making and a special teams effort that held up its end, and the ground game helped set the tone late.
The broader takeaway was bigger than the stat sheet. Miami also got a meaningful lift from Caleb Douglas in his return from injury, and his late touchdown gave the Dolphins a finishing punch they had been missing. Between the balanced offense and the way the team closed things out, the performance offered a different kind of hint about where this group might be headed. [Read more 🡒]