AFC East Notebook: Dolphins Pound the Rock, Jets Search for Rhythm, Boutte Breaks Out in New England
Dolphins Finding Their Edge in the Trenches
There’s a new tone being set in Miami, and it’s coming straight from the offensive line. Head coach Mike McDaniel didn’t mince words when he talked about the Dolphins’ recent surge in the ground game - and the physicality that’s powering it.
“For the past month, I’ve seen the most physical football that I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” McDaniel said.
That’s not just coach-speak. The Dolphins have leaned into a more aggressive, downhill approach, and it’s paying off in a big way.
De’Von Achane has officially hit the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his young career, and he’s doing it in style - slicing through defenses with his trademark burst, but now with consistent lanes to run through. The offensive line isn’t just holding up; they’re attacking, dictating the tempo up front.
And in December football, that’s the kind of identity that travels.
Jets: Mitchell Gets Redemption, Hall Plays the Decoy, and Smith Sits
In New York, it’s been a season of growing pains - especially on the offensive side of the ball. But for rookie wideout Adonai Mitchell, Sunday marked a personal milestone. After an infamous early-season moment where he let go of the ball before crossing the goal line (back when he was with the Colts), Mitchell finally got his first official NFL touchdown.
“Yeah, that definitely crosses the mind,” Mitchell admitted. “But it was a growing point and a learning point, so all I could do was grow and learn from it. And the only thing that was on my mind was just finish, finish, finish, finish.”
That mindset paid off, and Mitchell’s score is a small bright spot in a Jets offense still trying to find consistency.
Meanwhile, running back Breece Hall acknowledged a different kind of role in the game plan - one that required patience. With the defense keying in on the run, Hall found himself more decoy than focal point.
“I knew we were going to air it out today because they were hanging their hat on stopping the run game,” Hall said. “So I was playing decoy watching everybody else. So I was like - hopefully we win.”
It’s a tough pill to swallow for a back as dynamic as Hall, but it’s also a glimpse into the Jets’ offensive strategy - trying to open things up through the air when the ground game gets bottled up.
As for rookie wide receiver Arian Smith, he was a healthy scratch in Week 13. Head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t offer specifics, but made it clear he still believes in the young wideout. The move raises questions about Smith’s development and role moving forward, especially as the Jets continue to search for answers at the skill positions.
Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte: From Injury Setback to Breakout Season
Over in Foxborough, Kayshon Boutte is quietly putting together the kind of season that reminds people why he was once one of the most talked-about receivers in the SEC. After a devastating ankle injury during his sophomore year at LSU - one that robbed him of his elite top-end speed - Boutte has battled back, and now he’s flashing the form that once made him a can’t-miss prospect.
Through 12 games, he’s averaging close to 45 yards per game and has already set a career high with five touchdowns. That’s not just a bounce-back - that’s a breakout.
“I always knew I could get back to where I was,” Boutte said. “I just think everybody stopped believing for a second.
I feel like now, everybody’s back on the train. It’s kind of how it goes.
But I don’t really buy into too much of the noise. Just be me at the end of the day.”
It’s that mindset - steady, unshaken - that’s helped Boutte re-establish himself as a weapon in the Patriots’ offense. And with New England’s passing game still evolving, his continued emergence gives them a much-needed playmaker to build around.
Final Word
As the AFC East playoff picture begins to take shape, each team is dealing with its own identity check. The Dolphins are building a bully in the trenches.
The Jets are still trying to find balance and consistency. And the Patriots may have found a foundational piece in Kayshon Boutte.
December football is here - and for these teams, the margins are getting thinner by the week.