The New York Jets walked into Sunday as home favorites and walked out with another damaging loss, this one a 28-25 upset at MetLife Stadium against the previously winless Dolphins.
It dropped the Jets to 2-5 and extended their rough stretch to five losses in the last six games, a skid that has followed a double-digit road win over the Tennessee Titans.
The biggest problem remains the same: the defense is not holding up nearly often enough. Outside of a standout Week 5 showing against the Cleveland Browns, this unit has been a burden over the past month.
Against Miami, the Jets never found a way to slow things down in the first half. They did manage a few stops after halftime, but the Dolphins still landed the knockout blow with a 63-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to nine late.
On offense, the usage of Garrett Wilson stands out for all the wrong reasons. The Jets’ top receiving threat didn’t record his first target and catch until early in the second half, which has become too familiar a pattern this season.
With offensive coordinator Frank Reich, Wilson is not consistently being featured early, and that is leaving the Jets too often stuck playing catch-up. If this offense is going to avoid those sluggish starts, Wilson has to get manufactured touches well before halftime.
There was at least one bright spot in the passing game: Omar Cooper Jr. keeps looking like a real second option. The rookie has been making plays downfield throughout his first season, and against the Dolphins he flashed that again with a brilliant 60-yard catch before finishing the drive with a three-yard touchdown grab. The Jets have spent years searching for someone to complement Wilson, and Cooper is making a strong case.
In the backfield, Braelon Allen kept forcing the issue. Breece Hall had seemed close to returning after limited practices on Thursday and Friday, but he was ruled out and made inactive for a fourth straight game.
Allen took full advantage, piling up more than 100 yards on 22 touches in a big workload. Even if Hall is back next week, Allen has clearly earned a bigger role in this offense.
The schedule doesn’t offer much breathing room, either. The Jets have allowed 26 points or more in three of their last five games, and the next three weeks bring offenses led by the Raiders, Chiefs and Bills.
In Other News...
Jets Still Have A Breece Hall Problem They Can't Solve
Breece Halls long wait back onto the field is likely to stretch at least another week, leaving the Jets to keep navigating without one of their most important offensive playmakers. Hall has missed the last three games with a quad strain, and he still has not been a full participant in practice, which has made his status for Week 7 difficult to read even as the team continues to monitor his progress closely.
For a Jets offense that has already had to adjust on the fly, the bigger concern is how long it may take before Hall is truly ready to go. The current signs point to a return in Week 8 as the more realistic target, giving New York another round of uncertainty in the backfield while it waits for clearer momentum from a player it badly needs back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Garrett Wilson Sideline Tension Revives A Bigger Jets Problem
After the Jets loss to the Dolphins, a sideline exchange between Garrett Wilson and Geno Smith drew attention because it reflected a familiar problem for a passing game that still struggles to find its rhythm. Wilsons frustration appeared to stem from how little he was involved, and the moment landed as part of a larger concern for a team trying to build consistency on offense.
Aaron Glenn addressed the issue after the game, acknowledging the team did not do enough to get Wilson involved. Later reports suggested Wilson and Smith talked it through in a calm way, with the receiver framing the irritation as part of the groups overall performance rather than a personal rift. Even so, the clip was a reminder that the Jets biggest questions on offense are still hovering just beneath the surface. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Finally Get Adonai Mitchell Back With One Strange Mystery Lingering
Adonai Mitchell is finally set to rejoin the Jets lineup Sunday against the Dolphins after missing four games with a finger injury suffered in practice. His return gives New York another needed option on offense and comes at a good time, with Omar Cooper Jr. also back from injury and the unit getting healthier at the same time.
Mitchell spoke with reporters this week but kept the details of the injury close to the vest, offering little beyond the fact that it sidelined him for a month. Even with the immediate concern now focused on getting him back on the field, there is still a small mystery hanging around how it all happened and what the next steps might have been. [Read more 🡒]