MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — What can Zach Wilson do for an encore?
The Jets quarterback performed the most effective recreation of his NFL profession final week, throwing for 301 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to the Texans.
The offense got here to life behind Wilson, scoring 30 factors within the second half.
At 5-8, they now journey to face the 9-Four Dolphins, hoping to duplicate what they did final week.
“I believe it exhibits us what we will do as an offense,” Wilson mentioned. “Now that we set the bar there we obtained to have the ability to present we will do it once more. I believe that’s all the time the factor is, hey, you probably did it as soon as, now you bought to indicate us you are able to do it once more.”
The Jets have a 0.Four % likelihood of constructing the playoffs, in keeping with ESPN, so that isn’t what these final 4 video games are about.
As a substitute, the Jets want to indicate they’ve a reliable NFL offense after weeks of trying allergic to the top zone.
One week’s outcomes don’t often translate into the subsequent week within the NFL.
The Raiders simply put up 63 factors in opposition to the Chargers on Thursday after getting shut out by the Vikings 4 days earlier.
“You bought to remain the course, and each recreation is unbiased,” Jets coach Robert Saleh mentioned. “Final recreation, second half of final recreation for us was superior. Acquired to place it to mattress and obtained to go attempt to repeat it, however each recreation is unbiased of itself. Generally issues snowball, wouldn’t want what occurred to the Chargers to my worst enemy. You simply obtained to take it play by play and quarter by quarter and simply attempt to execute the most effective you may.”
The Jets and the Dolphins met simply three weeks in the past on Black Friday, when the Dolphins gained 34-13. Miami put up 395 complete yards, with the Jets attending to see the speedy Miami offense up shut.
“It’s like a mini monitor crew on the market,” Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley mentioned. “You see it on movie, you watch it on TV, however till you’re on the market working round with them, you actually don’t understand how quick these guys are.”
The Dolphins might be with out star receiver Tyreek Hill, who’s questionable to play with an ankle harm. They’re additionally banged up alongside the offensive line.
That may assist the Jets protection, however all eyes on this one can be on the offense to see if it may repeat final week’s success.
Marquee matchup
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel vs. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich
These two coached collectively in 2015-16 with the Falcons and are good associates.
Now, they get to match wits once more with two elite items.
The Dolphins are No. 1 within the NFL in complete offense (423.6 yards per recreation), passing offense (279.2 ypg), and are No. 2 in speeding offense (144.5 ypg) and scoring offense (31.62 factors per recreation).
The Jets are No. 5 in complete protection (299.Zero ypg), No. 2 in opposition to the move (167.2 ypg) and No. Eight in scoring protection (19.Eight ppg).
When the groups met three weeks in the past, the Jets held the Dolphins down within the first half, however then issues obtained away from them within the second half. Miami ended up with 167 speeding yards and 395 complete yards in a 34-13 win.
Ulbrich described the chess match with McDaniel.
“It’s an incredible problem,” Ulbrich mentioned. “There’s a variety of coaches on the market who do a terrific job enjoying their system, whereas he goes to a different place. … He actually does a superb job at determining your guidelines after which how can I assault these guidelines, how can I compromise your guidelines, how can I put your guys in battle the whole recreation? So, it’s my job to attempt to get rid of these conflicts. It’s my job to strive to determine methods we will alleviate a few of that stress he’s attempting to placed on our gamers, however it’s a chess match for positive.”
Costello’s name
This needs to be an in depth recreation. The Dolphins offense can be slowed down with both no or restricted Tyreek Hill in opposition to the Jets protection. I’ve my doubts that Zach Wilson and the offense can replicate final week’s success.
Dolphins 20, Jets 10
4 downs
A hill to return: The largest X-factor on this recreation is whether or not the Dolphins may have star receiver Tyreek Hill, who injured his ankle in Monday’s loss to the Titans.
Hill didn’t follow all week and was listed as questionable.
Hill is within the working for league MVP with the numbers he’s placing up. He leads the NFL with 1,542 receiving yards and 12 landing receptions. He has eight video games this season with not less than 100 receiving yards and a landing.
Hill has not missed a recreation since becoming a member of the Dolphins final 12 months.
The Miami offense can be very totally different with out him.
“It’s why he will get paid a lot, proper? He fully alters recreation plans when he’s on the sector,” Jets coach Robert Saleh mentioned. “He permits for a lot, Mike McDaniel’s already a really inventive offensive thoughts, and also you give him a bit that’s distinctive to anybody in soccer and also you simply see the creativity go to a complete new stage, as a result of there’s issues that they will solely do as a result of they’ve Tyreek.”
Corridor Name: Jets working again Breece Corridor had his greatest receiving recreation of the season final week, catching eight passes for 86 yards, and he had a number of good runs on the way in which to 40 speeding yards.
Nevertheless it nonetheless appears like we’re ready for Corridor to recapture the explosiveness within the run recreation we noticed early within the season.
He has not rushed for 100 yards since Week 5 in Denver.
The Dolphins penned him up of their first assembly, holding Corridor to 25 speeding yards.
The coaches say they only want extra possibilities by way of changing third downs to get extra performs and extra possibilities for Corridor to get rolling. Will it come this week?
Highway weary: The Jets haven’t gained in Miami since 2014 in Rex Ryan’s final recreation as head coach.
It’s been a minute. They haven’t gained a highway divisional recreation since beating the Payments within the 2019 season finale.
The highway has not been sort to the Jets.
They’re 2-Three on the highway this season, with a kind of “highway” wins coming at MetLife Stadium in opposition to the Giants. They end the season with three of their closing 4 video games on the highway, beginning Sunday.
Line it up: A key issue on this recreation might be how a lot success the Jets defensive position has in opposition to a banged up Dolphins offensive line.
The Jets have been placing strain on quarterbacks all season. Bryce Huff (7 sacks), Jermaine Johnson (6.5), Quinton Jefferson (6) and Solomon Thomas (4) have all set profession highs in sacks this season.
Miami misplaced heart Connor Williams to a torn ACL in final week’s loss to the Titans. They signed Jonotthan Harrison to exchange him.
Harrison has not performed in a regular-season recreation since 2019 when he was with the Jets. The Dolphins are additionally with out guard Robert Hunt, who has a hamstring harm.