The Jets and the Miami Dolphins, after four days of off-and-on rain in the area of Hard Rock Stadium, saw a morning thunderstorm today and now are ready for a possibly dry but possibly very windy afternoon of AFC East rematch football in South Florida.
But will the "track team" portions of the rosters for the Jets (5-8) and 'Fins (9-4) be available? And will they be slowed by the sodden stadium grass or be wind-aided as they proceed toward the end zones?
This is a key question for Miami, which listed two of its "thinclads," top NFL wideout Tyreek Hill and fast rookie RB De'Von Achane, among its list of nine "questionable" players for this afternoon's game. Hill, vying to become the NFL's first 2,000-yards-in-a-season receiver, injured his ankle in Monday night's 28-27 home loss to Tennessee and didn't practice all week. Achane (toe) was limited in Friday's practice.
In the just-released Dolphins inactive list, Hill has been deactivated, as have starting CB Xavien Howard (hip) and starting S Jevon Holland (knees). Achane is active and will be working in the same fast backfield as RB Raheem Mostert.
Jets HC Robert Saleh said during the week that the Dolphins, who defeated the Jets on Black Friday at MetLife Stadium, 34-13, three weeks ago, will still provide a formidable offense to the Jets if Hill or both players are sidelined.
"We're fully expecting him to play," Saleh said of Hill, who had nine catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in the recent game between longtime AFL/AFC rivals. "We're operating as if he's playing. And if he doesn't play, then they've got a whole host of track stars that can do it, not what he does but still execute the offense the way it needs to be executed."
See photos the Jets arriving in Miami for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
The Jets' top speed merchant on their injury list was RB Breece Hall, but Hall, despite hamstring and ankle injuries that have had him listed on the Jets' last three weeks of injury reports, hasn't missed a game and came through with a team-leading 126 scrimmage yards in last week's 30-6 rebound victory over Houston.
Zach Wilson gets his 11th start of the season at QB and his second, following his brilliant second half against the Texans, after being benched by Saleh for two games. Wilson and everyone else wearing green and white today are eager to see him meet or exceed his Houston career highs of 75% accuracy (27 of 36) and 117.9 passer rating as he seeks to connect with Hall, WR Garrett Wilson, TE Conklin and the rest of his skill players against Tua Tagovailoa,. The Jets are seeking to end the Dolphins QB's unbeaten starting record against them at 3-0 and to snap the 'Fins' home streak against them at seven consecutive wins.
The Jets' seven-man inactive list for this game:
- Emergency QB Brett Rypien
- WR Jason Brownlee
- CB Bryce Hall
- LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- DL Carl Lawson
- OL Max Mitchell
- OL Carter Warren
And the Dolphins' full seven-player inactive list:
- Emergency QB Skylar Thompson
- S Jevon Holland
- WR Tyreek Hill
- S DeShon Elliott
- CB Xavien Howard
- G Robert Hunt
- LB Jason Pierre-Paul
