The Jets will host the Miami Dolphins Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in Week 18. To help preview the matchup, Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com and John Pullano of NYJets.com discussed the game.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, who missed Week 17 (hip), has been limited in practice this week. How does Miami's offense change if backup Tyler Huntley is under center?
TW: I'm not sure if there's a starker contrast in play styles across the NFL from the Dolphins starter to the backup quarterback. Sunday, in Cleveland, Huntley's best plays where core concepts from the Dolphins offense (creating second level displacement through the run and screen game to sell play action and throw in-breakers to the intermediate part of the field), and Huntley looked vastly improved doing that compared to his first starts in the fall.
The ball doesn't come out as fast, but there's more of an ability to create. Huntley extended a drive that essentially killed the clock in the fourth quarter with an 18-yard scramble on third-and-7. With Huntley in for Tua, you typically see a lot less spread and more snaps under center.
As Aaron Rodgers aims to reach 500 career touchdown passes Sunday, what do you expect from the Jets*'* offense?
JP: I expect the Jets to continue incorporating younger players into the offense while still leaning on Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall for the bulk of their production. Since Week 14, rookie RBs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis have combined for 42 carries while Hall has had 33. I expect that trend to continue, a lot of Hall with a healthy dose of the Jets' rookie tailbacks. As for the passing game, I expect Rodgers to do what he has done all season, spread the ball around, completions to 13 different receivers this season, while using Adams and Wilson in the red zone. Both receivers had 100-plus yards receiving in Week 14.
Miami pulled out a 32-26 OT win against the Jets in Week 14. The Dolphins' defense has allowed 13.3 points per game since that matchup. What adjustments have they made on defense?
TW: The pressure created has been better these last two games than it was against the Jets, on top of playing more connected in the defensive backfield. We'll start up front: the way Zach Sieler and Calais Campbell impact opposing offense's protection schemes via their versatility to play multiple spots, but also run various rush games that confuses protection, creates opportunities for everyone else. The player they like to tee up the most is rookie Chop Robinson, who is fourth in the NFL this season in pressure rate, trailing only three Defensive Player of the Year candidates. In the three games since that contest Chop posted 12 pressures, 5 QB hits and 2.5 sacks.
In coverage, the Jets game had more busts than any Dolphins game this season. Since then, it's been better connected, and the variations of defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver's scheme have been more impactful playing three quarterbacks with far less experience than Aaron Rodgers. That'll be a critical chess match again in the finale.
How do you expect the Jets to adjust their gameplan from their earlier season matchup?
JP: During their first matchup at Miami, the Jets struggled to contain the Dolphins' elite wideout duo, surrendering 19 receptions and 214 receiving yards to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, with CB Sauce Gardner out. With Gardner back and QB Tua Tagovailoa's status uncertain due to a hip injury, I expect the Jets to bottle up the Miami pass attack and force the Dolphins to play with a more balanced game. In the first matchup Miami rushed for 44 yards on 19 attempts (2.3 YPC).
What player or unit could you see being an X-factor for the Dolphins?
TW: The Dolphins managed to beat the Browns despite the run game being a non-factor. Even with the Jets injuries across the defense I don't think that's a winning recipe this time around, especially given the expected weather. If it's Tagovailoa in the lineup, then be my guest, throw it around the lot. But the previous Dolphins-Jets matchups, prior to the Week 14 game, were played with an average of 137 yards on the ground by Miami.
The way the Jets want to one-gap and play upfield allows the Dolphins to get bodies to the perimeter and gash the Jets with their speed in the running back room. There was more of a rotation last week compared to the previous bellcow approach with De'Von Achane, and I imagine we see a committee attack like we did in Cleveland.
What should be the Jets' most favorable matchup?
JP: The interior of the Jets' offensive line going up against a banged up defensive interior for the Dolphins. LG John Simpson and C Joe Tippmann have been the two highest-graded offensive linemen for the Jets this season, and in the first matchup with Miami in Week 14 – despite being with RB Breece Hall – the Jets ran for 83 yards on 22 carries (3.7 per) and a touchdown. The Dolphins have placed two notable defensive linemen on injured reserve – Jaelan Phillips and Grayson Murphy – and struggled to contain the run against a poor running team in the Browns last week, allowing 114 yards and more than 4 yards per carry.
