NY Jets Game Preview (Week 8 Miami)

2-4 Miami Dolphins @ 4-3 Jets
Sunday, November 1st 1pm CBS
by Joe Grinwis

On Sunday the Jets will get their second crack at the Miami Dolphins and their vaunted Wildcat formation and the Jets are are talking like they will be up to the challenge. Then again, the Jets defenders talked last time and look where it led them. This is truly a must win game for both teams.

For the Dolphins, who are 2-4 and in last place in the AFC East, a loss would mean a 2-5 start to the season almost assuring them a non playoff season down in Miami after reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight years last season. On the Jets side, a loss knocks them down to 4-4 heading into their Bye Week giving them two weeks to think about it and also hindering their playoff opportunities. They already trail division leading New England by one game.

This is going to be a ground and pound type match-up, something that Jet coach Rex Ryan prefers. The Jets come in with the number one rushing offense (184.9 yards per game) and the Dolphins are right behind them, second in the league (170.3). Both Mark Sanchez and Chad Henne will need to keep mistakes at a minimum for their teams so that both ground games can try and take over the game.

Key Match-ups:

The Wildcat vs Jets Defense

Simply put, this is the biggest match-up of the game. In the first meeting Miami ran 19 times out of the Wildcat. 17 carries for 102 yards and 1 of 2 passing for 21 yards. The Dolphins use RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams as well as former option/spread college QB Pat White to run this formation, giving many difficult looks to defenses around the league. Rex Ryan’s defense in Baltimore shut down the Wildcat but in the first match-up against the Jets, Dan Henning out smarted Ryan and the Jets had poor tackling as well. The Jets defense is taking this as a revenge game. If they want to win this game, they need to stop the Wildcat.

CB’s Vontae Davis and Sean Smith vs Jets WR’s

With veteran Will Allen missing the remainder of the season the Dolphins will be starting two rookies against Jet veteran WR’s Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery. Smith has been starting alongside Allen all season while Davis will be making his first NFL start. Cotchery returns from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the past two games and extremely limited in the first match-up with the Dolphins while Edwards has another three weeks under his belt working with Sanchez. The Jets also will have speedster David Clowney lined up in the slot to take advantage with his speed mismatch against safeties and linebackers.

Prediction:

The Jets want revenge and have seemed extremely motivated and determined to seek it and get it throughout the week. Sunday will be the tell all and I believe at home with the fans behind this team and Rex getting a second shot at containing the Wildcat that this team will come out victorious. Here is to 5-3 at the Bye Jets fans.

27-17 Jets

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