The New York Jets have fallen victim to a multitude of things this season. However, none have been as obvious as to the lack of leadership – which stems directly from ownership and spirals downward to the players on the field. Because of that, a team that once had Super Bowl aspirations is now on the cusp of missing the playoffs – yet again. To make matters worse, a division rival once again has the opportunity to ruin their playoff chances for another year.
In Week 14, the Jets take on the Miami Dolphins, as New York travels to Florida in this divisional matchup. We’ll break down the keys to this game, and whether or not the Jets stand a chance in this contest.
New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins Football History & Excerpts
Entering this contest, the Jets and Dolphins have faced off 117 times. Currently, Miami holds the lead over New York, leading the series 60-56-1. Recent matchups haven’t been kind to the Jets, either, as New York has lost four of the last five contests against their division rival. And, there’s a chance that a loss occurs once again in Week 14.
Despite callings to be benched, the Jets have decided to continue playing Aaron Rodgers until he’s dust in the wind. And, head coach Jeff Ulbrich confirmed the team’s decision this week.
“We have great belief in Aaron, we really do,” Ulbrich said about Rodgers, per the New York Post. “We think he gives us the best opportunity to win. After assessing yesterday’s game, I thought there were moments in the first half where you saw Aaron Rodgers. I thought there were moments even in the second half where you saw Aaron Rodgers. Then, there were moments that he didn’t play to his standard and he’d tell you the same. We believe that he gives us the best opportunity to win so he’s our quarterback.”
Whether or not Rodgers does give the Jets the best opportunity at this point remains to be seen. However, he’ll at least get the chance to prove himself – again – this week.
Key Players for the Jets
On offense, the key players for the Jets is the aforementioned Rodgers. At times, the 41-year old looks like a vintage version of himself. Other times, he looks completely washed and unplayable. It seems that most of the team’s reads are predicated on pre-snap looks, with nothing changing post-snap. That spells disaster for most NFL offenses, regardless of how talented the team is.
With that said, the Dolphins defense themselves are soft, and susceptible to allowing big plays to occur. Rodgers doesn’t have to be perfect, but he has to be better than what we’ve seen this season. Whether or not that’s possible, we’ll soon find out.
On defense, the entire back-end is key in this matchup. With Ahmad Gardner likely out of this matchup, the defense will have their hands full stopping Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Jonnu Smith.
The run defense is still a concern. However, there’s a real chance this unit gets slashed through the air in this contest. If the Jets aren’t able to keep the passing game in check, this is going to be an absolute blowout in Miami.
Key Players for the Dolphins
To be honest, there’s multiple key players in this matchup. However, in this instance we are going to go with Tyreek Hill. Hill is an elite wide receiver who has had an underwhelming season in 2024. Part of that is the absence of Tua Tagovailoa earlier in the season. Yet even with Tua’s return, Hill has not been as active as one may hope.
With New York cornerback Ahmad Gardner potentially out of this matchup, it allows a huge mismatch for the Dolphins’ offense against the Jets. The main beneficiary of that should be Hill. And if Gardner does play without being completely healthy, it’s up to Hill to take advantage of that injury.
On defense, the key player for Miami is linebacker Jordyn Brooks. The linebacker called his team “soft” after last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. And, he may have a point. Because of that, fans should expect Brooks to play a major part in establishing a physical presence for the Dolphins’ defense. If Miami can stop the run, they will likely win this game.
Keys to victory for New York
Stop being stagnant on offense
If the Jets want to win this matchup, they need to do more on offense, plain and simple. That includes more motion, more post-snap reads, and more physicality and effort from everyone involved. The team looks checked out, despite having five games left to play. A stagnant offense will destroy the Jets before the game even begins.
Fill gaps, and tight coverage
An Achille’s heel of the Jets this season has been their run defense. With a potent duo for the Dolphins in the backfield, it’s not an easy task for the Jets to stop in this matchup. They will need to have extreme gap discipline, and must not whiff when given an opportunity to make a play. The Dolphins are a fast team, and mistakes will be costly.
In the back-end, the Jets will be facing a ferocious trio of pass-catchers. With Gardner potentially out, there’s a lot more stress on the rest of the Jets’ defenders. Coverage needs to be tight, and mistake free if they want a chance to win.
Show effort
Lastly, the team just needs to show actual effort. Far too many times this team either starts fast and sputters out, or falls asleep until the fourth quarter. Most of that is on coaching and preparation. However, players play a role in that lackadaisical approach, too.
From Rodgers, to the rest of the “leaders” on the team – the energy level needs to change. There’s no reason the same mistakes should be occurring this late in the season. The excuses are over, it’s time to play football with a purpose.
