MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The calendar has flipped to November, and the Jets know if there is any hope of making a playoff push, that time has arrived.
“In my experience, November and December is where teams really make pushes,” said wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, who won a Super Bowl in Seattle. “Obviously, we would want to be in a better position, but we’re at where we’re at so these next opportunities are really good for us.”
The 3-5 Jets face the 4-4 Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon, hoping to salvage their season. They have lost two straight to NFC opponents. Now, they begin a stretch of three straight AFC East games and four of their next five are inside the division. They face the Bills at home next week then get a bye before the Patriots visit MetLife.
So, though the Jets are two games under .500, they see a road to get back in this thing by winning games inside their division and inside the AFC, key tiebreakers for the playoffs. The only non-conference game they have left is against the Packers in late December.
“We’ve only played one division game so far,” Kearse said. “This one against Miami is going to be pretty huge for us to just be able to take advantage of it. We’ve got a really good opportunity to put ourselves in a good position in the division and try to put ourselves in an even better position in the bye week.”
Coach Todd Bowles does not care if the opponent is in the AFC East, NFC North or the SEC West. He just wants to get some wins.
“The fact that we’ve got eight [games] in front of us is the biggest thing,” Bowles said. “We’ve got to win eight no matter who we’re playing. The division means a lot, obviously, but we’ve got to win mostly all of them to try to get where we want to go.”
The Jets should be healthier than they were last week in Chicago. Both Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa are game-time decisions and could give rookie quarterback Sam Darnold someone to throw to after the offense sputtered against the Bears.
The message inside the locker room this week was simple.
“Just get back on track,” linebacker Avery Williamson said. “The season’s not over with. We’ve got to make sure we get a victory and get closer to .500.”
Marquee Matchup
Dolphins wide receiver Danny Amendola vs. Jets cornerback Buster Skrine
Miami has lost some of its top receivers this season with Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills banged up. That puts a spotlight on Amendola, who Skrine and the Jets know all too well from his years in New England. Amendola lines up outside sometimes, but primarily he plays in the slot, where Skrine would be on him.
Amendola has 36 catches for 332 yards and two touchdowns in eight games against the Jets. Skrine returned last week from a concussion and gave up a touchdown. Brock Osweiler has limited weapons around him, but Amendola is a big one. The Jets are going to need Skrine to contain Amendola this week. The Jets have had issues this season with some slot receivers (remember Jacksonville anyone?).
“He knows how to get open,” Skrine said of Amendola. “He may not be the fastest guy, but he’s super crafty, he can read defenses. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Four Downs
Miami heat: The Jets have not won here since 2014 in Rex Ryan’s final game as head coach. They defeated the Dolphins in London in 2015, which was technically a home game for Miami, but the Jets have struggled under Todd Bowles in South Florida.
Two years ago, they lost 27-23 when Kenyan Drake returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the fourth quarter after a Jets penalty gave the Dolphins a second crack at the return. Last year, they blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Part of the problem has been dealing with the heat for the Jets and them tiring out late in the game. It will be in the 80s on Sunday and the Jets are coming off of two cold games.
“It can be tough, especially our bodies are acclimated to this climate,” linebacker Avery Williamson said. “Now, you hit the heat. Hopefully it’s not crazy humid. If it is, we’ll have to deal with it. It can definitely fatigue you. You have to make sure you hydrate during the week and embrace the warmth.”
Presnap poise: The Jets hurt themselves in Chicago with five false start penalties on offense. First-and-10 became 1st-and-15, 2nd-and-7 became 2nd-and-12 and the Jets felt like they were playing “off schedule” because of it. They spent this week talking about better focus and concentration.
“We’ve got to be professionals,” offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates said. “It’s an individual penalty. It’s all about focus, concentration and understanding that this is a professional sport. …. We can’t be going backwards, second and long, third and long, it’s hard to get going as an offense.”
Brock ‘n’ roll: Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill gave the Jets problems in September both with his arm and his legs. The Jets won’t see him this time around as he recovers from a shoulder injury. Instead, it will be Brock Osweiler, who has started the past three games for Miami. He has thrown six touchdowns and three interceptions and led them to an upset win over the Bears.
“He can throw,” Williamson said. “They have had some success with him, so we have to make sure we’re on point and make sure we’re getting pressure on him. We can’t let him sit back there and pick us apart.”
Back on the run: The Jets have to find a way to get their running game going again. The return of Elijah McGuire will help, as will facing the Dolphins’ defense. Miami is giving up 143.1 yards per game on the ground. The Jets had just 57 yards rushing last week and have not broken 100 yards in either of their last two games.
“We’re going to stay committed to the run,” Bates said. “Sometimes those three and four-yard runs break out like they did in Denver and they go for 60 and 70.”
Costello’s Call
This is a tough game to predict. Neither team is playing well at the moment. I’ll give the edge to the Dolphins and the South Florida heat. This one will be about who makes the killer mistake. I think the Jets do.
Dolphins 31, Jets 27