Miami Dolphins second go around and a Jets fan answers our questions

The Miami Dolphins are in New York for the next two weekends to take on the Jets and next week the Giants, we spoke with a Jets writer about this game.

When the Miami Dolphins play the Jets, at least for the last several years, I get the chance to speak to one of the best N.Y. Jets podcast producers out there and we typically have a great conversation about the direction of our teams. This week, we exchanged questions as well.

Over the last couple of years that he and I have spoken about the match-ups each season, we really haven’t had much to talk about. Both franchises have not been very challenging and both have had promises fed to them about the turnaround that was on the horizons. Now, here we are again on the verge of yet another game that will have little meaning to anyone outside of the two fan bases.

Paul Esden, Jr. is a writer and podcast producer. He is a part of the FanSided family over on TheJetPress.com. Here are the questions I asked him, you can read my answers to his questions by clicking the line to his site above. For more on my feelings of this game check out their podcast TheJetZone where I joined them as well.

1: The Jets have not looked good under Adam Gase this year. Is there any real talk of him being fired after the season or has he done enough to keep his job another year?

"Has he done enough to merit another year? Meh. I think it’s unfair to properly judge any coach based on a one-year sample size, especially this year with Sam Darnold mono and some freak injuries to key players on the roster. But it doesn’t matter what I think because the New York Jets acting owner Christopher Johnson came out halfway through the season and said Gase is returning in 2020 “no matter what happens the rest of the way”, so I doubt he’ll go back on his word. There was some real talk about it when the team started 1-7 and fans were revolting, but that has since quieted. Although fans were never that big on the hire in the first place."

2: Sam Darnold was a top draft pick only a year ago and at times he is showing signs that he can be good, how do you feel about his future as the franchise QB of the Jets?

"I feel very good about Sam Darnold. He’s had lapses this season where he’s just thrown a dumb pass trying to do too much instead of simply taking what’s in front of him or just giving up on the play and throwing it away. Sam Darnold had the mono which was unexpected then he had the ‘ghost comment game’ on Monday Night Football and that could’ve defnied his career, but he didn’t let it and overcame it. He has strung together several good outings and he’s shown progress/development. The Jets need to improve the offensive line, it’s been terrible all year and the team could also improve the weapons around him. That’s the No. 1 goal this offseason, help Sam Darnold out."

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3: As a Dolphins fan I know how hard it is to have a really good RB on your roster only to seem him hardly used, Le’Veon Bell was at one time the best in the league, is he still that good or are his stats reflective of Adam Gase’s use?

"I have no doubts that Le’Veon Bell is still the same player he was a few years ago in Pittsburgh. Adam Gase’s strange playcalling hasn’t helped. Against one of the worst run defenses in the NFL (the Cincinnati Bengals) the Jets only ran Bell 10 times that’s unacceptable and dumb. The other thing that has hurt Bell is his play style (patience before hitting the hole) hasn’t gelled well with what the Jets are trying to do schematically. Those combinations of things has resulted in a career year in all the wrong ways for Bell this season. There’s a real expectation he’ll be dealt this offseason for a mid-round pick and that’s depressing."

4: The Jets defense has been really good for years but this year I’m not sure why they are so inconsistent. What is the problem with that on the defensive side of the ball?

"I’ve mentioned the strange injuries the team has experienced this year and linebacker CJ Mosley being out for basically the whole year has devastated this team. Throughout his career, he’s been a durable player so of course when he comes to the Jets a nagging groin injury would prevent him from playing in any one single full game this season. Gregg Williams deserves all the credit for overcoming a rash of injuries to the Jets’ top four linebackers, their top rookie Quinnen Williams, and various members of the secondary. The injuries are a big reason and also the Jets lack a true edge rusher and have for most of the 21st century."

5: Who wins this and why and what do you see the future in 2020 looking like for this coaching staff?

"After evaluating tape, performance, and trends I’m going with the Miami Dolphins. I’m not sure how the Jets will respond to this adversity (becoming the first team in not Jets history BUT NFL HISTORY to lose to two separate 0-7 teams or worse in the same season). On top of that question, the Jets are going to be missing Brian Poole (top slot corner), Jamal Adams (for the first time in his NFL, college, and high school career that he’ll miss a game), and possibly Le’Veon Bell. This team is beaten up and I’m not sure what the energy level will be. I expect the Jets to keep Gregg Williams, he’s been marvelous but we’ll see if a year like this forces Adam Gase to lay off a few people as scapegoats, that’s possible."

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