Phin Phanatic
FanSided

Miami Dolphins: Playoff teams beat teams like the New York Jets

By Brian Miller

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel greets Tyreek hill during warm-ups before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Sept. 25, 2022.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel greets Tyreek hill during warm-ups before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Sept. 25, 2022. /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Miami Dolphins are getting ready for the 1:00 game against the Jets and this will be an important game for a team facing a lot of adversity.

Adversity is a word we have heard a lot of since week two when Mike McDaniel challenged his team to face, adversity, against the Ravens.

Since then, Miami has come back from a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit and played the following week against the number-one offense in the league. They may have won both but the Bengals handed them more adversity and now, the Jets are looking to do the same.

Playoff teams win games like today. It’s that simple. Teams like the Chiefs, Bills and the Patriots for the last 20 years never look at the Jets as anything more than a game they should win. Miami needs to get that same mentality.

The Jets are better than they have been in the Robert Saleh era but they are not there yet. The hostile environment of MetLife Stadium will be quieted by the 1,400 plus Dolphins fans that are taking part in MetLife Takeover and the rest of the Dolphins fans scattered around the stadium.

Miami will come into the game banged up. Tua Tagovailoa is out, Cethan Carter is on IR, Xavien Howard, Tyreek Hill, and Terron Armstead are dealing with injuries. There are questions about Teddy Bridgewater being able to lead the offense.

All of this can not be an excuse. It has to be what charges the Dolphins ahead to win. Win in the face of that word, adversity.

The Jets are, for the most part, healthy. They won’t’ be missing many players and we won’t know for sure until an hour before kickoff who is and is not playing for the Dolphins today.

Once the game starts, those same players will be watched closely because there are no guarantees that they finish the game.

Miami has a favorable schedule moving forward until they face a three-game road stretch that begins in Los Angeles 7 weeks away. Miami should be able to win the games in between but they have to be ready week to week and it starts today.

Miami can’t afford to overlook anyone. With a win today, Miami stays atop the AFC East but a loss could drop them to three, tied with the Jets for 2nd but losing the head-to-head.

Home/Dolphins News