The New York Jets are not a great football team, but they are still better than the Miami Dolphins. The question is: where can Miami disrupt the Jets to force the game into their hands?
Defensively, the Jets are one of the best teams against the pass, but they are not as good against the run. The Dolphins can exploit this, but that isn't what will win them the game. If Miami hopes for a victory, they need to shut down the Jets offense.
The Jets don't have a strong passing game despite Garrett Wilson and rookie Omar Cooper Jr. playing well, and their rushing attack isn't close to some of the ones they have faced this year. But they have won by forcing Geno Smith into bad decisions. To do that, the Dolphins need to find a way to get pressure, something they haven't consistently done all season.
Miami Dolphins' defense will be the biggest key to a Week 7 victory
The Jets' offensive rankings heading into Week 7 don't frighten anyone. They rank 25th in total yards, and they rank 23rd in both passing and rushing production.
Miami's secondary is better than anyone thought. Juju Brents should be able to handle the boundary with some safety help to cover Wilson. The question is on the other side, where Jason Marshall has struggled. The Jets got Cooper Jr. involved last week, and it paid off; they will try to do the same against Miami.
Chris Johnson is off to a good start in his own career, and he could make the difference on Sunday. The Dolphins need to keep the tight ends in check; to do that, Jacob Rodriguez will need to be better in coverage, or at least hit him on the line or on crossing routes in front of the linebackers.
None of this matters if Smith has time to stand in the pocket and let his receivers create opportunities. Miami has to get to the QB. Smith has been sacked in all but their first game of the season; in fact, he's been sacked multiple times in each game since.
- Week 1: Titans - 0 sacks
- Week 2: Packers 4 sacks
- Week 3: Lions 5 sacks
- Week 4: Bears 3 sacks
- Week 5: Browns 4 sacks
- Week 6: Patriots 3 sacks
Miami has struggled to get sacks. This week should give them more of an opportunity, and Jeff Hafley has to be willing to bring pressure from everywhere on the field. If he can do that, the opportunity is there for a big defensive game.
The Dolphins shouldn't have a problem stopping the Jets' running game, so it all comes down to how quickly they can disrupt the flow and keep Smith from picking through the holes.
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