:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/25898451/20131201_jla_ae5_013.0.jpg)
The NFL's 2013 regular season comes to an end today, with 11 of the 12 playoff seeds still to be determined. Can the Miami Dolphins claim one of those spots? They need a win over the New York Jets, plus some help, to make that happen. So, how do the Dolphins matchup with the Jets, a team they beat four weeks ago 23-3? We take a look:
| Matchup | Advantage | Remarks |
| Dolphins passing offense vs. New York pass defense |  |
Dolphins pass offense: 20 The Dolphins passing attack was highly successful against the Jets in Week13, with Ryan Tannehill throwing for 331 yards, Brian Hartline catching nine passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, Mike Wallace adding seven receptions for 82 yards and a score, and Charles Clay bringing down another seven receptions for 80 yards. The Dolphins will again look to exploit the Jets secondary, including attacking rookie Dee Milliner, who recorded his first interception last week but was benched during the game against the Dolphins thanks to Hartline's performance. The Dolphins should continue to have the advantage here. |
| Dolphins rushing offense vs. New York run defense |
 |
Dolphins rush offense: 26 This made no sense last time. The Jets came into the game as the top rushing defense in the league. Miami then ran for 125 yards, including 72 yards from Lamar Miller on 22 carries. The Dolphins don't run the ball, except they did against a great rush defense in that game. It really didn't make sense, but it worked. In a game expected to be played during rain and thunderstorms this week, the running game may become critical. The Jets have the advantage, simply because the Dolphins don't commit to running the ball. |
| Jets passing offense vs. Miami pass defense | |
Jets pass offense: 30 The Jets passing game simply depends on if the good or bad Geno Smith shows up today. When he is on, the Jets can win. But, when he's off, it gets ugly. Against the Dolphins, it was ugly - and even that may not be a good enough description of how bad it was. Smith was benched at halftime, and had an 8.3 passer rating on the day. The Dolphins will again look to get after Smith, trying to rattle him with hits from Pro Bowler Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, whose three sacks earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the Week 13 Jets game. Pro Bowler Brent Grimes and Nolan Carroll have played well on the outside and should be able to make things tough for Smith. Miami has the advantage. |
| Jets rushing offense vs. Miami run defense | |
Jets rush offense: 6 New York is a power running team. That's pretty easy to recognize, while the Dolphins have struggled as of late stopping the run. Look for the Jets to try to keep the ball out of Smith's hands, instead letting Chris Ivory carry the ball more than the 12 times he carried it four weeks ago. Unless Paul Soliai, Randy Starks, and Jared Odrick can put something together to shut down the running lanes, the Jets will have the advantage. |
| Dolphins special teams vs. New York special teams | |
Pro Bowl punter Brandon Fields. That pretty much sums up the special teams matchup. |
Prediction:
As we saw last week against the Buffalo, any AFC East rivalry game is tough. The Dolphins have the talent and the ability to blow out the Jets, but they haven't really blown out many teams this year, so expect it to be close. It probably won't come down to the final seconds, as most of Miami's contests seem to do this year, but the Jets will probably score more than three points. Final: Dolphins 23-14.
