Pretty simple: If Miami plays their game, the Dolphins beat the Jets

Big game tomorrow. No doubt about it. The Miami Dolphins, your Miami Dolphins are coming off a loss that folks like myself did not see coming. It put them to a modest record of 6-4, but right now, the feeling I have is of a team that is barely holding on. I know I should not feel that way. Miami has two very winnable games coming up, are one game out of first place in the AFC East with a game left to play Buffalo and the defense is still playing at a high level.

Still, the feeling of dread of heading up to New York to play the winless Jets, I have to admit, is in my body. There is not a massive amount of dread inside me, but a little none the less. Stats like this that make me uneasy:

The injury report is a reason that makes me feel a bit nervous.

Salvon Ahmed and Solomon Kindley are out. Oh and you know, the whole thing with Tua’s thumb has me more nervous than you would think for a guy who is only listed as questionable.

On top of non-committal words by coach Flores, there is this;

This would be right up Flores’ alley to eventually sit Tua for the game due to the injury. He will not say anything but we wil know at around 11AM on Sunday when the quarterbacks go out to warm up and Tua is not dressed. Then, we will have to hear all week that Tua is still the starter and that they are taking things one day at a time.

I hope Tua is good to go and that he goes out and puts on a show against the Jets. That would be best for business. We know that Ryan Fitzpatrick can beat the Jets. He did it earlier in the year. But, having Tua go out and show that he learned from last week’s drubbing at the hands of the Broncos would be the best thing that could happen.

One guy that the Dolphins will see that they did not the first time is Sam Darnold. It feels like ages ago the last time anyone saw him, but he is playing now and he is better than Joe Flacco. Darnold has the, “Hey guys, do not draft Trevor Lawerence,” motivation so I would expect a competent signal-caller for the Jets on Sunday.

One factor that will be on the Dolphins’ side is the weather. Looks like it is going to be a wonderful day.

Fortunately, the Dolphins get Christian Wilkins back. It will be nice to have him, Sieler, and Raekwon Davis as the starting defensive line again. Davis is ascending at a fast rate and Sieler is solid every game.

I really cannot tell you what the defensive strategy will be for Miami. Will they bring tons of pressure and play man coverage behind it daring Darnold to beat it, or will they sit back with seven defensive backs and see if Darnold can construct 10 play drives? I can see both being effective. Like most things, it will, probably, be a bit of both.

Regardless of who is the quarterback, it will be nice if the Dolphins are able to run the ball with purpose. Salvon Ahmed is out, but Myles Gaskin is back and looks like to be playing on Sunday.

It will be interesting to see if Antonio Calloway gets more run. We all want him to be the number two opposite of Parker. But, Brian Flores does his own thing so it means Calloway will, probably, get like 15 snaps and we will be wondering why he did not get more after the game.

Hopefully, someone to Chan Gailey that Mike Gesicki is in fact on the team and his skills that could be used that would help.

Prediction

Like the headline of this blog said, if the Dolphins play their game the way they are capable of doing, they will win. They are better than the Jets. But, if you go out and continue to have possessions that are nothing more than three-and-out and continue to put more pressure on your defense, you are going to be in a battle with a terrible Jets team.

Dolphins 24 Jets 17

Enjoy your holiday weekend and remember the Dolphins play at 1PM. I know we all got used to them playing at 4, but were back to normal time. Enjoy yourselves.

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