Jets grades vs. Dolphins: Offense shows some spark, nothing but misfires elsewhere
Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey pulls on Jets wide receiver Davante Adams' jersey during the second half of an NFL game Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
OFFENSE: C
The Jets posted their most yards (402), most passing yards (319) and second-most points scored (26) this season, scored on their first five possessions, did not punt until the fourth quarter, drove the field to set up a go-ahead field goal with under a minute remaining. Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson each had over 100 receiving yards. The two rookie running backs, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, combined for 83 rushing yards and 65 receiving yards. Aaron Rodgers topped 300 passing yards for the first time as a Jet. And it still wasn’t enough. The 2-for-5 in the red zone was the killer.
DEFENSE: F
The Dolphins went 70 yards down the field for the game-winning overtime touchdown and never even faced a third down on the drive. That’s how far away from making a stop and getting the ball back to the offense this unit was. Tua Tagovailoa had 47 passing dropbacks and wasn’t legally hit once; the only time he was thumped was when Quinnen Williams drew a roughing penalty for a late hit. At some point this unit needs to force a turnover. The speed of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle was far too much for the secondary to handle.
SPECIAL TEAMS: D
Anders Carlson had just kicked what he thought was the game-winning field goal with 52 seconds left but the ensuing kickoff was mishit and left in play. The Dolphins returned it 45 yards to near midfield to set up the tying field goal. Carlson did make four all four field-goal attempts with a long of 42 but that kickoff was a glaring mistake.
COACHING: F
The Jets had first-and-10 at the 27 with 1:10 left to play and Miami had just one timeout left. The three awful plays that followed were the loss of 5 on a run by Davis followed by a sack of Rodgers and Adams being tackled out of bounds to stop the clock on a third-down pass. The Jets should have run much more time off the clock before kicking that go-ahead field goal, especially after they saw the Dolphins drive and set up for a 57-yard field goal in 39 seconds at the end of the first half.
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
