Jets grades vs. Dolphins: F's all around for a pitiful showing
Jets head coach Robert Saleh looks up during the first half of an NFL game against the Dolphins on Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
OFFENSE: F
Zach Wilson’s first pass of the game went for 8 yards and the Jets didn’t have a play that covered more than that until midway through the third when Garrett Wilson caught an 18-yarder against a soft Dolphins D. Their overall numbers were abysmal, gaining a net total of 4 yards in the first half and finishing with 103. The offensive line allowed six sacks and the Jets couldn’t even keep the pocket clean enough to target Garrett Wilson in the first half. Zach Wilson finished the game 4-for-11 for 26 yards and a rating of 44.9 . . . and was the better of the Jets’ two quarterbacks! Trevor Siemian was 14-for-26 for 110 and a rating of 32.5.
DEFENSE: F
When Tyreek Hill was declared inactive on Sunday morning it seemed like a win for the Jets. That was the only thing that went right for them. They allowed Raheem Mostert to walk into the end zone twice and gave up a crushing 60-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle in the second quarter. Tua Tagovailoa completed his first 13 passes and finished the game 21-for-24 for 224 yards. Waddle wound up with 8 catches for 142 yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS: F
The one play the unit had to make a real difference was a fake punt on fourth-and-4 from their own 42 that was stuffed with 5:23 left in the first quarter. The direct snap went to Ashtyn Davis and there appeared to be a quick hole that closed up and he was hit for a loss of 1. That gave the Dolphins the ball on downs at the 41 and they were able to convert it into a field goal and a 10-0 lead early in the second. Former Jet Braxton Berrios returned 4 punts for a total of 53 yards.
COACHING: F
The Jets were already in desperation mode down 7-0 in the first quarter when they attempted the fake punt that the Dolphins sniffed out easily. At least Robert Saleh and crew recognized they would need outside-the-box plays to keep up, even if they botched their attempts at them. The Jets' defense had no answer to the Dolphins’ speed and the offense could not scheme up any protections to allow the offense to simply function.
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.
