Jets Have Opportunity To Show Progress With Lighter Schedule
Starting Flacco Gives Jets Best Chance To Flush Fins
While it’s true that every NFL team that sees the Jets (2-7) as their upcoming opponent views it as a very winnable game, it’s also true that New York’s slate to date would have been deemed pretty difficult if they were simply an ordinary team. Jets opponents are currently 52-38 (.578) overall, counting New England twice, with the 4-6 Falcons the sole team among the eight different opponents under .500. They have played six games versus the league’s top 10 scoring offenses and five games against top 6 scoring defenses.
That’s not an excuse for the plethora of disgraceful performances this season, but the fact is that’s all about to change starting with this weekend’s tilt against Miami at MetLife Stadium. Of the Jets next six games, only New Orleans (5-4) boasts a winning record. In this stretch, Gang Green will also face Miami (3-7) a second time, Houston (1-8), Philadelphia (4-6), and Jacksonville (2-7). Four of the games will be at home, where the Jets copped a pair of upset victories over Tennessee and Cincinnati.
That means we’re about to find out whether this team and coaching staff has it within them to take advantage of this opportunity to engineer progress amidst another lost cause season, a rather low bar within the professional sports model, mind you. Forget about watching the Jets play meaningful games in the second half of seasons. Let’s start by seeing if they can play some meaningful second halves in games.
If the Jets look like they have no clue attacking some of the bottom-tier defenses in the league or if Tua Tagovailoa (Miami) and Tyrod Taylor (Houston) march down the field in the next two weeks with the same ease as Josh Allen (Buffalo) and Carson Wentz (Indianapolis) did in Gang Green’s last two blowout losses, then maybe another organizational blowup at the end of the season should be on the table.
That is why Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh is playing veteran quarterback Joe Flacco against Miami instead of going with the dissipated pixie dust from what’s left of the magic of Mike White. This isn’t about passing on potentially developing a franchise quarterback. The Jets are still all in on rookie Zach Wilson, their 2021 No. 2 overall pick who will be inactive for a fourth straight game due to a strained PCL. He’s the future, not White.
Saleh’s logic here is sound. Miami’s defense, after an awful start to the season, has dialed up its blitz rate over the past few games, from all angles. White, according to ProFootballFocus.com, has completed over 71% of his passes with a solid 7.8 yards per attempt against straight pass rushes but just 48% for 5.1 yards per throw when blitzed. There’s tape on him now, so everyone knows that they’d better account for all those dump-offs to running backs, since White just doesn’t have the arm strength to beat defenses over the top. We all cringed at the ducks he threw to the Bills secondary last Sunday when he took shots.
So long as Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur maintains his adjusted game plan of forgoing the run/run/pass sequences and gives his QB a fair chance, Flacco will at least pose as a threat to stretch the field on Sunday while still capable of checking down when necessary. While not mobile, Flacco 36, has seen everything Miami Head Coach Brian Flores and his staff can concoct.
On the other side of the ball. if you thought the Jets’ offensive line has had problems this season, the Dolphins have been just as much a mess, sporting the NFL’s lowest pass blocking efficiency this season, as measured by PFF. It’s time for the Jets’ vaunted defensive line, especially end John Franklin-Myers, who has been awfully quiet since signing that big-money extension on October 7, to show up. If they can get home without having to send the house against Tagovailoa, I like their chances on Sunday.
New York’s last four victories, going back to last season, have come against winning teams who looked past them. Miami doesn’t qualify in that regard, but they are feeling pretty good about themselves after stifling Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, 22-10, last week, their second straight victory after a 1-7 start.
For this week, though, I believe human nature will win out, with the Fins coming into town with no respect for their opponent. That and the Flacco boost will produce a nailbiter, with Gang Green eking one out.
Prediction: Jets 27 Dolphins 24