Jets vs. Dolphins: Preview, prediction, what to watch for in Week 4

An inside look at Monday’s Jets-Dolphins NFL Week 4 matchup:

Marquee matchup

Jets CB Sauce Gardner vs. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill 

The Jets have been allowing Gardner to “travel” with the other team’s best receiver more this season than we saw under the former coaching staff. He did well against the Steelers’ DK Metcalf in Week 1 and had some struggles against Tampa’s Mike Evans last week. 

Hill is a different animal than those guys — a “cheetah.” Hill is a speedster who could give Gardner issues. It will be interesting to see if the Jets allow Gardner to face him one-on-one all day or take a different tack. 

“I feel like there’s certain ways you can deal with it,” Gardner said of the Dolphins’ speed. “We’re very aware that they have like an Olympic track team over there or whatever they like to call themselves. They are fast. But we’re going to go out there and do what we’ve got to do.” 

Hill’s name is already being mentioned in trade rumors. He has 15 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown this season. Last week against the Bills, the Dolphins did not stretch the field, and both Hill and Jaylen Waddle were held under 40 receiving yards. 

4 Downs

Fields Day

The Jets will have their quarterback back for this one. Justin Fields returns after missing last week’s game with a concussion. The question now is which Fields we will see — the one who ran and threw the ball effectively against the Steelers in Week 1 or the one who could get nothing going against the Bills in Week 2? 

“We didn’t play our brand of football,” Fields said of the Buffalo game. “We didn’t execute well enough. I turned the ball over early, we didn’t start fast, and that’s pretty much the moral of the story.” 

The Jets offense sputtered for three quarters without Fields last week before backup Tyrod Taylor put together two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. The Jets offense was built around Fields all offseason so his return should provide a spark. 

AFC Least

The Jets and Dolphins are in the basement of the AFC East and it looks like it could stay that way this season unless the Patriots crash the party. The division is the Bills and everyone else. 

Still, these division games matter and the Jets have been terrible inside the division for too long. They are 6-25 in the AFC East since 2020 and they lost their first division game of the season already. 

When looking at the schedule and trying to figure out how the Jets can get to seven or eight wins, beating the Dolphins at least once is a must. Surely, the Dolphins are looking at the Jets the same way. 

Nowhere to run

The Jets were built to run the ball but it has not happened in the last two weeks. Quarterbacks led the team in rushing and not with designed runs, but with scrambles. Running back Breece Hall had 29 yards against the Bills and 21 yards against the Buccaneers. 

“We have to run the ball better,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn said. “Listen, I know we were going against three really good teams the past teams that we’ve played, but that doesn’t matter to me. I have an expectation of this team on how we operate and I’m not going to stand down from that.” 

Tua Time

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is under fire this season. He ranks 29th in quarterback rating with a 35.8 rating and has four interceptions, tied for second most in the league. Former league MVP Cam Newton criticized him this week, and Tagovailoa fired back. 

“Well, anybody can play quarterback in this league, then. I want to see anybody on the streets come and play quarterback,” Tagovailoa said. “Cam is doing his thing, for sure, but I think it’s easier to be able to hold a clicker and talk about it that way or talk about what someone else is doing wrong when you’re not going out and having to do the same as them. 

“I think it’s easy to do that. I think anybody can do that. I don’t think anybody can play quarterback.” 

The Jets do not have a takeaway this year. Tagovailoa should give them a chance or two at their first. 

Costello’s Call

These are two teams in desperate need of a victory. The Dolphins are a little more desperate because jobs are on the line there. The Jets are also 0-9 in South Florida since 2016 and they seem to find ways to lose there. It happens again. 

Dolphins 31, Jets 26