NFL
Commercial
stay
Up to date 6s in the past
Justin Fields returns from damage to a Jets group nonetheless looking for its first win to face the also-winless Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in a Monday night time AFC East battle.
Each squads almost pulled off upsets in Week 3. New York virtually knocked off the Buccaneers whereas Miami misplaced to the Bills 31-21 Tagovailoa was intercepted late within the fourth quarter. Observe beneath for real-time updates, evaluation and unique perception from The Athletic’s NFL writers.
"Assist wished: New coach, new GM, new QB" was the banner that flew over Laborious Rock Stadium earlier tonight.
Dolphins followers aren't the one ones sad, although, because the Jets are additionally 0-3. A type of groups will virtually definitely get its first win tonight and achieve a sliver of respiration room. The shedding group will fall to 0-4, nevertheless, and the frustration from its followers will solely develop worse.
Commercial
Jaylen Waddle solely completed with 5 catches for 39 yards in Week 3, however most of his catches got here in vital moments.
The 26-year-old didn’t have a goal within the first half till he caught a 3-yard slant for a landing within the ultimate moments. Within the fourth quarter, he added a number of important third-down conversions, however finally, Miami nonetheless got here up brief.
He’ll face a New York secondary that has struggled within the early levels of the 2025 season.
The Jets protection has struggled with tackling and in go protection this season they usually’re banged up at linebacker (Quincy Williams is out) whereas their secondary has been inconsistent. They don’t match up particularly properly with an offense that features Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane. If the protection retains struggling, the noise for defensive coordinator Steve Wilks will get even louder.
Garrett Wilson signed a shiny, new contract within the offseason, and he’s proving his price through the early levels of the season.
The 25-year-old already has 21 catches for 229 yards and two touchdowns this season, together with 10 catches for 84 yards and a rating in Week 3.
Wilson will look to proceed his successes tonight, going through a weak Dolphins secondary.
I count on a much bigger position for Jets tight finish Mason Taylor. It’s a homecoming for the rookie, who lived close to the stadium when his dad — Corridor of Famer Jason Taylor — performed for the Dolphins. Aaron Glenn mentioned this week the Jets have to get him the ball extra. And the Jets badly want somebody moreover Garrett Wilson to emerge within the passing recreation. He’s nearly as good of a candidate as any.
Unfold: (-2.5)
Will Justin Fields come again from a concussion to play Monday? Has he watched movie of the Dolphins’ protection? The reply to each questions is sure.
The decide: Jets
Commercial
With the Jets’ secondary struggling by means of three weeks, basic supervisor Darren Mougey sought out reinforcements. The 6-foot, 190-pound Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is primarily an out of doors nook who additionally has contributed on particular groups for the Titans since they drafted him within the fifth spherical out of Louisville in 2024. It’s unclear precisely what his position shall be for the Jets since they have already got two beginning exterior corners (Sauce Gardner and Brandon Stephens) and a nickel (Michael Carter II), although Stephens and Carter have struggled in protection and in tackling up to now this season.
Brownlee graded out properly as a run defender final 12 months (he ranked seventeenth in run protection amongst corners to play at the least 500 snaps, in line with Professional Soccer Focus), however struggled in protection, permitting 663 yards and 4 touchdowns. Brownlee began the primary two video games of 2025 however missed the Titans’ Week 3 recreation in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts resulting from an ankle damage. He was closely penalized with the Titans, 10 instances for the reason that begin of final season. Chris Harris, the Jets’ first-year defensive backs coach, labored with Brownlee as a part of Tennessee’s employees final 12 months.
Tyreek Hill has put collectively two straight strong showings for the Miami Dolphins. After catching six passes for 109 yards final week, the veteran wideout caught 5 passes for 49 yards and a landing in Week 3 that tied the sport for Miami within the fourth quarter.
His stat line may have been stronger if not for a number of misses from Tua Tagovailoa.
The Jets inactives embrace at the least one delicate shock: extensive receiver Tyler Johnson, who seemed to be No. 3 on the depth at extensive receiver in the beginning of the season and No. 2 in Week 2 when Josh Reynolds was out, although his position decreased final week in favor of rookie Arian Smith. Clearly, veteran Allen Lazard additionally jumped forward of him after opening the season as a wholesome scratch.
Different wholesome inactives embrace tight finish Jelani Woods and defensive deal with Leonard Taylor III, whereas defensive finish Jermaine Johnson (ankle), cornerback Jarvis Brownlee (ankle) and returner Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) are out. Johnson and Brownlee — acquired in a commerce this week with the Titans — are thought-about "week to week" per coach Aaron Glenn. Nwangwu hasn't performed since struggling an damage within the first half of Week 1.
Heading into tonight’s recreation in Miami, let’s check out the AFC East standings.
Buffalo outlasted New Orleans on Sunday whereas New England dominated Carolina at dwelling.
Each Miami and New York are looking for their first win of the season.
Commercial
It was evident that the Miami Dolphins confirmed enchancment in Week 3.
From the opening drive, the Dolphins had been profitable in third-down effectivity. Miami was 3-for-3 on third down within the opening drive. For the whole recreation, the Dolphins had been 10-of-15 on third down.
Tua Tagovailoa averaged 4.3 yards per try. The short go offense allowed the Dolphins to regulate the clock. However for Miami, a roughing the kicker penalty and a Tagovailoa interception finally value them.
The Dolphins stored it shut in opposition to their AFC East foe, however the outcome remains to be a 3rd straight loss.
The New York Jets shall be with out former first-team All-Professional linebacker Quincy Williams for at the least the following 4 weeks after he was positioned on injured reserve due to a shoulder damage.
He’s been a staple of the Jets’ protection over the previous few years, and his absence leaves an enormous gap in New York's protection.
De’Von Achane has change into a fantasy soccer cheat code.
In Week 3, the Dolphins’ working again rushed for 62 yards on 12 carries, averaging an environment friendly 5.2 yards per try.
Extra notably, Achane received 9 targets, catching seven passes for 29 yards within the course of. Miami attracts up so many brief or lateral passes for the working again, doing something to get him in area.
Commercial
The Miami Dolphins’ rush protection has been porous this season, rating twenty eighth in dashing yards allowed per recreation.
This gives the chance for a bounce-back recreation from Breece Corridor tonight after he was held to only 9 carries for 21 yards in Week 3. Whereas he added 4 catches for 31 yards, he averaged simply 2.3 yards per try.
Since dashing for 107 yards in Week 1, Corridor has totaled simply 50 dashing yards.
In Week 3, for 3 and a half quarters, Tua Tagovailoa was not lighting it up statistically, however he was giving the Dolphins an opportunity to win by making good choices and taking good care of the soccer.
Actually, it seemed like he was main Miami on a game-tying landing drive late within the fourth quarter earlier than he stared down Jaylen Waddle and had his go intercepted by Terrel Bernard within the closing moments.
Tagovailoa’s ultimate stat line reads 22-of-34 passing for 146 yards with a landing and an interception, closely counting on checkdowns.
After lacking the Jets’ Week 3 loss with a concussion, Justin Fields shall be again below heart for New York tonight.
He performed among the best video games of his profession in Week 1 and adopted that efficiency up along with his worst efficiency, finishing simply 3-of-11 passes for 27 yards with a fumble.
Actually, in opposition to the Payments in Week 2, Fields recorded a QBR of simply 1.0.
New York will want extra from its QB1 to get a win in Miami.
