The New York Jets (5-5) will try to get their season back on track when they host the Miami Dolphins (4-6) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Dolphins vs. Jets 2015 live stream: Start time, TV schedule and how to watch online
The Jets will try to end their skid and get back into the wild card picture.
The last time these two teams met was Week 4 in London. The Jets rolled to a 27-14 victory, with Chris Ivory steamrolling the Dolphins for 166 yards on the ground. That game ultimately got Joe Philbin fired, and interim coach Dan Campbell replaced him over the bye week.
Since then, both teams have had their ups and downs. The Jets raced out to a 4-1 start and looked like an early lock for a playoff spot. Since then, they’ve gone 1-4, with their only win being a close 28-23 affair against the Jacksonville Jaguars. New York now sits at 5-5, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills.
Injuries have been one of the biggest culprits for the Jets’ struggles. Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Ivory have all been hobbled by various ailments this season, while Ryan Fitzpatrick is still recovering from thumb surgery he underwent two weeks ago. Ivory in particular has been hurt with a lingering hamstring injury, and although he missed only one game, his performance has suffered. Since that Week 4 explosion in London, Ivory has cleared 100 rushing yards just once and is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry in his past five games.
The defense has also been hit by injuries -- Darrelle Revis is out with a concussion this week. His absence will be felt in a passing defense that’s 11th in the league.
The Dolphins got off to a fast start under Campbell, winning their first two games by a combined margin of 82-36. That hot start quickly vanished when Miami lost three of its next four games and returned to its mediocre ways. They dropped to 4-6 with a 24-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last week.
That loss was notable mostly for the light use of Lamar Miller, who saw just seven carries despite averaging 6.3 yards per tote. It was curious because the misuse of Miller was one of the biggest criticisms lobbed towards Philbin. Campbell will no doubt attempt to get Miller more involved this week, particularly with Jarvis Landry and Rishard Matthews both banged up.
Landry is questionable with a knee injury, but is still expected to play. With Revis out, this might be Ryan Tannehill’s best chance to open up plays for his favorite target. Matthews is dealing with an illness and also listed as questionable for this game.
The bigger concern for the Dolphins should be their defense, which is still struggling despite the big offseason investments. Losing Cameron Wake for the season hasn’t helped, but a defensive line featuring Ndamukong Suh really shouldn’t be 31st in rushing yards allowed per game.
The New England Patriots have all but wrapped up the division, but the AFC Wild Card picture remains as muddy as ever. While the Jets can least afford a loss here, Miami scoring a divisional road win and moving to 5-6 would at least put them on the fringes of contention, especially with a home game against the depleted Baltimore Ravens next on the schedule.
How to watch
When: 1 p.m. ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn
Online: NFL Game Pass
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