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DOLPHINS AT JETS
GAME FACTS
DATE: Sunday, Dec. 28
TIME: 4:15 p.m. ET
SITE: The Meadowlands; East Rutherford, N.J.
TV: CBS
THE SERIES
SERIES RECORD: New York leads 46-39-1 (including playoffs)
AT MIAMI: Dolphins lead 23-20-1
AT NEW YORK: Jets lead 26-16
LAST MEETING: 2008 at Miami; Jets 20, Dolphins 14
SERIES HIGHLIGHT: Only once before have the Dolphins ended their regular season with a road game against the Jets, and that came in Jimmy Johnson's first year in 1996. The Dolphins needed a victory that day to finish the season at .500 and they got it against a Jets team that ended 1-15. Karim Abdul-Jabbar rushed for 152 yards that day, as he became the first Dolphins running back since Delvin Williams in 1978 to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Dan Marino added three touchdown passes and the Dolphins finished with 416 total yards. As for the Jets, that would be their last game under Coach Rich Kotite, who would be replaced the following season by Bill Parcells.
SERIES LOWLIGHT: The last time the Dolphins faced the Jets in a season finale with a playoff berth on the line didn't work out so well, however. That was Dec. 22, 1991 at Dolphins Stadium. The Dolphins looked like they were headed to the playoffs after they took a 20-17 lead with 44 seconds left on Marino's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ferrell Edmunds, but the defense collapsed. The Jets drove 44 yards in five plays to kick the game-tying field goal on the last play of regulation, and then won in overtime on Raul Allegre's 30-yard field goal. Both teams finished 8-8, but the Jets earned the playoff berth because they swept the Dolphins.
SCOUTING REPORT
NEW YORK JETS' RECORD: 9-6
LAST GAME: Lost at Seattle, 13-3
THE JETS OFFENSE: If you didn't know any better, you would think Brett Favre was the only player on the Jets offense, but it's running back Thomas Jones who has been by far the biggest weapon. Jones is headed to the Pro Bowl thanks to his 1,289 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He rushed for 101 yards and a score when the Jets came to Miami for the season opener. Jones hasn't been quite as effective during the Jets' slide of three losses in four games, but his performance has been brilliant compared to that of Favre. In those last four games, Favre has thrown only one touchdown pass compared to six interceptions. Favre actually has had a rather mediocre season, which made his selection to the Pro Bowl very surprising. He hasn't had success throwing the ball downfield, as evidenced by the fact none of his receivers are averaging even 12 yards per catch. Because of Chad Pennington's success with the Dolphins, Favre will be under tremendous pressure to deliver a big performance on Sunday. He actually did very little in the opener, other than a 56-yard touchdown bomb to Jerricho Cotchery on a blown coverage in the secondary and a 26-yard touchdown to David Clowney on a fourth-down prayer as he was about to get sacked.
THE JETS DEFENSE: The reason the Jets once were thought as a potential Super Bowl team was their defense, but it also has faltered in recent weeks. In particular, it's the run defense that's become susceptible after being so good in the first half of the season. Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, acquired in the offseason in a trade with Carolina, is headed to the Pro Bowl but he looks like he's wearing down. Denver's Peyton Hillis, Buffalo's Marshawn Lynch and Seattle's Maurice Morris all have rushed for over 100 yards against the Jets in recent weeks, so the Dolphins should have more success than they did in the opener when they were held to 49 yards on the ground. Pennington had some success throwing the ball against his former team in the opener, as he finished 26-for-43 for 251 yards with two touchdowns (to tight ends Anthony Fasano and David Martin). The Jets' pass rush has been very effective for most of the season, and free agent pick-up Calvin Pace and Shaun Ellis (the hero of the Buffalo game) lead the way. In the secondary, cornerback Darrelle Revis leads with five interceptions and is headed to the Pro Bowl.
THE JETS SPECIAL TEAMS: The Jets have had quality special teams for several years now, and that's certainly not changed in 2008. Leon Washington is headed to the Pro Bowl as the kick returner, although the Dolphins held him in check in the season opener. They'll need that kind of effort against him again. Mike Nugent was the Jets' kicker in the opener, but he injured a leg in that game, so former Dolphin Jay Feely was signed. Feely has performed so well (23-of-27 on field goals, including 2-for-2 from 50 yards and beyond) that Nugent hasn't been able to regain his job even though he's now healthy.
LOOKING AHEAD
JAN. 3-4 - AFC PLAYOFFS
The Dolphins will win the AFC East title with a victory over the Jets, but have no shot at a wild-card berth with a loss. If they do win the AFC East, the Dolphins will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs and will play host to the No. 6 seed. Under that scenario, the Dolphins would face either the Baltimore Ravens (if they beat Jacksonville or New England loses) or New England Patriots.
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