usatoday
When the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets square off in Week 7, one of these AFC East rivals will finally secure a breakthrough victory. The Dolphins remain winless at 0-5, still searching for the first win of Jeff Hafley's tenure. Meanwhile, the Jets are eager to halt their own skid, as Aaron Glenn holds an 0-7 record against divisional opponents after a Week 6 loss to the New England Patriots.
Both teams will look drastically different from their last encounter, a 34-10 Dolphins rout in December. Coming off a bye, Miami hopes running back Ollie Gordon II can ignite an offense that ranks 31st in scoring. The Jets, however, have their own offensive struggles, ranking 32nd in red-zone efficiency and scoring just four touchdowns in their last three games.
Key Analysis
The Jets enter as 2.5-point favorites with a moneyline of -142, while the Dolphins are +120, and the total sits at 41.5. USA TODAY expert Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz predicts a narrow 24-23 Jets win, urging New York to feature Garrett Wilson heavily against an inexperienced and undermanned Miami secondary. He also notes that Miami's pass protection issues could lead to a big day for rookie edge rusher David Bailey. Adam Kaufman forecasts a 24-17 Jets victory, citing Geno Smith's mistake-free play and Miami's inability to consistently stop a disciplined offense. He acknowledges that Malik Willis can create explosive plays to keep the game interesting, and that Breece Hall's potential return would aid New York, though he isn't counting on it. Kaufman concludes that the Dolphins will win eventually—but not this week.
Other outlets weigh in: Athlon Sports projects a 20-19 Jets win, noting the game will likely be decided by three points or fewer, with both teams averaging under 20 points per game and neither showing enough passing explosiveness to pull away. VegasOdds.com picks the Jets comfortably, citing their strong defense against a shaky Miami offense and home-field advantage. Sports Illustrated likes the Dolphins +5.5, suggesting the Jets aren't a team capable of blowouts and that Miami can hang around in this AFC East battle.
The matchup is set for October 25 at 1:00 p.m. at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and will be televised on CBS.
Originally reported by usatoday.