New York Jets Defeat Miami Dolphins for First Win Of Season

The six-point home underdog New York Jets ended the 0-16 talks by dominating their division rivals, the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. After getting embarrassed by the Oakland Raiders last week, something had to change. The Jets played like a team that did not want to go 0-3.

Below are some observations from Sunday’s game.

Jamal Adams as Good as Advertised

Jamal Adams looks to be a star in the making. The sixth overall pick in this year’s NFL draft is the clear leader in the secondary and it was evident in his play Sunday afternoon. Although he only had two tackles in the game, Adams was all over the field making plays. The two plays that stand out the most were in the second quarter.

On 2nd and 8, Adams’ range and speed were on display when he raced across the field to defend a deep ball by Jay Cutler. On the next play, Adams earned his first career sack on a safety blitz, forcing a Dolphins fourth down.

Adams has all the physical and mental attributes needed to be a star in this league. He is a leader and showed the organization and their fans how bright the future will be.

Jets Defense Dominates Dolphins

The defense everyone thought would show up this year finally did on Sunday afternoon. The Jets gave up 370 rushing yards over the first two games. On Sunday, they limited Miami to just 30. Jay Cutler was sacked three times and picked off twice on Sunday.

Cutler had very little time to throw and most of his yardage came when the game was already in hand for the Jets. After looking lost and undisciplined through the first two weeks, the Jets defense was in sync in Week 3. Players were flying to the ball and constantly penetrating the Dolphin’s offensive line, making life miserable for Cutler. If this defense shows up next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Jets will be a 2-2 team rather than a 1-3 team.

McCown, Offense Shine Against Dolphins Defense

Josh McCown and the New York Jets offense were also in sync and it showed. McCown was 2-22 in his last 24 games as a starter. His last win came almost two years ago, a 33-30 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

On Sunday, he showed the Jets that they made the right decision by naming him the starter. McCown finished 18 of 23 for 249 yards, one touchdown, and no turnovers.

He spread the ball around, completing 18 of his passes to six different receivers. The biggest play came in the second quarter when McCown hooked up with Robby Anderson on a 69-yard touchdown.

The running game is still a working in progress but the Jets rushed the ball 34 times for a total of 103 yards. Bilal Powell finally showed up this week and scored his first touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Matt Forte injured his toe and was a non-factor in the game. Elijah McGuire stepped in for the injured Forte and looked solid as Powell’s backup.

Up Next

The Jets have a tough task next week against the Jaguars. Jacksonville embarrassed the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in London and look to do the same to the Jets.