NFL Week 13 New York Jets Vs. Miami Dolphins Quick Hits

Dec 1, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback

(17) drops back to pass against the New York Jets during the second quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Jets got to play on Monday night for the second consecutive week, this time in a scheduled Monday Night Football game against the rival Miami Dolphins. The Jets lost 16-13 after building a 10-0 lead and running for over 200 yards in the 1st half. The Jets played not to lose and ended up doing just that.

1) The Jets run the ball and run the ball and run the ball – The Jets ran the ball for 210 yards on 29 carries in the 1st half. The Jets ran three end arounds (including a 20 yard reverse to Salas for a touchdown), multiple draws, multiple misdirection, multiple cut backs (including a 46 yard run by Chris Johnson) and straight up power off the right side behind Willie Colon and Breno Giacomini. Johnson had 11 carries for 85 yards and Ivory had 10 for 45 in the 1st half.

However, in the 2nd half, the Jets kept running the ball on every 1st and 2nd down despite being unsuccessful and that kept the Dolphins in the game and swung field position over to the Dolphins. The Jets refused to go playaction and put the ball in Geno Smith‘s hands. The only time he was allowed to throw was on 3rd and long and that’s when bad things usually happen.

2) Geno Smith doesn’t turn the ball over until the game was on the line – Mostly because they took the ball out of his hands. Smith finished 3/6 for 22 yards in the 1st half with 1 being an awful drop by Decker and two overthrows that would have extended drives. Despite the 210 first half rushing yards Smith didn’t have any of them. Smith didn’t take off and run until the 4th quarter and the Jets never took advantage of Dolphins injuries in the secondary. Smith took two huge sacks, one that forced them out of field goal range and the other that forced Folk back far enough that he missed the 45 yard field goal. Smith finally had to throw the ball in the two minute drill and was intercepted on a tipped ball on a seam pass to Jeff Cumberland. Smith finished 7/13 for 65 yards and that interception.

3) Jets defense kept Dolphins receivers in front of them but suffered a slow death – Tannehill was 15/19 in the 1st half but only had 128 yards and most of the passes were five yards or fewer. Mike Wallace had 4 catches for 48 yards in half one while Jarvis Landry had six catches for 39 yards. The Dolphins only ran the ball three times for 15 yards with Tannehill getting 10 of those on a read option keeper. Quinton Coples, David Harris and Kenrick Ellis all got to the quarterback with two sacks and six quarterback hits. The Dolphins gashed the Jets short and down the middle. Tannehill finished 25/35 for 235 yards with 0 touchdowns and one interception.

4) The Jets missed two field goals, had a punt blocked and had at least four special teams penalties – The Jets had a terrible game on special teams as the normally reliable Nick Folk missed two makable field goals from 40+ yards. For the second week in a row Ryan Quigley had a punt blocked, this time by Dion Jordan. There were penalty after penalty on special teams that cost the Jets yards and field position.