NY Jets News: The long road trip to London

The latest NY Jets news sees the team preparing for their long road trip to London in hopes of defeating the Miami Dolphins.

When it comes to the Jets, all eyes are set on what they’ll bring to the table when they face the Dolphins in the International Series over in London. The Jets are coming off a tough home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in a classic “trap game” that they fell for last week.

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The Dolphins however, are a team that is 1-2 and already at the bottom of the AFC East.

They’re a mess and all that money they spent on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh hasn’t been returned as an investment. Through this season, Suh only has 6 tackles and not even a single registered sack.

Taking a look across the internet for some great reading material on the Jets, it was great to see some insight about the big road trip to London and the possibility of a quarterback controversy brewing depending on how things go over the pond. Here are some of the top articles from the internet on Gang Green:

Getting Deep Passing Game Firing on All Cylinders by Randy Lange (NewYorkJets.com)

"“We’re still in the process of getting to know him and understanding, when you throw the deep ball, how fast he is and where you have to throw it and how he looks when he’s running. There’s a lot of different things that come into play when you’re trying to get on the same page with somebody.”"

One concern I have for the Jets’ offense is the lack of the deep passing game. The weapons are clearly there but quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t actually have a cannon for an arm. Without an established running game, it’s easy to beat the Jets when it comes to making them a one-dimensional team.

The timing and execution are critical for things to open up for the Jets offensively. Once they get running back Chris Ivory back in full swing, things should be easier to keep those chains moving. If not, the Jets might actually have problems against the Dolphins if they depend on the passing game too much to win this one like they through it would against the Eagles.

EA Q&A: Start Me Up by Eric Allen (NewYorkJets.com)

"You can’t play with pace if you don’t have the ball. The Jets just didn’t covert early on third down while failing to establish any sort of rhythm. But early on in 2015, the Green & White rank a respectable 13th on third down with a 42.9 conversion percentage."

If a team can’t convert key third downs, it’s usually a sign of major problems throughout the course of a football game. Luckily for the Jets this week, the Dolphins’ defense is abysmal to say the very least. Suh hasn’t been the same athlete the football world saw dominating the scene when he was roaming around with the Detroit Lions.

All signs point that Ivory should definitely see playing time against the Dolphins and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Jets need a win big time this week probably as bad as the Dolphins do so they can continue to prove they’re indeed contenders this season.

New York Jets can end Miami Dolphins’ season in London by Nick Ziegler (EmpireWritesBack.com)

"With three teams above .500 and a game against the Jets on Sunday in London, the Dolphins find themselves in a must-win situation. Another loss in the division would set the Dolphins back to far to be able to overcome a slow start with two games left against the Patriots on the schedule."

My goodness, imagine if the Dolphins lose yet another consecutive game? That would be three straight losses and possibly the firing of head coach Joe Philbin who is already on a hot seat. For all we know, if the Dolphins lose this game, they might very well leave Philbin in London and never look back.

This is definitely a must-win game for the Dolphins who need to live up to their high expectations this season thanks to everything quarterback Ryan Tannehill brings to the table. He’s an up and coming star but losing definitely takes away his spotlight and the positives he does offensively.

Oct 1, 2015; London, United Kingdom; General view of mannequins with the uniforms and helmets of Miami Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry (14) and New York Jets running back Chris Ivory at Niketown London in advance of the NFL International Series game. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Fitzpatrick ’s a bad start away from a Geno controversy by George Willis (New York Post)

"Expect the Dolphins and just about every other Jets opponent to copy what the Eagles did and focus on stopping the run, forcing Fitzpatrick to beat them through the air. Ivory is expected to play Sunday, which should help, but the Jets likely could be without Decker for the second straight week."

The last thing the Jets need is to lose this Week 4 matchup and have Fitzpatrick put up another terrible game. Quarterback Geno Smith is medically cleared and was even the No. 2 option behind Fitzpatrick last week. There is a very good chance if Fitzpatrick has another bad game, the Jets might make a quarterback change to see what they got in Smith.

I don’t see the Jets going this route since it’s obvious last week’s game plan against the Eagles horribly failed. Fitzpatrick isn’t meant to throw for 58 times in a game since he’s not built that way, especially without key offensive stars in support. I think the Jets will ride with Fitzpatrick for at least another week or two despite what happens against the Dolphins.

Jets Head to London With a Detailed Game Plan, and That’s Just for Their Laundry by Ben Shpigel

"Jets officials made two reconnaissance trips to London. On the first visit, at the end of February, Degerness and Hampton scouted potential practice sites and about six hotels recommended by the league. At the time, they did not know whether Coach would prefer a long trip or a short one, so they evaluated each option. Todd Bowles"

One can only imagine all the work, preparation and focus that must go into having to play a football game so far away from home. The Jets even hired a sleep therapist to help explain what to expect when heading over to London and to adjust their sleeping patterns accordingly.

Fatigue could very well play a factor but the Jets are doing everything possible to “pretend” it’s like heading to the West Coast for a football game. Hopefully everyone is on board and delivers because international eyes will be watching their every move.

Jets vs. Dolphins : A View of the Rivalry by Chris Ruppel (GangGreenNation.com)

"Perhaps the most famous of Marino’s 420 touchdown passes was his 1994 game winning fake spike that defeated the Jets 28-24, booting the Jets from first place in the division. The Jets would go on to lose 32 of their next 36 games until Bill Parcells arrived in 1997."

It’s amazing how this is the 100th meeting between both teams. This is easily one of the top-5 rivalries in the NFL and one of my personal favorites. Jets vs Dolphins is always a great matchup as this game should be a close one with both teams having much to fight for.

As far as the best memory of this matchup, easily Marino’s fake spike does it for me. I’ll never forget it to this day as it surprised the heck out of me as I saw it live. It could also be the play that derailed the Jets for years to come as being contenders in the AFC East. Expect yet another intense matchup between these two AFC East rivals.

Next: New York Jets: 5 ways to fry the Dolphins in London

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