3 key matchups to watch in the NY Jets' Week 5 game against the Dolphins

1. NY Jets receivers vs. Miami's struggling secondary

Standout cornerback Xavien Howard is one of the game's best pure-cover cornerbacks, but Howard has played hurt this season, and it's affecting his play greatly.

There's doubt about whether or not he will be able to suit up on Sunday due to a lingering groin injury, but even if he does, expect the Jets to test him and his cohorts in the secondary.

Corey Davis had a huge Week 4. He won his matchups, and the Jets did a great job schematically executing several pass plays between the numbers against Pittsburgh. It was New York's bread and butter against the Steelers.

Look for Miami to try and take away those throws from the Jets and force Zach Wilson to throw outside the numbers. That means the Jets receivers must win their matchups and produce big plays on the outside.

The Dolphins are 31st in the league in pass yards allowed per game — a shade under 300 yards per contest (299.3). A significant reason for that is the struggles of not only three-time Pro Bowl player Howard but also Keion Crossen, Nik Needham, and Kader Kohou.

Miami desperately misses Byron Jones, and he is a player who is not ready to come off the PUP list and is still recovering from off-season knee surgery.

Provided that the Jets' offensive line holds up, and Zach Wilson can adjust to new looks this week against a defense that will play him differently than Pittsburgh did a week ago, this is an area where the Jets can win the game

One can only imagine how different the world would be for New York on Monday if they can finally win a game at home against an AFC East opponent. After all, winning a divisional game and having a winning record in mid-October is something that the Jets haven't done for a while.