You're Rexing Me The Ryan Way - or - The Dolphins Prepare to Ground The Jets

Rex Ryan called defending against the Wildcat "personal" and couldn't help but mention that he "squashed it" twice in his Baltimore days.  He also said he was "surprised" by the fact that the Dolphins could throw the ball well enough to beat his team in the first matchup between the Jets and the Dolphins.

Well I have to let Ryan in on a little secret.  Not since Dan Marino and Ken O'Brien used to battle it out in the 'me' decade have the Dolphins really focused on their passing game when playing in the Meadowlands.  Dang it, even if the Jets themselves haven't figured it out (5 interceptions, Mr Sanchez?), that place is not a great place to throw the ball, and the Dolphins are well aware of this fact.  Why do I mention that, Mr Ryan?  Prepare to face the Wildcat, once more.  

The combination of young QB, conservative play-callers, struggling receiving corps, and one of the top rushing averages in the NFL, all points to one obvious fact.  The Dolphins will be looking to run the ball from the onset.  Oh, I forgot one more thing.  Kris Jenkins?  Gone. 

No, we shouldn't have any issue running the ball against the Jets standard defense, but they will undoubtedly do some adjustments to their base to help counter the 100 yards or so that came out of the Wildcat in the first go around.  This is where things could get tricky for the Dolphins.  Or, it could actually benefit them, if they're wise about it.  One thing that we do have on our side that benefits our passing game in a windy stadium, is Chad Henne.  He throws laser beams that can cut through the wind.  It's just a matter of the QB and his receivers being on the same page and in top form.  

Injuries Are To Be An Issue

CB Lito Sheppard will likely be out and Shaun Ellis and Bart Scott are nursing injuries and are limited in practice so far this week.  This could make the left side of the Jets defense the side to attack with the run game, and the right side weak to the pass.  That means Camarillo could be a very active target this week for you fantasy owners.

On the other side of the ball, Channing Crowder will not play - Reggie Torbor will start. (UPDATE - the SS declares he won't play, the Herald declares he WILL play, but reading into Crowder's comments, I disagree with the Herald's take, for now).  Vontae Davis is the most likely starter in replacement of Will Allen, but I wouldn't be surprised if Nate Jones pushes him by the end of the week.  The loss of Leon Washington pushes rookie Shonn Greene into the game, and David Clowney, who had a big 4th quarter catch against us in the first game, is unlikely to play.  An early report said that Braylon Edwards didn't practice, but he didn't seem to be on the injury report.  The Jets starting RG, Brandon Moore, did not practice, and starting RT, Damien Woody, was limited in practice.

Bulletin Board Material

This is Dolphins v Jets.  There's going to be bulletin board material no matter what, but the added spice of Rex Ryan/Channing Crowder and Calvin Pace/Ronnie Brown has really upped the ante.  

Rex Ryan, in his presser read this quote from Brown:

"Coming into the game we're watching how they blitz and we were like, 'Okay, we'll just sit back and play football then and let's see who has the tougher 11 people on the field.'"

Ryan also read that quote to the players this morning in the team meeting. It definitely touched a nerve. 

"It's on me, there's no question about that," Ryan said, alluding to the first game, in which the Jets blew three fourth-quarter leads. "I'm responsible for how we played, so I can't wait for this game. I'm the only one with the guts ... not the only one, but one of the few that have the guts to admit it, that I absolutely want to play this game again. I wanted to play it three seconds after that first one ... We'll see if it's going to be different on Sunday. I believe it will be."

DE Shaun Ellis: "When Ronnie Brown scored (the game-winning TD) and he was doing that little Dolphin dance, oh, that irked the (crap) out of me."

CB Darrelle Revis: "They thought it was the Super Bowl. We saw that and we took heed of that."

Meanwhile...

Today, Ronnie Brown had this to say on the Jets thinking the Wildcat is a 'gimmick':

"That's their own personal opinion. We're all entitled to our opinion, but at the same time, if I remember correctly, I think they've actually gone into the same formation a few times."

And on why the Ravens could stop the Wildcat but the Jets couldn't:

"Look at their personnel. (The Ravens) obviously have a lot of people on that side of the ball that can make plays, taking nothing away from the Jets."

Conclusion

This one could be a matter of the Jets coming out much more 'up' than the Dolphins, but at the same time, the Dolphins are backed up into a corner a little bit and may be looking to strike out.  I suspect the team that comes out and dictates the tempo on their first drives, will be the team that controls the game.  If the Dolphins secondary can cohesively provide problems for Sanchez, and get the ball into the hands of Henne, then this should go the Dolphins way.  The injuries to the Jets left side defensively, and all over offensively make this a hard game to bet on the Jets.

FINAL SCORE:       

MIA 24       NYJ  20

FINAL # OF FANS ARRESTED: 

MIA   3       NYJ  78