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Jets-Dolphins Prediction: Will New York Stop Miami's Winning Streak?

Can Zach Wilson lead the Jets to a win over Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins?
Jets-Dolphins Prediction: Will New York Stop Miami's Winning Streak?
Jets-Dolphins Prediction: Will New York Stop Miami's Winning Streak?

Last time the Jets and Dolphins faced off, back in Week 11, Zach Wilson was relegated to the sideline, still recuperating from his right knee injury.

Now, the rookie quarterback gets the start against one of New York's biggest rivals, seeking to snap Miami's five-game winning streak in a battle at Hard Rock Stadium.

This matchup doesn't favor Wilson and the Jets' offense. The Dolphins have a strong secondary, their pass rush is dynamic and consistently brings pressure and Miami has all the momentum, giving up 10 points or less in four of their last five games.

Further, the Jets are getting Michael Carter back from injured reserve, but are still missing Corey Davis and Elijah Moore, two of Wilson's favorite targets. 

Wilson is coming off a performance against the Saints where he didn't throw any interceptions, but also completed just 19 of his 42 throws. Against one of the top rush defenses in the game, that won't cut it on Sunday.

Before we dive into this matchup any deeper, here is our weekly score prediction with some analysis...

Max Goodman's prediction: Jets 13, Dolphins 24

The Dolphins should run away with this game at home against a lowly opponent. 

Miami has everything to play for coming off their bye week. After five straight wins, the Dolphins are right back in playoff contention, hoping to finish the season strong and sneak into the AFC postseason equation despite a rocky start.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been rolling of late, a key reason for Miami's recent surge. Just look at Tua's numbers in his last three games. Tagovailoa has thrown for 747 passing yards with five touchdowns (only one interception) while completing 80% of his passes.

That's going to trouble for New York and their injury-ravaged defense. Sure, missing Jaylen Waddle will make things tougher for Tua and the Dolphins through the air, but look for DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki to make some noise. 

Win or loss, the Jets are playing for a lot as well. New York hasn't shown too many signs of improvement over the course of this season, winning three games but looking miserable practically every week. This is a test to see if they can hang with a divisional opponent on the road and flash some promising signs on both sides of the ball, especially at the quarterback position.

Remember, Wilson only has one win on the road this year and that was against the Texans. Can he handle Miami's secondary? Can he get rid of the ball quickly as the Dolphins blitz him all afternoon? With George Fant doubtful to play, New York will likely have their third-string left tackle protecting Wilson's blind side. That's a recipe for disaster with a young quarterback, still learning to make smart decisions.

I could be wrong, but I think Wilson will struggle again this week. He'll throw two-plus interceptions and early on, he'll have a lot of trouble staying comfortable in the pocket, succumbing to the pressure from Jaelan Phillips and the Dolphins' defensive front.

At the end of the day, as per usual, Wilson will settle down and throw a touchdown pass in the second half. Michael Carter should be used quite a bit, in his return from an ankle injury, and a mix of Jamison Crowder and Braxton Berrios will be targeted more than any other players in green and white. 

The Dolphins have forced 20 turnovers this season and the Jets have turned the ball over 25 times (with 20 interceptions). Surely Xavien Howard and the Dolphins are licking their lips as this team limps into town and it could get ugly early if the Jets aren't careful. 

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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