20 things we learned: New York Jets 38, Miami Dolphins 20
Every defensive tackle except Ndamukong Suh left the game at some point because of injury. Earl Mitchell and C.J. Mosley both had calf injuries, which left rookie Jordan Phillips, Miami’s second-round pick, as the only healthy defensive tackle to play with Suh. Phillips, who sustained a leg injury of his own, returned to the game and played the most snaps of his rookie season. -- OK
(Bill Kostroun / AP)South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Injuries and ineptitude pile up on the Dolphins in New Jersey as ex-Miami receiver Brandon Marshall dominates his old team again.
Matthews, who has contributed 43 receptions for 662 yards and four touchdowns, got leveled by Pryor in the first quarter. If Matthews can’t finish the season he’ll lose out on his chance to become a 1,000-yard receiver in his fourth season with the franchise. -- OK
(Julie Jacobson / AP)The Dolphins would benefit from doubling down at cornerback like the franchise did selecting Vontae Davis and Sean Smith in back-to-back rounds in the 2009 draft, and Jamar Taylor (pictured) and Will Davis in back-to-back rounds in 2013. The only proven starter the Dolphins have on the roster is Byron Maxwell, so a talent upgrade is needed just to play the nickel package.
(Elsa / Getty Images)Brandon Marshall was the first casualty of timid Joe Philbin’s purge of strong personalities after he was hired in 2012. Marshall was an oft-frustrated Dolphin as he caught only nine TD passes in 2010-11 with uber-conservative QB Chad Henne and coach Tony Sparano. The last time he was seen in a Dolphins helmet was in the 2012 Pro Bowl, when he snagged a Pro Bowl-record four touchdown passes. Less than two months later, he was dealt to Chicago for draft picks that ended up being Will Davis, Michael Egnew and B.J. Cunningham. Yikes. Marshall, meanwhile, caught 16 passes for 259 yards and two scores against Miami this year. He is on pace this season for 103 catches 1,354 yards and a career-high 13 TDs. If that happens, it would mark the third season of the four since he left Miami where he has piled up at least 100 receptions, 1,295 yards AND double-digit TDs. -- SS
(Peter Morgan / AP)Opening the second half, Damien Williams continued his questionable decision-making as he returned a kickoff from 7 yards deep in the end zone to the 12. Five plays later, punter Matt Darr punted 55 yards, only to have it returned by Jeremy Kerley (11) 58 yards to the Miami 25. Seven plays later, the Jets scored a touchdown to make it 21-0. Game over. -- SS
(Scott Halleran / Getty Images)The mediocre-armed, gritty, bearded former Ivy Leaguer has used that high-end education to feed balls to Brandon Marshall and his 6-inch height advantage over Brent Grimes, and it has resulted in a two-game stat line of 38-for-66 for 495 yards, along with five TDs against only one interception (100.3 passer rating). In addition, Fitzpatrick has been sacked only once, with more than a few Houdini escapes, running for 55 yards (for key first downs) on 14 carries. -- SS
(Al Bello / Getty Images)The Jets cornerback departed with what looked like a potentially serious knee injury on a shot from Dion Sims, but it was after an interception that turned the game on its ear. The Dolphins had a third-and-8 at the Jets’ 19 in a scoreless game, when Ryan Tannehill dropped back, planted his left foot and fired down the left side. Williams, however, undercut Kenny Stills and snagged the ball. It was all downhill from there. -- SS
(Bill Kostroun / AP)Yes, he had to deal with Jamil Douglas’ poor snaps much of the day and breakdowns in pass protection, but he still has a fundamental and frustrating lack of awareness in the pocket, holding the ball too long in just enough situations to get hit hard and sometimes fumble. And, when one of the biggest tools in his skill set -- his ability to run for yardage -- is removed, he is purely an average signal-caller. In his first three years, he ran 145 times for 760 yards for 14 first downs on third- or fourth-down runs. This season, he has 57 yards on 20 carries (less than six yards a game on 2.85 yards a carry) with a long run of 10 yards and only one first down on a third-down run. -- SS
(Bill Kostroun / AP)Again, if you are going to miss point-after kicks at the very end of a rout, it makes it hard to have much confidence in tight spots. He has now missed more 33-yard extra-point attempts (3) than 40-plus-yard field-goal attempts (2). -- SS
(Michael Perez / AP)Omar Kelly is an NFL columnist and Dolphins beat writer for the Sun Sentinel. A Florida A&M University graduate and South Florida native, he has covered the Florida State Seminoles, Miami Hurricanes, Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins during his career as a sports reporter, which began in 1997.
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Steve Svekis has been at the Sun Sentinel since 1989. He has been the sports Sunday editor and page designer, assistant sports editor over high schools, business columnist and now web producer. He wrote and voiced a web-animated parody of the Miami Dolphins in 2004 and 2005 that earned an EPpy, beating out the New York Times and Toronto Star. He was a Dolphins beat writer in 2010.