Santonio Holmes has been struggling through another injury-plagued season, but when he is on the field, he is the best receiver on the Jets. He will be frequently targeted by quarterback Geno Smith, as he is a savvy veteran who runs good routes and can get open, especially on third downs. His battle with Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes will be fun to watch. Holmes is dynamic when healthy and has the ability to swing the momentum of a game with a couple big plays.
Calvin Pace is a force on the Jets’ defense with 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. He will have a field day on Ryan Tannehill if the Dolphins’ offensive line plays the way they did against the Buffalo Bills last week. The Dolphins allowed seven sacks last week, and the Jets and Pace will be looking to keep Tannehill just as uncomfortable in the pocket as he was last week. He will also set the edge for the Jets’ defense, and if the Dolphins want to run their wide zone runs, they’re going to have to get Pace blocked.
With the way the Dolphins’ linebackers struggle to cover tight ends and the way rookie quarterbacks lean on tight ends, Kellen Winslow could have a big day against the Dolphins. He is athletic, despite his history of injuries (as the picture above shows), and will be a red zone target along with fellow tight end Jeff Cumberland. The Dolphins’ already struggling linebackers will have their hands full dealing with Winslow and the Jets’ running game.
Muhammed Wilkerson has 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles from the defensive end position in the 3-4. That means he is not an end guy on the defensive line, which makes his large amount sacks very impressive. He is a disruptor and will likely have a huge impact Sunday against Miami’s patchwork offensive line, along with the other two self -roclaimed “Sons of Anarchy,” Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison. Whether Wilkerson and the other two “sons” are blocked will be a big factor in whether or not Miami’s offensive is successful.
Chris Ivory is a punishing runner -- a big, physical running back that finishes his runs with a shoulder and falls forward for the extra yard. Ivory is what the Dolphins need. If you disagree, just ask yourself if you’ve ever seen one of the Dolphins’ running backs sacrifice for yards like Ivory did in the picture above. And that was a preseason game. The Dolphins must keep an eye on him and the Jets’ power running as a whole after giving up more than 200 yards on the ground last week. The Jets will likely lean on Ivory, as Geno Smith is an inconsistent rookie who was benched in the first meeting between these two teams.
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