Jets and Dolphins meet on Monday night, each looking to avoid 0-4 start

New York Jets (0-3) at Miami (0-3)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. EDT, ESPN

BetMGM NFL Odds: Dolphins by 2 1/2

Against the spread: Jets 2-1; Dolphins 1-2

Series record: Dolphins lead 61–57–1

Last meeting: Jets beat Dolphins 32-20 on Jan. 5 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Last week: Jets lost to Buccaneers 29-27; Dolphins lost to Bills 31-21

Jets offense: overall (26), rush (9t), pass (31), scoring (16)

Jets defense: overall (22), rush (23), pass (14), scoring (28t)

Dolphins offense: overall (23), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (25)

Dolphins defense: overall (26), rush (28), pass (21), scoring (32)

Turnover differential: Jets minus-4; Dolphins minus-5.

Jets player to watch

WR Garrett Wilson. The Jets’ top wide receiver is among the NFL leaders with 21 catches and 229 yards receiving through three games. Even while New York has been trying to find a complementary No. 2 receiver and opponents have focused on him, Wilson has been able to remain highly productive. He has 300 catches in only 54 games, just the 10th Jets player to reach that milestone. He needs 10 receptions to pass George Sauer for 10th in franchise history.

Dolphins player to watch

QB Tua Tagovailoa. In the second season of his $212.4 million contract extension, Tagovailoa has not replicated the career-best numbers he put up in 2023 to earn the big pay day. Coach Mike McDaniel said after Thursday’s loss to the Bills that in order for the Dolphins to win, Tagovailoa needs to play well. Tagovailoa has been inconsistent in the first three games of the season and has turned the ball over five times in three starts.

Key matchup

Dolphins passing attack vs Jets secondary. Miami used a take-what-the-defense-gives-us approach against the Bills, leaning on the run game and checkdowns to move the ball down the field. Speedy receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were each held under 40 receiving yards despite both scoring touchdowns. The Dolphins emphasized this week that in order for their offense to flourish, they’ll need to incorporate the downfield throws that helped them lead the NFL in yards and explosive plays just two seasons ago. They may have an advantage in that area against New York’s banged-up defense that has been beset by tackling issues this season.

Key injuries

Jets: QB Justin Fields remained in the concussion protocol earlier in the week after missing last week’s game. If Fields can’t go, Tyrod Taylor would get his second start in a row. … LB Quincy Williams went on IR with a shoulder injury. … Backup LB and special teams captain Marcelino McCrary-Ball also was placed on IR with an injured hamstring. … Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson (ankle) and newly acquired CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (ankle) are “week to week,” according to coach Aaron Glenn. … WR Josh Reynolds (hamstring), S Tony Adams (hip), RB/KR Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) and DT Jay Tufele (illness) are expected back.

Dolphins: TE Darren Waller (hip strain) practiced this week and is expected to make his Dolphins debut on Monday.

Series notes

The Jets have lost nine straight games at Miami, with their most recent win coming in Rex Ryan’s final game as coach to end the 2014 season. … The Dolphins are 34-25-1 at home against the Jets. … Tagovailoa is 6-0 as Miami’s starter against the Jets and led the Dolphins’ comeback in Week 14 against the Aaron Rodgers-led Jets, throwing for 331 yards and two touchdowns. … McDaniel is 5-2 against the Jets as Miami’s head coach. … The game marks the 14th time the Jets and Dolphins square off on “Monday Night Football,” with New York holding a 7-6 edge.

Stats and stuff

The Jets will try to avoid their ninth 0-4 start and first since 2020, when they opened 0-13 under Adam Gase. … Aaron Glenn is still looking for his first win as an NFL head coach. He’ll also try to not join Gase (2019) and Lou Holtz (1976) as the only coaches to begin their Jets tenures with four losses. … The Jets are 3 for 22 on third down conversions in their past two games. … After rushing for 107 yards on 19 carries in the opener, Breece Hall has just 50 on 19 attempts in the two games since. … Wilson’s 300 receptions are the most for a Jets player in his first 54 games since at least 2000, according to Tru Media. … The Jets have no takeaways through their first three games for the first time in franchise history. … Edge rusher Will McDonald blocked a field goal attempt against Tampa Bay and returned it for a touchdown, the first such score for the Jets since Ray Mickens accomplished the feat in 1997 — when Glenn was a cornerback for New York. … The Dolphins are trying to avoid their first 0-4 start since 2019, when they started the season 0-7 under coach Brian Flores. Miami ended that season 5-11. … Third-year RB De’Von Achane scored in two of the first three games of the season and has 18 catches, the most by a Dolphins running back in the first three weeks of a season since 1970. … Rookie RB Ollie Gordon II scored his first career touchdown in Week 3 at Buffalo, while converting all three of his third-and-short attempts. … Despite having the No. 23 total offense and No. 25 scoring offense in the NFL, the Dolphins have converted 19 of 35 third down attempts (54.3%), which is the best third down mark in the NFL through the first three games. They have converted 87.5% of their third down attempts of three yards or fewer. … Miami’s defense has struggled to stop the run this season, allowing 133 yards rushing per game.

Fantasy tip

Wilson could potentially have a big game, given the Dolphins’ struggles on defense. Miami has allowed an 80-plus-yard receiver in two of the first three games. Hall could also be looking to bounce back after being bottled up against Tampa Bay last week.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL