Miami at Jets: Matchup to Watch

Dolphins (0-4) at Jets (2-3), 8:30 p.m. Eastern, ESPN

Matchup to Watch: Jets’ defense vs. Dolphins’ run game

According to the defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, the Jets wasted the best game of the noted run-stopper Mike DeVito’s career in a loss Oct. 9 in New England. Another wasted game would be demoralizing. The Jets fully expect the Dolphins, with Matt Moore making his first start at quarterback for Miami, to run and run and run, with Reggie Bush, Lex Hilliard and, if healthy, Daniel Thomas. The Jets yield 134.8 rushing yards per game. For a unit aiming to regain respectability, nothing more than domination Monday will suffice.

Number to Watch: 45.6

That is how many yards Joe McKnight has averaged on his nine kickoff returns, best in the N.F.L. McKnight has produced two long returns — a 107-yarder for a touchdown against Baltimore and an 88-yarder against New England that led to a third-quarter touchdown — and his explosiveness could pose problems for Miami. The Dolphins have allowed 27.4 yards per kickoff return, putting them in the bottom third of the league. The Jets, though, will surely welcome fewer returns by McKnight if that means that their defense is playing well.

Quotation of the Week

“They’re still the team to beat in our division.”
Dolphins Coach TONY SPARANO, whose team lost by 14 points to first-place New England (5-1) in the season opener, on the 2-3 Jets.