The New York Jets have had, in as simple terms as possible, a brutal start to their 2025 campaign. After starting 0-3 with losses against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, many fans and experts believe the immediate future for the Jets is grim. Despite this, the season is not 100% over yet. There have been six instances of NFL teams making the playoffs from the same spot the Jets are in. Remarkably enough, the New York Jets are one of them, having done it in 1981, finishing 10-5-1 to secure a wild card spot.
The Jets can begin another historic comeback this season by defeating the AFC East division rival, the Miami Dolphins, this Monday in Hard Rock Stadium. There will have to be some immediate, drastic improvements on both sides of the ball to make that happen. These changes are among the keys to the game for the New York Jets to defeat the Miami Dolphins.
Keys to the Game for the New York Jets on MNF
Key #1: Taking Advantage of Tanner Engstrand’s Concepts
Offensively, the biggest takeaway from the New York Jets’ performance last week is that Tanner Engstrand is consistently scheming receivers open in this offense, but the quarterbacks, be it Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor, have been missing them. Take this play here. Jets wide receiver Tyler Johnson (#16), is open here for a first down. Instead of flicking it to him, he decides to scramble for almost no gain.
Some questionable decision-making here by NY #Jets quarterback Tyrod Taylor on first down…
Out of the pocket, Tyler Johnson was wide open about 10 yards downfield on a crossing route… Instead, the veteran held on to the ball and picked up one yard with his legs. pic.twitter.com/j576VWoNpS
— Connor Long (@connor_long15) September 23, 2025
Here’s another play, this time from scoring range. Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor (#85) is seen running wide open to the front, right pylon. Tyrod Taylor, however, checks it down to Breece Hall. This was a positive gain, but a touchdown is much more productive than a nine-yard gain.
Same holds true right here… Also on first down, Taylor has Mason Taylor wide open on a deep crossing route while out of the pocket that could have potentially been a touchdown, while he instead checks it down to Breece Hall for a nine-yard gain… #Jets https://t.co/mzsBvRa7IP pic.twitter.com/xF3yvlupwt
— Connor Long (@connor_long15) September 23, 2025
The takeaway here is that the Jets are leaving a lot on the table offensively. In order to win these pivotal division matchups, the Jets must key in on this and make these plays.
Key #2: Linebacker Play
The Jets’ defense has struggled thus far under new head coach Aaron Glenn and new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. Things only got worse last week when two prominent members of the Jets’ linebacking core went down with long-term injuries. Quincy Williams suffered a shoulder injury that has since placed him on injured reserve, knocking him out for a minimum of four games. Marcelino McCrary-Ball, who is also the Jets’ special teams captain, has also landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
This will probably be something that the Dolphins’ offense keys in on. The average depth of target (ADoT) for Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is currently at 6.9 yards. This ranks fifth-lowest among quarterbacks with at least 27 dropbacks according to PFF. Throws from that distance or less will put a lot of stress on the Jets’ depleted linebacker room. The Jets currently have four linebackers on the roster: Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa (rookie), Mark Robinson (signed from the Patriots’ practice squad this week), and Cam Jones (a career special teams player). This group will have to make a statement on Monday night.
Key #3: Finishing the Game
Despite the 0-3 start, the case could be made that the Jets should be 2-1 right now. In Week 1, they were in command of their matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers until the costly Xavier Gipson fumble on special teams. This led to a brutal loss. Last week, they were able to come back from a 23-6 deficit that was capped off by one of the most exciting plays in recent franchise memory. However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to drive down the field late and win the game with a 36-yard Chase McLaughlin field goal.
Onto this week, the Jets should be competitive against the also 0-3 Miami Dolphins. Through three games, the Dolphins are currently the lowest-ranked team in both defensive EPA/play (0.246) and Success Rate (50.8%) according to RBSDM. For EPA/play, the more positive the number, the worse the rating. For Success Rate, the higher the percentage, the worse the rating. Offensively, the Dolphins have not eclipsed 21 offensive points in any game this season (one of the Dolphins’ touchdowns in Week 2 was a punt return by wide receiver Malik Washington).
In short, the New York Jets can beat this team if they focus on these keys.
Main Image: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
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