The New York Jets' Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins will be their first against a division rival in 2022. The Jets are 2-2, splitting four games against AFC North teams, and play within the AFC East for the first time this season. Ahead of the Jets-Dolphins game, we’ll be making our Jets Week 5 predictions.
The Jets are winless within the division the past two seasons, going 0-12. Coach Robert Saleh has emphasized that if the Jets truly are becoming a respectable NFL team, they must break this ugly trend.
To kick off the #Jets offseason programs, HC Robert Saleh talked about closing the gap in the AFC East, ‘we have 12 consecutive division game losses, we have been outscored 358-158, 12 losses that s*** f****** ends this year’ 😳: 🎥 @nyjets #Flight2022 #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/7lwcRAwr4u
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) June 17, 2022
The Dolphins are 3-1 and feature an explosive offense. Tua Tagovailoa is out with a concussion, so veteran Teddy Bridgewater will start at quarterback. That should be an advantage for the Jets, though Bridgewater might very well be the best backup in the league. As recently as last season, he started 14 games with the Denver Broncos.
It's an intriguing matchup. The Jets’ 10th-ranked defense goes up against the Dolphins’ 10th-ranked offense. Perhaps the game can turn on New York’s offense, eighth in the NFL, controlling the ball and the game clock against Miami’s No. 28 defense.
Let’s take a look at our Jets Week 5 predictions.
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Zach Wilson will have 300 passing yards for first time in NFL career
After leading the Jets to a comeback win last week with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives and doing a pretty gritty Griddy, what does Zach Wilson do for an encore against the Dolphins?
He’s going to throw for more than 300 yards for the first time in the NFL.
An Impressive Sophomore Debut for Zach Wilson. #Jets pic.twitter.com/SP52FXIlNM
— Marcus Whitman (@TFG_Football) October 4, 2022
Wilson’s current NFL high is 297 yards in a Week 4 win as a rookie last season against the Tennessee Titans. He threw for 252 yards last week, third-most in his brief NFL career.
This week the 23-year-old is going to light up the Dolphins' porous defense. Wilson will build on his 10-of-12, 125-yard finish in Pittsburgh last week and continue to be in rhythm with big-play receivers Corey Davis, Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore.
The Dolphins are ripe to be exposed through the air. They are 31st in the NFL against the pass, allowing at least 300 yards in three of four games. They’ve struggled in the secondary with injuries, and up front their pass rush has been ineffective. Wilson will expose them in Week 5.
Jets, Dolphins each will have a 50-yard TD in Week 5
Which leads us to our next prediction: both the Jets and Dolphins will score a touchdown of at least 50 yards this week.
The Dolphins have two of the most explosive threats in the NFL in wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. So, even though each was limited in practice this week — Hill with a quad injury, Waddle a groin issue — it’s easy to see the Dolphins hitting on a huge play, especially if the Jets revert to their poor tackling habits. Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said Thursday that the Dolphins have “unequalled speed” on offense, and that will burn them Sunday.
But at least the Jets can answer back this season. Davis already has a 66-yard TD, Wilson had a huge 35-yard catch-and-run last week and Moore is a potential gamebreaker on every play. Zach Wilson is going to connect with one of his playmakers on a highlight-reel touchdown Sunday.
Sauce Gardner will get his first NFL interception
The Jets have at least one interception in each game this season and had four against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Each of the starters in the secondary has at least one pick, except for Gardner. Even backup safety Ashtyn Davis picked off Jacoby Brissett on his first defensive snap of the season in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns.
"I think I'm the only one that don't got one. That sounds crazy. Seeing stuff like that makes me want to get one"
– Sauce Gardner on the Jets defense having 6 interceptions this season pic.twitter.com/qZJFpQNKAx
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) October 5, 2022
Gardner has been outstanding in coverage, allowing nine catches on 19 targets. He leads the team with five pass breakups. He also made a terrific play last week to separate the receiver from the ball, allowing nickel Michael Carter II to grab a huge interception in the fourth quarter.
He’s going to be under duress this week trying to limit Hill and Waddle, but Gardner is still going to find a way to pick off Teddy Bridgewater.
Jets will defeat Dolphins for first division win in three seasons
The Jets have not won a game in their division since Week 17 of the 2019 season against the Buffalo Bills. That’s 12 consecutive losses against AFC East rivals. They last defeated the Dolphins in December 2019.
That schneid is going to be broken Sunday. The Jets will win and move above .500 for the first time since Week 5 in 2017.
It won’t be easy. The Dolphins are good and explosive. Even with Tua Tagovailoa sidelined, Miami will put up points, and Bridgewater is going to be a pain in the Jets' rear end.
However, in the end, Quinnen Williams and company will make one final defensive stand. The Jets will move to 3-2 with a 27-23 win.
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