New York Jets make it look easy in Old England

The Jets went overseass to England to take on the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium. The Jets had their way with the Dolphins early and despite a late rally by Miami hung on for a 27-14 victory.

The week off for Chris Ivory gave the Jets’ a refreshed performance from their bell-cow running back. On the game, Ivory posted 29 carries for a career-high 166 yards and a touchdown. The total ranks as the best performance of any running back in the International Series to date.
Eric Decker was back, and although at times he was used as a decoy, his mere presence was huge for the Jets. He posted four receptions, 46 yards and a touchdown. His presence in the slot just opens things up for Brandon Marshall on the outside.
Speaking of Brandon Marshall, he is playing at a level that Jets’ fans haven’t seen out of a wide receiver in many years. He caught a team-leading seven passes for 128 yards. Some of the experts felt Marshall would fall off as a member of the Jets. Not so much.
One major issue, however, going into the bye week is the overabundance of penalties. This game would have been even more one-sided without the penalties, as two pass interference calls led directly to the Dolphins’ first touchdown. 14 penalties for 163 yards is not going to get the job done.

Oct 4, 2015; London, United Kingdom; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) throws a pass to running back Zac Stacy (30) against the Miami Dolphins in Game 12 of the NFL International Series at Wembley Stadium.The Jets defeated the Dolphins 27-14. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The problem again, and one that could bite the Jets on the behind is that they have difficulty closing games. The Jets were up 10-0 in this one, and were up 27-7. They had ample opportunity to make this game a laugher, and they couldn’t do it. They couldn’t come up with a drive to close it out, between the penalties, and the lack of extended drives when they needed them. They got away with it against the Dolphins, but that won’t work when the Jets take on the Patriots in a few weeks.

The Jets’ offensive line was dominant. Ryan Fitzpatrick was clean, not sacked once, and the team rushed for over four yards per carry. Brian Winters played well against Ndamukong Suh, and that made a huge difference in the running game.

Ryan Fitzpatrick was good, but still has moments of forcing the ball into tight coverage. He hasn’t gone a game without throwing an interception, and he added one against the Dolphins. He is a smart quarterback but must not try to play outside himself if the Jets are going to beat the upper echelon opponents.

The Jets were in the face of Ryan Tannehill all game long. They recorded three sacks, but were laying the wood on Tannehill on countless other occasions. Tannehill couldn’t get into a rhythm because the Jets’ defense wouldn’t let him.
Jets’ fans, how long have you waited for a team that could post over 400 yards on offense?
A problem of note was punt coverage. The Jets allowed 67 yards on three punts, which is over 20 yards per punt. This definitely needs to tighten up over the break.
The bye-week comes at a great time for the Jets. Calvin Pryor, Bilal Powell, and David Harris all were banged up during the game against the Dolphins. The team ran their record to 3-1 and now they have some extra time to get healthy.

Next: Muhammad Wilkerson playing for a big payday

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