The Miami Dolphins now at 7-3 come into the unfriendly confines of Met Life Stadium in New Jersey, on the very first NFL game to be played on Black Friday, otherwise known as the day after Thanksgiving Day. Defensively, the Dolphins are about the healthiest they have been all season, especially with the triumphant return of CB Jalen Ramsey who missed the first 9 games. The defense is intact, but unfortunately that is not the case on offense. The unit that carried the team for most of the season, the high flying 33 + points per game unit is suddenly awash with injuries. RG Robert Hunt who hadn’t missed a game since he was drafted in 2020 missed the last 2 games against the Chiefs and Raiders and will most likely miss this contest against the Jets. Rookie sensation RB De’Von Achane returned last week only to get hit on the same troubled knee and he is QUESTIONABLE to play as well. RB Raheem Mostert will play, but he is banged up with ankle and knee issues, although that shouldn’t derail him from getting the majority of the touches on Friday.
RG Robert Hunt hadn’t missed a game in his career until the overseas game in Germany against the Chiefs. He missed last week’s game against the Raiders after our BYE week and it appears as if he will be sitting this Friday’s game out as well. WE have struggled this season against strong defenses and the Jets have one of the better units in the NFL, especially the D-line. We’ll be sending out LT Terron Armstead, LG Liam Eichenberg, C Connor Williams, RG Lester Cotton and RT Austin Jackson. They will be facing a talented group led by DT Quinnen Williams. In addition, the Jets have Quinton Jefferson, John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Huff and Solomon Thomas, who in total have 17 sacks. They also have a solid LB crew led by former Ravens LB C.J. Mosley. Mosley leads the Jets in tackles with 101 (55 solo). In the secondary, the Jets feature one of the best young DB’s in the game, CB Sauce Gardner. If we’re going to score points on the Jets, we’re going to have to earn them.
The Jets defense is allowing 20.4 points per game to opposing offenses, good for #11 in the NFL. The Dolphins defense is more liberal allowing points, although with Ramsey back in the fold, and a healthy Jaelan Phillips, and I’d be foolish not to mention the resurgence of LB Bradley Chubb as well, the defense has been more stingy as of late. The last 3 games we’ve allowed only 17 points per game, but I think we’re trending to do even better. The Jets offense has been scoring an even 15 points per game. The Jets have scrapped the Zach Wilson offense and have handed the keys to journeyman QB Tim Boyle, Aaron Rodgers understudy in Green Bay. He’s also played for the Chicago Bears, and the Detroit Lions as he made his way through the NFC North. In all, Boyle has completed 60.8% of his passes for 607 yards, 3 TD’s and 9 INT’s. Not a sparkling resume by any means.
What the Jets offense does bring to the table that can give the Dolphins trouble are 2 young stars, WR Garrett Wilson, and more so RB Breece Hall. Both early draft picks in 2022, The Jets definitely hit on 2 stars with Wilson (RD1 pick #10) and Breece Hall (RD2 pick #36). Breece Hall however, is the one that concerns me more than Wilson in this matchup. I feel like with a healthy Xavien Howard, a healthy Jalen Ramsey, and Kader Kohou or Nik Needham in the slot, along with safeties DeShon Elliott and Jevon Holland, we can contain Wilson. RB Breece Hall started out last season on fire before getting injured in game #7. He is no doubt fully recovered and right back to being a punishing, shifty, elusive back. Hall has 544 yards rushing for a nice 4.6 yards per carry. Consider the fact he’s doing this with no complementary passing game and it’s more impressive. Dalvin Cook who the Jets traded for early on never really became a part of the offense. RB Israel Abanikanda who a lot of you guys liked around has been all but forgotten so far.
What it really comes down to, as always is what version of each team shows up. The Jets have had some excellent efforts this season, upsetting the Buffalo Bills 22-16 in the season opener, and then taking down the then undefeated Philadelphia Eagles 20-14. In both cases, it the defense that made it happen, and I feel like that’s the way they will need to win at Met Life tomorrow. Which Dolphins offense shows up tomorrow, the offense in the first 6 games that scored an unbelievable 37 points per game, or the offense that has scored a very humble 20.5 points per game over the last 4 games? That’s quite a disparity and a huge concern. We have struggled against strong defensive teams and the Jets are exactly that. Mike McDaniel is going to have to come up with a way to get more players involved and more importantly, successful against the Jets. Sauce Gardner will probably be on Tyreek Hill as much as possible, so Jaylen Waddle, Cedrick Wilson Jr., River Cracraft and if possible, even Braxton Berrios need to step up and make plays. RB Jeff Wilson Jr., who was a healthy scratch last week will be active tomorrow and be 2nd string to Raheem Mostert as De’Von Achane will probably rest after being injured Sunday and not play in the short week. Unfortunately, RB Salvon Ahmed was lost for the rest of the season with a foot injury.
Division games are always difficult, and the Jets will be fired up playing at home on the first Black Friday NFL game. The Jets window to remain in contention could close with a loss to put them at 4-7 on the season. On the other hand, a big division win against the first place Dolphins could energize the team and the fanbase. A Jets win would have every team in the division at 2-2 and bring them one game closer, especially considering how the Buffalo Bills are struggling. My first thought is that will be a very low scoring game, I’ll be pretty surprised if both teams combined score 30 points. I feel like the Jets are going to throw everything they can at us, including fakes, on side kicks, trick plays etc. This is damn near a must win for the Jets. If we want to be close to a top seed in our conference, it’s a must win for us to keep up with the Ravens who at 8-3 are the #1 seed, then the Chiefs and Jaguars. I took a look at the injury report, EVERY Dolphins player injured logged in a LIMITED practice with the exception of WR Braxton Berrios. Some are precautionary and conservative due to the short week like Raheem Mostert, Alec Ingold, Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson, and Lester Cotton. TE Durham Smythe will surely be QUESTIONABLE, and one of the less likely QUESTIONABLE players to play. We could certainly use his blocking, but TE’s Julian Hill and Tyler Kroft got the job done last week. Let’s all hope our offense returns to early season form and the defense continues it’s trend of being stingy to opposing offenses scoring.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Nice write, Mike! I have nothing to add you pretty much covered it.🙂
Thanks Tim! What do think is going to happen in this game?
My gut tells me we win something like 20-6. Would love to see us shut them out.🙂
I was thinking similar, but I won’t put in writing, too superstitious!
😂
No need for those of us who live in the NY area to use Amazon. It’s on Fox for us.🙂
MikeE,
Great job! I WANT an explosion from our offense, but I expect a fairly low scoring game. The yets have given up points to good teams a couple times. The Cowboys got 30 on them. The Bills got 32, I think. And, I think our offense is better than both those offenses. It will be a tough task on the road. If we can’t score several TDs at least, I’m gonna be disappointed and concerned about this team’s ability to do anything in the playoffs.
I hear ya Randy, the offense is definitely a concern right now, but I do think missing Robert Hunt has changed our attitude on all short yardage plays due to a lack of confidence in the line getting push. Good teams win any and every way they can, so if we have to lean on the defense for a game or two, I’m good with it. On the other hand, if we have become an offense that can only generate 20 points per game, we’re not going anywhere is right!
Lots of those points come from the Jets offense going three and out and turning it over. I’m looking for our defense to get after them and that could lead to some more scoring for us.
Good write up Mike
Bold Pork prediction
Tomorrow the Dolphins Defense has 10 sacks, 4 interceptions and a forced fumble
Great write Mike E, but I’m not that worried about the O. Same time I always thought we’d never keep up the pace of the early games.
I wish I felt the same. We’ll find out a little more tomorrow as to where we’re at offensively
“The nacho thing, it was definitely her fault. She got back to the car, and her and my mom were like, ‘Yeah, it was his fault the whole time.’ I watched the thing, and I was like, ‘you hit out of his hand, though.”
“You had me hot at this dude.’ And now I see the video, and it’s like, you feel me? It was funny, though. Once I saw it on Hard Knocks, I was laughing my [butt] off,”
— Tyreek Hill on Nachogate, and seems he hasn’t been married long enough to know there are times to just keep your mouth shut.
I’ll have ro rewatch it, but my initial impression was the guy just dropped it
That’s why they sent the slow mo replay to NY after the Raider’s Coach challenged. There was no doubt the guy was in his space and her arm hit the nacho holder’s hands. Most importantly, her head was not turned around and her eyes were not on the guy and his food item.
I haven’t talked about it but my mom had a brain aneurysm two weeks ago and is still in the hospital but doing very well. She’s out of ICU and starting rehab. So I’m making sausage, peppers and onions for my stepdad and I. I didn’t want to do traditional thanksgiving food without mom. My stepdad has dementia so that’s what is happening. But I’m thankful my mom is still with us and she’ll be home soon.🙂
🙏🏻best of luck that she recovers quickly Tim
All the best to your Mom. Good she’s on the road to recovery.
It’s tough Tim. And sounds like you are taking care real well. Treasure the times now.
I was just checking out the Metlife Takeover site and saw this:
“If you order before the start of the regular season you get everything for $250 per person! An unbeatable deal for a game ticket, all you can eat and drink AND round-trip bus transportation from NYC!”
Makes our Fest, a beer coooler and a ticket on the Toba Bus sound like a steal….and their tickets are nosebleeds as well. But these guys are uber organized. Get like one thousand each year.
Howie’s List
Week 12
🐬@ ✈️
🦬 38-9 🐬
🐷 35 – 0 🐬
🌴 24-9 🐬
🗿34-17🐬
Darrynton Evans elevated to the active roster for tomorrow.
Howie’s List
Week 12
🐬@ ✈️
🦬 38-9 🐬
🐷 35 – 0 🐬
🌴 24-9 🐬
🗿34-17🐬
🗡️23-6 🐬
Thanks folks🙂
❤️
If you want to see multiculturalism and a melting pot, go to a hospital. It’s a great example of what could and should be.✌️❤️
As guy who was a hospital “guest” for 2.5 months…. get exactly what you mean. Just don’t go there for the food.
That’s true.😂
Best wishes to you and your family, Tim. ❤️
Tim,
Man, that’s hard to deal with. Thank God for modern medicine and the like for your mom to still be with you and getting out of the ICU, my man. I wish you and your family nothing but the very best with a full recovery for your mom… and a Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!
Dolly rockin the Dallas cheerleader outfit at halftime.
I found that difficult to watch
Plus rocking the song 9 to 5 and the Queen song ‘We are the champions’, too!
Best wishes for your mom, Tim.
Thanks once again folks.🙂❤️
Testing
Okay got bounced out for some reason but I am back
Could be the blog filter mistook your green skin as a Jets jersey
Bingo!
For those stuffed after a Thanksgiving feast. I’d be so sick.
This injury report is kind of scary. Armstead and Jackson both questionable along with Hunt and Cotton. They all should play except for maybe Hunt, but this could get ugly if a couple of these guys don’t play and a another guy gets injured in-game. That on top of our RB situation…
Fingers crossed we get through the game injury free. Get out of NY with a win and no significant injuries, get a couple of extra days to heal up. Go Dolphins!!!!!
Remember a couple of years ago they did away with the probable designation. So any injury that is reported can be no better than questionable even if the team knows the player is going to play
^
They all should play except for maybe Hunt, but…
I think Smythe could be a question mark too
Yeah, I hadn’t even realized he didn’t play last week until Naples mentioned it.
We miss him in the run game
Packers beating Lions is a good reminder to our Fins … division games are tough and records/expectations mean nothing. Get the “W” regardless … there is not a “number to win by” … get a win and get out.
Exactly . We’d better win by at least 13
Is 13 not a number to win by?😂
As expected by the Evans promotion to the active roster, Achane not expected to play today.
It’s Ahmed’s spot he is taking not Achane’s
But Wilson is active so then that is Achane’s spot
IT’S GAME DAY BITCHES!!!
Go Dolphins!!
Mike,
If I’m not mistaken, Eich played RG and Cotton LG last week.
Not mistaken, it is I who is mistaken
I can’t do laundry today. 😬
I got it 🙂
I’m doing some too.
Time for the Dolphins to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and they’re all out of bubble gum.
😂
I get to watch the game today with my son who is finally in to the Dolphins. Not bad, only took 28 years!!!
Well better late than never. My 7 year old on purpose says he likes the pats to make me tickle him 🙂
LOL!
Good write MIke. I hope the offens is back to its original form
Is there going to be blog representation at the game this afternoon?
We couldn’t get organized in time
Gameday Morter Forkers
Damn…9’ers down both safeties for the year.
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/49ers-fear-season-ending-torn-biceps-for-s-george-odum
Good thing their DL is stacked
Brian in NY says:
November 24, 2023 at 7:39 am
As expected by the Evans promotion to the active roster, Achane not expected to play today.
Reply
Ken says:
November 24, 2023 at 10:39 am
It’s Ahmed’s spot he is taking not Achane’s
Reply
Ken says:
November 24, 2023 at 10:42 am
But Wilson is active so then that is Achane’s spot
Doesn’t matter who is taking which spot. Wilson was a healthy scratch last week, so I would assume he took Ahmed’s because Ahmed was out early in the week. They were waiting to see if Achane could play, and then activated Evans yesterday.
Wilson is a much better runner than achmed
He’s just got no hands
My guess is we see a heavy dose of Mostert early, but if we get ahead Wilson will get a lot of touches
I am excited to watch the game in Charlotte NC with my son and 2 grandsons. All in Dolphins gear. The boys are 1 and 3.
Hey I’m good with a RB corps of Mostert, Wilson, and Evans. Those guys can all break tackle and make guys miss and take it to the house.
Tim – sorry to hear the news about your mum but glad her progress since has been trending in the right direction.
BBM – nice to see the foodie in my home City! (well 15miles away anyway)
M – thx for posting Y-T link to Hard Knocks, was able to watch on train in Germany yesterday before I flew back 🙂
You’re more than welcome, my friend. 🙂
👍
Was thinking about it when I posted it.
👍
NFS
Not wishing to put a downer on tonight’s proceedings as I’m really looking forward to it, but I have many concerns about our offense.
I wasn’t anywhere near as bullish after watching O and Poup going into the LV game. Pierce has really got the Raiders playing well and we really underestimated them. Their beat reporter is hilarious too.
This was obviously posted after game 9 and we won another since then.
Dolphins in 2 games vs Broncos and Panthers. 56 ppg (1st)
Dolphins in their other 7 games offensively. 23.7 ppg (11th)
This was the Rams f-s-o-t pace at the same point, which we are oft compared to.
Our ppg outside Broncs and Panthers went down after the Raidahs.
We are doing too much wrong after 10 games and whilst our O is scoring points, it is a l o n g way from being the juggernaut many talking heads claim (albeit we have had lots of injuries to cope with).
We’ve also had too many pens. Too many coaching mistakes. Too many points left on the field. Don’t even get me started on 3rd/4th and short.
Good analysis below.
Not to mention opponents now have our outside runs and screens figured out – even though they are largely overall still indefensible, they can also be stopped at key moments in-game.
I really hope the Jets “good” D turns up tonight. We have seen in many recent seasons how our D has been dead on its feet and it could be the Jets are in the same shape, but what we need is to figure a way to start scoring points against really good Ds and not beating ourselves before the play offs. This should be a really good bellweather tonight?
I really think with a healthy OL and a D which plays up to its collective talent we can go deep this year. I am also concerned that as things stand now, we can easily lose a play-off game against a good team with few weaknesses. The good news is we have 7 games left to get better and get injured players back after wrapping them in cotton wool (Lamm excluded by the sounds of it).
Very intrigued to see what product we put on the field tonight.
Go Fins
Rams comparable record hidden in comments of one of those Tweets
99 Rams.
First 9.
Their 2 best games. 41.5 ppg
Their other 7 games. 31 ppg.
They are not the same.
NFS
I thought I was reading they were all out , and was getting REALLLLYWORRIED
Spammy as hell
It’s pretty awesome to see Eli Apple inactive, lol.
Would have been nice to be a part of this. I would have been a little hard to pick out in that crowd though. Imagine, if you will, hidden in the back, a 300 ft ape decked out in Dolphins gear…
If we don’t turn the ball over and give up points on special teams, there is no way we can lose this game. Protect the ball above all else. Make the Jest drive the field to score.
Wilson and his ability to run with power may actually serve us better for this game than Ahmed.
Minimize mistakes on offense and we blow them out. Kill our own drives with penalties, turnovers, and mistakes and this could turn into a dogfight.
It’s Hussey’s crew today. He’s a good ref.
Howie’s List
Week 12
🐬@ ✈️
🦬 38-9 🐬
🐷 35 – 0 🐬
🌴 24-9 🐬
🗿34-17🐬
🗡️23-6 🐬
🇬🇧 17-9 🐬
Getting progressively pumped for this game. Each minute it gets closer my excitement level is rising. I expect a great effort from our squad today!
Go Phins!!!!
Me trying to stay calm
Right there with ya, brother!
Zach Wilson is inactive
So you can all let out that sign of relief now….lol
https://x.com/antwanstaley/status/1728119891620762091?s=61&t=NWZ–WfgKu_dYbC-fKuB3A
Emergency QB today
Hunt active is huge, we have enough healthy OL to score over 20 and win this game by 2 scores
We shouldn’t need Achane today, another week to heal should help him
Not sure if Hunt starts or is just a break glass in case of emergency. Either way it’s nice to have him available
Howie’s List
Week 12
🐬@ ✈️
🦬 38-9 🐬
🐷 35 – 0 🐬
🌴 24-9 🐬
🗿34-17🐬
🗡️23-6 🐬
🇬🇧 17-9 🐬
🏈 37-13 🐬
i’m GETTING PUMPED!!!
I’m feeling a Howard INT today
HELL YEAH!!!
Jesus, is NY 10-0? You’d think so given all the media focus. It’s like we don’t even exist. Alright, fuck ‘em all. I absolutely want to see us go out and slap the bitch right outta their mouths. Enough of this shit. Let’s fucking play!
YESSIR!!!
I am confident…I hate being confident. It makes me nervous which makes me not confident. 😬
😂
LFG!!!
GO PHINS!!!
HELL YEAH!!!
Let’s Go Dolphins!!!
Chubb and Phillips are
Going to go
Off
Their uniforms today look like thanks giving beer shits
Figure I’ll watch 1st half at work then blast home
Tim Boyd everyone
Two nice plays from Phillips.
He had a great pro day….lol
Alright offense
Please….just execute
Is he challenging a 5 yard gain?
Right? Foolish decision either way.
No catch is my guess.
I think incomplete
It’s close, but I think that is no catch. I really hate how often this offense puts the ball on the ground.
Fuck
We need better TEs
Missed throw, then waste a TO. Come one offense
Why does the Amazon Prime team keep talking about this game being played “tonight”? It’s a day game, fools!
Nice!!
What a waste of a good drive
big time drop
Right off of ‘Reek’s ailing right hand.
Should have taken the Fist-pump. Get ahead.
Agreed
Disagree….I want to see the jests offense operate from the 3
Hill’s hand was a factor there that was a perfect throw
^
Yup! See above.
Tua had a wide open run to the endzone, but he hesitated and the defense was able to get therre.
Also, what’s wrong with getting points on first drive??? even if a FG. POINTS is the idea of a game. I guess they feel Jets offense isn’t a threat so it allows them to gamble (?)
got him!!!!
Bullshit
How the fuck was that not in the grasp
That’s grounding in the endzone
Safety all day
That’s why you go for it on 4th down
They narrowly escaped a safety
We suck on short yardage
Always run really weird plays….
It’s the play calling. The run up the middle was there.
The short yardage third down play calling is fucking atrocious
We never fucking run it up the middle on 3rd and short. I don’t want to hear it’s because we can’t because we never try.
Short yardage. Abysmal
Jeff Wilson, IMO, is currently our short-yardage RB. Why we’re not using as much, I have no idea.
McDaniels does too much sometimes. Not every play has to be ingenious.
The good news so far is our oline looks good. Let’s trust them on the next short yardage sitch
I think that is the problem. He doesn’t trust the OL
Well, this other bullshit isn’t working and in the 4th down inside the 5 last week and on that 3rd down we just saw, our oline got push and we’d have picked it up on a run up the middle.
I can’t remember the last time we ran it up the middle on a short yardage play.
I am not disagreeing just saying that is what appears to be the issue
Time for a turnover
“Van Gunkel” 🙄
😂
my wife looks at me and says “did he say Van Gunkel? wtf?”
Jets O is absolute dog 💩
Defense doing exactly what we need them to do against this team
Their offense doesn’t even try