Dolphins big favorites to top Jets, run winning streak to 6

Updated Dec. 18, 2021 4:07 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK JETS (3-10) at MIAMI (6-7)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS

BETTING LINE: Miami by 9 1/2,

AGAINST THE SPREAD: N.Y. Jets 3-10; Miami 7-5-1.

SERIES RECORD: Dolphins lead, 56-55-1.

LAST MEETING: Dolphins beat Jets 24-17 on Nov. 21 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

LAST WEEK: Jets lost 30-9 to Saints; Dolphins had bye, beat Giants 20-9 on Dec. 5.

JETS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (30), PASS (15), SCORING (29).

JETS DEFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (29), PASS (27), SCORING (32).

DOLPHINS OFFENSE: OVERALL (29), RUSH (31), PASS (16), SCORING (25).

DOLPHINS DEFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (8), PASS (28), SCORING (13).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Jets minus-16; Dolphins 0.

JETS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR Braxton Berrios returns to the field where he played college ball for Miami. He has become the go-to player for the Jets; they targeted him a team-high 10 times on passes in last week’s loss to New Orleans, plus he returned five kickoffs and three punts.

DOLPHINS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie LB Jaelan Phillips is playing his best football of the year, with five sacks in his last two games and seven sacks during Miami's current five-game winning streak.

KEY MATCHUP: Miami’s secondary vs. the Jets’ passing game. The Jets have shown limited ability to run the ball, and Miami’s run defense has become stellar in recent weeks. As such, it stands to reason that New York is going to have to move the ball through the air.

KEY INJURIES: The Jets have been dealing with a flu bug, plus OL George Fant (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (knee) have been slowed this week. For the Dolphins, a major blow came Thursday when WR Jaylen Waddle — who was on pace to break the NFL record for receptions by a rookie — was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. S Jevon Holland was on that list but was activated Saturday in time to be on the roster for Sunday.

SERIES NOTES: The Dolphins lead the all-time series over the Jets for the first time since 2000. ... Miami has won seven of the last eight games in the series, including the last three by a combined score of 68-20. ... The Jets have lost their last five trips to Miami, but are 4-0 in their last four December trips to Miami. ... Miami is 17-16 against the Jets at the building that is now called Hard Rock Stadium. Combined score of those 33 games: Jets 731, Dolphins 731.

STATS AND STUFF: Miami is seeking to be the sixth team in the last 18 years to go 3-0 against the Giants and Jets in the same regular season. (The others: New England and Philadelphia in 2019, Philadelphia in 2015, New England and Dallas in 2007.) ... The Jets would be assured of a last-place finish in the AFC East with a loss. It would be their fifth such finish in the last six years. ... The Jets are allowing 30.5 points per game, on pace for the second most in franchise history. The 1975 team gave up 30.9 per game. ... New York is 2-0 when holding opponents under 100 rushing yards, 1-10 otherwise. ... The Dolphins are 17-7 in November, December and January under coach Brian Flores. Only Kansas City (21) and Baltimore (18) have more wins during those months since 2019. ...Miami is looking to get to 7-7 after starting the season 1-7. The only team in NFL history to pull off that exact feat was the Jets in 1974. ... Miami is one of 14 teams this season within a game of the .500 mark through 13 games. That’s the most in the NFL since the merger.

FANTASY TIP: For hunch players, Berrios is probably good for a big play or two. In PPR leagues, if you’re not already playing Waddle you probably aren’t playoff-bound anyway.

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