Jets, Fins Clash On Monday Night Football
Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins will look to keep pace with the AFC’s wild card chasers.
The Miami Dolphins visit the New York Jets tonight in an AFC East showdown on Monday Night Football.
Kickoff at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Dolphins will look to keep their season alive against a Jets side that will be auditioning for jobs next year.
The Story So Far
New England Patriots looking increasingly likely to take the division title, Miami (6-5, 3-3 road) enters Week 13 as one of a slew of AFC teams looking to finish the regular season with a wild card berth. Whether or not the Dolphins will be playing in January depends on if the side can play consistently well over the next four games.
The Dolphins began the season with a big home win over the Patriots. Three losses over the next four games followed, leaving Joe Philbin’s side looking suspect and unfavored.
Ryan Tannehill and Co. responded by winning three straight and four of the next five, before losing in a shootout to the Denver Broncos last weekend. Now, with a 6-5 record, the team will look to join a myriad of AFC teams on seven wins.
Whether blue or green, New York (and New Jersey) football fans have had little to cheer about this season. Jets fans have had the least to cheer about.
New York (2-9, 2-4 home) heads into Monday night’s game with just two wins on the season. The Jets defeated the Oakland Raiders in Week 1 before picking up a shock win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.
Life has been miserable outside of those two results.
Rex Ryan – who looks almost a dead cert to be out of a job come January – saw his side steamrolled in Detroit last Monday night, losing 38-3 to a Buffalo Bills side forced into relocation after the freak snowstorms of two weeks ago.
The Jets have now lost nine of their last 10. More alarmingly, four of their last five losses have come by 14 points or more, including two games by more than 30.
Only the Chicago Bears (28.1ppg) and Jacksonville Jaguars (27.7) allow more points per game than the Jets (27.5).
Looking to change his team’s fortunes, Ryan opted to start Michael Vick in place of Geno Smith back in Week 9. After going 1-2 with Vick under center, Ryan will turn back to Smith on Monday night. Will it make a difference for the Jets?
Head-to-Head
The New York Jets lead the all-time head-to-head series 50-46-1 and own a 27-21 advantage when playing at home.
The two sides split a pair last season, with each team winning on the road.
The Dolphins have won five of their last six road games against the Jets. Miami’s defense has help New York to nine points or less in three of the last four games the two sides have played in New Jersey.
The two sides will meet again on the last day of the season (Dec. 28).
Next season, the two teams will make history as they meet in the first ever divisional matchup to be played at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
Injury Report
Miami will be without linebacker Jonathan Freeny (hamstring) and cornerback Jamar Taylor (shoulder) on Monday night.
Tight end Charles Clay (hamstring, knee), cornerback Cortland Finnegan (ankle) and tackle Nate Garner (illness) are all listed as doubtful for the Dolphins. Tackle Ja’Wuan James (neck) is considered questionable.
The Jets will be missing tight end Jace Amaro (concussion) and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (toe).
Wide receiver Eric Decker (toe), guard Willie Colon (knee) and running backs Chris Johnson (knee) and Chris Ivory (shoulder) are among a battalion of Jets players listed as doubtful.
Check out the full injury list
After a month on the sidelines, Geno Smith will start for the Jets on Monday.
Betting Report
Below you’ll find Betting Sports’ breakdown of odds and betting trends.
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets odds for 12/01/2014
Moneyline: Miami (-250) opened as a road favorite over New York (+222) on the moneyline and has seen its advantage increase. At the time of writing, bettors could get the Dolphins at -320.
Miami has won five of six road games against the Jets since 2008. The Dolphins are also 7-4 against the Jets since December 2008.
New York has lost nine of its last 10 games.
Spread: The spread opened at 4.5 in favor of the Dolphins but has climbed to 7.
Miami (7-4-0 ATS) has fared well against the spread this season while New York (2-8-1 ATS) has struggled.
Miami is 4-2-0 ATS on the road and 4-1-0 ATS when playing as the favorite.
New York is 1-5-0 ATS at home and 2-4-1 ATS when considered the underdog.
Miami has covered the spread in five of its last six games.
The Dolphins are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven road games against the Jets.
Total: The total opened at 41.5 and has climbed slightly to 42.
Both the Dolphins (5-6-0 O/U) and Jets (5-6-0 O/U) have marginally favored the under this season.
The under has paid out in three straight games involving the Jets, and in five of Miami’s last six.
The total has gone under in six of the last seven head-to-head meetings, as well as in five of the last six the two sides have played in New Jersey.
The over has paid out in 11 of 13 Monday Night Football games this season. The Jets played on a non-Monday Night Football Monday night games last week, with the under paying out.
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