NY Jets’ offense flops vs. Fish, Miami leads 17-6 at halftime

The Tim Boyle era has gotten off to a stagnant start but Brandin Echols briefly kept the Jets in the game

Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

That’s been a literal phenomenon for the New York Jets, who earned a Black Friday special in the form of a pick-six for Brandin Echols. That was enough to keep the Jets in the game in the wake of continued offensive struggles, as they trail the Miami Dolphins 10-6 at MetLife Stadium. Tyreek Hill caught a touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa while Jason Sanders booted a triple to create what was an early two-possession lead before Echols’ heroics.

D.J. Reed also took an interception on the Dolphins’ last offensive possession to keep the deficit at four. But, on the final play of the first half, Jevon Holland took back a desperation Tim Boyle heave 99 yards for a score to restore the multi-possession lead.

Jets (6)

• PASSING: Tim Boyle (7-of-11, 35 yards, 1 INT)
• RUSHING: Breece Hall (5 carries, 17 yards)
• RECEIVING: Jason Brownlee (1 rec. 12 yards)

Dolphins (17)

• PASSING: Tua Tagovailoa (15-of-23, 171 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT)
• RUSHING: Jeff Wilson Jr. (6 carries, 34 yards)
• RECEIVING: Jaylen Waddle (7 rec., 82 yards) 

Boyle’s Toil

The Jets made the long-awaited switch from Zach Wilson to Tim Boyle but it feels like they trust Thomas Morestead to throw downfield more at this point. He’s mostly been limited to short tosses and throws in the backfield, amassing a mere 3.5 yards per attempt. New York management had the guts to finally admit defeat on Wilson. But it’s clear they have to do a little more if they want to pull off any chance of an upset, especially with Miami bottling up Breece Hall and the run game.

Caution Flags 

The best thing that can be said about Boyle’s first Jets start so far is that he’s certainly not the primary reason behind the Jets’ latest deficit. Granted, Wilson is perhaps somewhat exonerated by the idea that few, if any, elite passers, could make the Jets’ offense look competent, but each of their three penalties (charged with 25 yards) have been brutal, setting the fledgling offense up in dangerous, uncomfortable situations. Quinton Jefferson offered a free 15 yards for Miami on the opening drive with a silly yet ill-advised 15-yard penalty that eventually got the Dolphins in the red zone.

In Their Defense

Considering the state of the Jets’ offense, it’s perhaps shocking that Miami even dressed up its special teams battery. The green defense has, to its season-long credit, has once again risen to the occasion by bottling up the run game and keeping almost everyone except Tyreek Hill in check. On the first drive, Sauce Gardner prevented Hill from an early score while Micheal Clemons and Solomon Thomas united for a big sack that forced Miami’s first punt of the afternoon.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags