At long, long last, we have reached the end of the New York Jets’ 2024 season.
Beginning with so much promise and optimism, the campaign quickly dissolved into a nightmare.
New York sputtered out of the gate, with the offense and defense both falling short of expectations. Robert Saleh was fired after a Week 5 loss to the Vikings, and despite many (including myself) thinking interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich would do better, things got much worse. The team traded for Davante Adams, but things never truly improved.
The Jets’ season was the worst possible outcome. The playoff drought was not broken (not even close), Aaron Rodgers and the team looked nothing like their previous versions, and turmoil engulfed the entire organization.
Now, all that stands in the way of a nice trip to Cancun for the Jets is a matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Despite potentially having a playoff spot on the line (with a Denver loss earlier in the day), Miami will likely be without their starting quarterback and has a very banged-up roster.
Taking place on a cold January afternoon, this game will likely be a classic struggle between two division rivals. Follow along to get all the information you need to know about Sunday’s game.
Jets vs. Dolphins Game Info
- New York Jets (4-12)
- Miami Dolphins (8-8)
- 2024 NFL Week 18
- Sunday, Jan. 5, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The final lap of the Jets’ season is set to commence.
New York will welcome their hated rival, the Miami Dolphins, to MetLife Stadium this Sunday. However, this game is not at a standard kickoff time for either east-coast-based team; due to the playoff implications, it will begin at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX.
Joe Davis, Greg Olsen, and Pam Oliver will be on the FOX TV broadcast, while Chris Carrino and Brian Baldinger will handle the game for Compass Radio.
As for uniforms, the Jets will don their green jerseys and white pants against the Dolphins.
Jets vs. Dolphins Game History
Over the past few years, the Miami Dolphins have dominated the Jets.
The Dolphins have won eight of the last nine meetings. New York’s last win was back in 2022 on October 9, while Miami won the team’s first matchup of 2024 in overtime by a score of 32-26. Miami has a four-game winning streak against the Jets, which they could extend to five on Sunday.
Jets vs. Dolphins Betting Odds (FanDuel Sportsbook)
For their last game of the season, the sportsbooks are going back to making the Jets a favorite.
At FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jets are currently 1.5-point favorites over the Dolphins. The moneyline is even closer; New York is at -116 odds, and Miami is at -102. The O/U is at 38.5.
The only thing I would change is to make Miami slight favorites on the spread. As the better team, I would make them slight favorites, especially in light of many questions surrounding the buy-in and effort of certain players on the Jets.
Regardless of the spread, though, the odds essentially show that this game is a toss-up that should be low-scoring. Unless either team shows substantial changes on Sunday, a low-scoring game should transpire between the Jets and Dolphins.
Jets vs. Dolphins Injury Report
New York Jets
- CB Sauce Gardner, Hamstring: Out
- DL Leki Fotu, Knee: Doubtful
- OL Morgan Moses, Knee: Questionable
- OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Ankle: Questionable
- DL Quinnen Williams, Hamstring: Questionable
- TE Tyler Conklin, Calf: Questionable
New York will be without their star cornerback in Gardner again on Sunday. Despite early season struggles, he bounced back for a solid season in 2024. He has been hampered by injuries for the back half of the season, though, and Week 18 is another game he will miss.
The Jets could also be without key contributors in Moses and Williams. Williams being out would severely hurt the team’s run defense and pass rush, especially against a mobile quarterback. Moses being out would cripple the offensive line and potentially kill any chance of production for the overall offensive unit.
Miami Dolphins
- LB Anthony Walker, Knee: Out
- QB Tua Tagovailoa, Hip: Doubtful
- OT Terron Armstead, Knee: Questionable
- DE Calais Campbell, Rest/Neck: Questionable
- S Jevon Holland, Wrist: Questionable
- WR Tyreek Hill, Wrist/Illness: Questionable
- WR Jaylen Waddle, Knee: Questionable
- WR Dee Eskridge, Finger: Questionable
Just like the Jets, Miami is dealing with injuries to key players on both sides of the ball.
The team will likely be without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and could have hampered versions of both offensive lineman Terron Armstead and wideout Tyreek Hill. Led by backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, the Dolphins offense may not be able to operate at 100 percent.
On defense, the absence of Anthony Walker could significantly hamper Miami’s ability to stop the run and pass. The same could be said for safety Jevon Holland, who is one of the Dolphins’ best overall players.
Jets vs. Dolphins Game Prediction
- Miami beats New York, 20-18
This game is a complete coin flip. The Jets and Dolphins are two battered teams falling short of their expectations this year. So, how do you decide on this game? Go with your gut!
Miami could have a playoff spot to fight for, while the Jets do not. Miami has shown an ability to overcome adversity and get the job done, while New York has consistently crumpled under pressure.
Neither team is impressive, but I trust the Dolphins more than the Jets when push comes to shove. More than that, though, I do not trust the Jets to power through adversity and get the job done.
Give me the Dolphins in a nail-biter, 20-18, bringing the Jets’ 2024 season to a merciful end.
