It's 2-9 vs. 0-11 on Sunday in Miami.
Not exactly a Clash of the Titans (although the Jets will be wearing their blue and gold Titan unis), but when the Jets and Dolphins get together you can usually throw away the records. These teams don't like each other (but what teams do?) and both squads are looking at this upcoming contest as a win in a season where victories have been scarce.
Their vitals may be terrible, but both teams may not be as awful as their win-loss records indicate. The Fish have lost six games by three points this season (to the Redskins, Jets, Texans, Giants, Bills and Steelers) while Gang Green has dropped five games by a total of 27 points. But the margin for error in the NFL is razor-thin and both units have been guilty of not making plays during crucial moments this year. Sometimes that's what really separates the solid teams from the lousy ones.
These two rivals have also given us some memorable moments. Remember Wesley Walker's four touchdown catches in the Jets thrilling 51-45 overtime win in 1986? How about Raul Allegre's fifth quarter field goal in the final game of 1991 that gave the Jets a 23-20 win and a wild card berth? The heartbreaking fake spike by Dan Marino in 1994 that gave the Dolphins a 28-24 come-from-behind victory? The Midnight Miracle at the Meadowlands where the Green and White stormed back from 23 points down in the fourth quarter and stunned Miami 40-37 in extra time?
Have I sold you on this showdown yet? Okay, probably not. Dan Marino and Ken O'Brien aren't strapping on the pads this weekend (Yeah, I said Kenny O). Instead Kellen Clemens will be making his first start against the Fish and the Jets will be getting their first look at rookie QB John Beck. And both quarterbacks will be a bit short on offense.
For the Dolphins, Ricky Williams is out after tearing a chest muscle against the Steelers and running back Jesse Chatman is nursing an injured neck and ankle. Gang Green should be getting Laveranues Coles back, but Jerricho Cotchery is out. On a side note, there was a good article this week about Coles and Sean Taylor. The two were teammates in Washington during the 2004 season. Check it out if you get a chance.
Here's a
Phins fan's look at this weekend's game.
The Jets also made some roster moves this past week. Fullback Darian Barnes was released on Wednesday. The former Dolphin wasn't the impact player the Jets had hoped for when they signed him and he was inactive for the past four games. I guess Mangini prefers to use tight end Joe Kowalewski as the H-back instead of a fullback. Doesn't make much sense to me since Barnes was the lead blocker for two of Thomas Jones' three 100-yard rushing games this season. The Gotham Green also signed defensive lineman Kareem Brown and wide receiver David Ball on Thursday. The Jets nabbed the 6'4, 295-pound Brown from the Patriots who drafted him in the fourth round in April. Ball broke nearly every I-AA receiving record at the University of New Hampshire (including Jerry Rice's career touchdown receptions mark, 58 to 50).
And finally a little something about the Jets quarterback situation. The obvious was reported this week when Chad Pennington all but confirmed that his career in the Green and White will end after this season. No kidding. That was decided the moment Mangini named Clemens the starter for Week 9 against the Redskins. That's why I never understood the "put Clemens in for a spark" argument. You can't switch quarterbacks in and out in the NFL -- it's not going to work. Also, put yourself in Pennington's shoes for a moment. Would you stick around after the fans cheered when you were injured in Week 1? How about the lack of respect you receive even though you've led the Jets to the playoffs three times in the past five years prior to this season? Or being blamed for the offensive woes even though it's now painfully obvious that the lack of offensive punch stretches across the entire team? Pennington is also owed $4.8 million in 2008 and there's no way the Jets are paying him that salary.
It's also amazing how many fans are already jumping off the KC bandwagon. I've actually heard callers on sports radio say the Jets should take a quarterback in this year's draft. Are you kidding me? You want to bail on a 24-year-old kid who has four professional starts under his belt? After screaming for him to start since the second game of the preseason? Sometimes I just don't understand people.
And it's not like the Jets are a powerhouse team with every piece in place except for the quarterback position.
Now I'm all worked up. I can't imagine how I'll react if the Dolphins victimize the Jets for their first win of the season on Sunday.
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