The Dolphins embarrassed the Jets four weeks ago at MetLife Stadium.
The Jets offense could not move the ball. The defense had a number of letdowns. Geno Smith was benched at halftime and the Jets dropped their third straight game.
Since that 23-3 loss, the Jets are 2-1 and have played much better. Coach Rex Ryan insists the team has improved over that span, but acknowledges it must prove it Sunday in Florida.
“We’ll see if we’re better and we’ll see how much better we are,” Ryan said. “I’m confident that our football team is better, but the challenge in front of us I think is obviously going to be big. It’s a talented football team we’re up against.”
Owner Woody Johnson and general manager John Idzik likely already have made their decision on Ryan’s future as Jets coach, but if one of the things they believe is Ryan improved this team down the stretch then a loss Sunday, particularly a bad one, would be a blow to that argument.
Several Jets players agreed with Ryan that they are a better team than they were in early December. But the Jets now need to prove it. Their two wins have come at home against the Raiders and Browns, two teams that are not going to the playoffs. They lost on the road to the Panthers, but showed plenty of fight in the game and were down by just three points entering the fourth quarter.
“You do want to play your best ball at the end of the season. I feel like we’ve done that,” wide receiver David Nelson said. “In order to cement that, we have to win this weekend. It will all be for nothing if we don’t come out and win this game Sunday.”
Ryan has avoided talking about his job security or giving many assessments of how he has done this season. He did admit Tuesday how bothered he is that the Jets have now missed the playoffs for three straight years. After consecutive AFC title games in his first two years, the team has spent January at home the past three years.
“I don’t like the fact that we haven’t been to the playoffs in three straight years. That’s a huge thorn in my side and everybody else’s,” Ryan said. “The goals of the organization is to win championships and multiple championships and we haven’t done that. I haven’t been successful at doing that yet. I understand that.”
The Dolphins are playing for their playoff lives Sunday. They need to win to have a chance at the final AFC wild card. Anyone who watched the first meeting between the two teams would think the Dolphins won’t have much of a problem. The Jets managed just 39 yards and two first downs in the first half and then gave up two long touchdown passes in the third quarter.
“We got our butts handed to us,” guard Willie Colon said. “That was a pivotal game in the season and we let it slip through our hands. We didn’t come out to play.”
But Ryan said this Jets team is different than the one the Dolphins saw four weeks ago.
“I talk about how this team has improved. I see this team going in the right direction,” Ryan said. “I think this is an opportunity to see how accurate that statement is because the Miami Dolphins … they whipped us pretty good. … It was ugly, without question.”