The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins meet under the primetime lights of Monday Night Football (7:15 p.m. EDT, ESPN) with both AFC East rivals desperate to avoid the dreaded 0-4 start.
The Dolphins lead the all-time series 61–57–1, but the Jets won the most recent meeting, a 32-20 victory in East Rutherford on Jan. 5. However, history favors Miami at home, where the Dolphins are 34-25-1 against the Jets and have won nine straight in South Florida. New York’s last win at Hard Rock Stadium came in Rex Ryan’s finale as head coach to close out the 2014 season.
This will be the 14th time the two franchises square off on Monday Night Football, with the Jets holding a slim 7-6 advantage.
Tua Tagovailoa Miami’s quarterback is 6-0 against the Jets as a starter, including a 331-yard, two-touchdown performance in a Week 14 comeback win last season. Head coach Mike McDaniel also owns a 5-2 record against New York.
The Jets’ new head coach is searching for his first win. A loss Monday would make him just the third coach in team history—joining Adam Gase (2019) and Lou Holtz (1976)—to begin his Jets tenure 0-4.
The New York Jets offense is just 3 for 22 on third downs over its last two games and has yet to force a takeaway this season, a franchise first through three games. Running back Breece Hall, who opened the year with 107 yards in Week 1, has been bottled up since with just 50 yards on 19 carries.
Miami hasn’t opened a season 0-4 since 2019, but an inconsistent offense and porous run defense have put them in a precarious spot. Despite ranking just 23rd in total offense and 25th in scoring, the Dolphins lead the league in third down conversion rate (54.3%) and are converting nearly 88% of their attempts in short-yardage situations.
Running back De’Von Achane has been a bright spot, hauling in 18 catches through three weeks—the most by a Dolphins back to start a season since 1970. Rookie Ollie Gordon II also made his mark with a touchdown and three successful third-and-short conversions last week at Buffalo.
Defensively, Miami is allowing 133 rushing yards per game, an issue that could resurface if Hall rediscovers his Week 1 form.
The Dolphins scaled back their downfield passing game against the Bills, instead relying on checkdowns and the ground attack. Both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were held under 40 yards but still managed touchdowns. This week, Miami insists it must reestablish its vertical passing identity—the same approach that made them the NFL’s most explosive offense two years ago.
The Jets’ defense, meanwhile, is shorthanded and plagued by missed tackles, which could leave opportunities for Miami’s receivers to stretch the field.
For the Jets, another loss would mark their ninth 0-4 start in franchise history and the first since 2020, when they began the year 0-13. Miami, meanwhile, hasn’t been winless through four games since the 2019 campaign, which ended at 5-11.
With both teams facing mounting urgency, Monday night in Miami is shaping up to be more than just a divisional showdown—it’s a fight for survival in the AFC playoff picture.
