The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets Week 3 matchup on Sunday Night Football is highly anticipated for both fanbases this week.
The weekend is finally here, but this week all of the Dol-Fans and the Jets fans will have to wait until 8 pm eastern to watch their teams play.
So the earlier part of the day, and all of the other games that take place during the 1 pm, and 4 pm time slots should be dedicated to tracking your fantasy roster, and watching very closely which players are earning their keep, or should be released on Monday, or even directly after the game.
So here are the players you should look to make an impact for your team during the Miami-New York night game, from a Miami perspective.
Chad Henne:
Henne holds all of the cards this week. The matchup between him and the Jets secondary is in his favor in the wake of Jets star corner Darrelle Revis. The Dolphins will be looking to spread the field, as they will not be able to run the ball all game long with the stout Jets run defense. With Henne being able to spread the ball around to not only star receiver Brandon Marshall, but Brian Hartline, who had a touchdown last weekend, and slot receiver Davone Bess.
Last week the Dolphins focused on running the ball, and while there may be an early emphasis on getting the running game going, ultimately the Dolphins will need to pass the ball effectively to win this game. Look for Henne to throw for over 250 yards this week, and 2 touchdowns, while throwing one interception. This will be the make or break week for Henne to show everyone that he can be an explosive quarterback in the NFL if his coaches allow him.
Brandon Marshall:
As I mentioned above, expect Henne to spread the wealth around through the air tomorrow night. I'm expecting Marshall to be targeted 10-15 times on Sunday night, with him reeling in 8-10 catches for over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown. Marshall will be a big factor into who wins this game. If he can be a game changer, and the Dolphins get him the ball, then Miami should come out victorious, but if not, then the Jets can make the Dolphins one-dimensional, and shut down the run. Jets cornerback will be matching up opposite of Marshall, and over their short history of facing each other, Marshall has gotten the best of Cromartie, with his highlights coming in an '08 game where he had 18 receptions. If Marshall can dominate Cromartie like he has in the past, and manage to get open on a consistent basis, the Dolphins should roll to the victory through the air.
Dolphins Defense:
The Dolphins defense is the unit that will determine whether or not the Jets win the game or not, obviously. But what I mean by this is that they will be the unit that either crap the bed, or make the bed. I think the offense will put in a solid performance this weekend, and it will be up to the defense to impose their will against Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense. Led by their ferocious pass rush and solid secondary featuring Vontae Davis and Jason Allen, the Fins "D" should shut down "The Sanchize" and their passing game. One of the strengths of this secondary is that they always seem to have solid coverage, and sooner or later when the quarterback tries to force the issue, the secondary jumps in and makes you pay.
Not to mention the pass rush that is always coming and giving you different looks as well. This defense does not like to give up a lot of points, and will come up with a lot of turnovers, after forcing the opposing team to make mistakes. I suggest you pick up the Dolphins defense this week, as Davis and Allen will be looking to intercept any ball that comes their way. This defense has transformed from a simply solid squad to a playmaking, dangerous team that can win the game for you at any time.
The Dolphins feature some other playmakers on their team that I left out, such as Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams and Anthony Fasano, but that is because I do not think that they will be as effective as they should be this week. There certainly will be other running backs that will get more carries and yards than Brown and Williams will get this week, and Fasano will be staying in on multiple occasions to block for them as well, so leave those three out of your starting lineup for sure. But make sure you pick up Henne, Marshall, and the Dolphins Defense. All three are dangerous this week to score some big points.
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