The New York Jets enter Week 7 with an opportunity to get back on track at MetLife Stadium. The winless Miami Dolphins visit on Sunday.
New York's 26-19 loss to the New England Patriots was frustrating because opportunities to pull off the upset were there, but another divisional matchup gives the Jets a chance to respond.
Miami enters the contest at 0-5 after its Week 6 bye, while the Jets are 2-4 and trying to avoid another setback. New York has lost four of its last five games, and they have failed to score 20 points four times during that stretch.
The circumstances favor New York, but this rivalry has a way of making things complicated, especially when one team is desperate for victory. With that in mind, it's time to make some bold predictions
for Sunday's matchup, including a few outcomes that might not be on everyone's radar.
Geno Smith throws two touchdown passes, including one to Garrett Wilson
Smith threw for 252 yards and a touchdown against New England, but his first interception of the season proved costly. He needs to respond with a cleaner performance against Miami, particularly if the Jets want to establish some rhythm early rather than waiting until the second half to find their passing game.
Prediction: Smith throws two touchdown passes without an interception, with Wilson catching one of them. Getting New York's top receiver involved earlier would give the offense a better chance to dictate the pace rather than play catch-up.
Omar Cooper Jr. scores in consecutive games
Cooper's return from injury against the Patriots was one of the brightest developments of the afternoon. He caught six passes for 103 yards and his first career touchdown, immediately showing the potential to become a dependable option alongside Wilson.
Now comes the challenge of following that performance with another productive outing. Prediction: Cooper winds up on the other end of the other Geno Smith TD pass as he finds the end zone for the second straight week. Here's where he begins giving Smith another reliable target as the Jets look to build continuity in the passing game.
David Bailey records two more sacks
Bailey recorded three sacks against Cleveland in Week 5, then went without one against New England. That swing illustrates how difficult it can be for a pass rusher to produce consistently, but Miami presents an opportunity to bounce back.
Prediction: Bailey records two sacks against the Dolphins, helping set the tone for a defense looking to rediscover its disruptive form.
The Jets force three turnovers and limit the Dolphins to 275 yards or fewer
The Jets need to pressure Miami's quarterback into hurried decisions and capitalize when he puts the ball in danger. Creating turnovers would give New York additional possessions and help compensate for an offense that has struggled to sustain drives.
Prediction: New York forces at least two turnovers, creating opportunities for the offense to score without having to manufacture long drives on every possession. The extra possessions also help keep the Dolphins offense off the field.
Jets break the 20-point barrier and win by seven
The Jets have struggled to score consistently this season, but Sunday's matchup offers an opportunity to change that narrative. New York has the playmakers to produce more than 20 points, particularly if Geno Smith establishes an early connection with Garrett Wilson and Omar Cooper Jr.
That's where all predictions for this one begin. New York will continue building on positives established against New England. The defense also has a chance to create favorable field position by forcing turnovers and putting pressure on Miami's quarterback. If the Jets capitalize on those opportunities instead of settling for field goals or wasting possessions, they can generate enough offense to control the game.
Prediction: Jets 24, Dolphins 17. New York finally breaks the 20-point barrier, gets a more complete performance from its offense, and earns a seven-point victory at MetLife Stadium to improve to 3-4. That gives them momentum as they enter a Week 8 home date with the Las Vegas Raiders.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets vs. Dolphins: Bold predictions for Week 7
