NFL.com preview of Jets- Miami game

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Miami at N.Y. Jets

NFL.com wire reports

Matchup Breakdown | Game Notes

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (Aug. 15, 2005) -- To call the New York Jets' season-opening effort a disappointment would be an understatement.

The Jets will try to regroup following an embarrassing loss in Kansas City when they take on the surprising Miami Dolphins.

With the exception of suffering a major injury, everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Jets during a 27-7 loss to the Chiefs. They couldn't stop the run, couldn't hold on to the football, committed bad penalties and displayed an overall lack of intensity. Considering the fact that they were picked by many to make their fourth playoff appearance in five years this season, their 2005 debut was a total disaster.

"We're not some glamour team because we're in New York," said coach Herman Edwards, who was hired in 2001. "We're a blue ocollar, hard oworking team. We do certain things, how we play. When you play that way, you have a chance to win in this league. We didn't play that way."

Of the many culprits that played a role in the loss, nobody took more heat in the media than Chad Pennington. The veteran quarterback admitted late in the preseason he wasn't comfortable with new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger's scheme and on Sunday it showed.

Pennington fumbled six times, losing two, often looking completely lost in the shotgun, a formation he ran successfully in college at Marshall.

"You take a ballgame like that and say, 'OK it was more or less a fluke as far as how we lost,"' Pennington said. "Just chalk it up to that probably won't happen again. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Just focus in. You have to have a little anxiety in your stomach, make sure you come out and play better."

Though Pennington is trying to stay positive, the Jets often looked undisciplined, unprepared and unfocused in the loss.

The fourth least-penalized team in the league last year, the Jets were flagged eight times on Sunday for 80 yards. New York was a top 10 team against the run a year ago, but the duo of Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson ran wild, going for 198 yards and three TDs.

If those numbers aren't bad enough, usually sure-handed wide receiver Laveraneus Coles dropped two easy passes that would have been touchdowns. He publicly apologized for his gaffes earlier this week.

Edwards did his best to let his team know that those types of performances are unacceptable.

"Herm doesn't waste his words too much," said running back Curtis Martin, who rushed for just 57 yards in the defeat. "It was necessary. To have him emphasize it and put the responsibility on us, I think was important."

Miami's defense, led by Junior Seau, will be motivated to stuff the Jets.

Despite the turmoil, the Jets are favored against the Dolphins. New York has won 11 of the last 14 meetings between the teams, including a 41-14 victory on Monday Night Football last Nov. 1.

However, the Dolphins appear to be a different team than the one that finished 4-12 last year, their first losing season since 1988. They are coming into this game sky high after easily handling the Denver Broncos 34-10 in new head coach Nick Saban's NFL debut.

Dull and self-destructive last season, Miami's offense showed surprising flair. Rather than nursing a 10-point lead with nine minutes left, journeyman quarterback Gus Frerotte threw long to Marty Booker for a 60-yard score.

"We're not playing not to lose," said tight end Randy McMichael, a reference to former coach Dave Wannstedt's conservative nature. "We're playing to win. When you do that, you're a dangerous team."

Frerotte threw for 275 yards and two scores in the win, and Jason Taylor iced it with an 85-yard fumble return.

"We've won one game," Taylor said. "We won four last year. We've got a ways to go before we match last year. We haven't proved anything."

Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowl performer, hasn't been to the playoffs since 1995. And he knows an opening victory won't get him there so he's keeping things in perspective.

"It's one game," Seau said. "After one game, you're going to be in first place or last place. We're in first place."

STANDINGS: Dolphins -- 1st place (tied), AFC East. Jets -- 4th place, AFC East.

DOLPHINS LEADERS: Offense -- Frerotte, 275 passing yards and 2 passing TDs; Chris Chambers, 61 rushing yards; Sammy Morris, 1 rushing TD; McMichael, 6 receptions; Booker, 104 receiving yards; Booker and McMichael, 1 receiving TD. Defense -- Taylor, 1 sack; Travis Daniels and Lance Schulters, 1 interception.

JETS LEADERS: Offense -- Pennington, 264 passing yards; Jay Fiedler, 1 passing TD; Martin, 57 rushing yards; no rushing TDs; Chris Baker, 7 receptions, 124 receiving yards and 1 receiving TD. Defense -- John Abraham, 1 sack; Ty Law, 1 interception.

DOLPHINS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 151 yards per game (6th in NFL); Passing Offense -- 275 ypg (7th); Total Offense -- 426 ypg (1st). Rushing Defense -- 70 ypg (8th); Passing Defense -- 242 ypg (20th); Total Defense -- 312 ypg (13th).

JETS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 57 yards per game (26th); Passing Offense -- 333 ypg (1st); Total Offense -- 390 ypg (6th). Rushing Defense -- 198 ypg (30th); Passing Defense -- 191 ypg (12th); Total Defense -- 389 ypg (26th).

LAST MEETING: Nov. 1; Jets, 41-14. At East Rutherford, N.J., Pennington threw three TDs, while Martin and LaMont Jordan each rushed for 115 yards and a score as the Jets cruised to the easy win and increased their advantage in the all-time series to 40-37-1.

STREAKS AND NOTES: Dolphins -- LB Zach Thomas has recorded 10 or more tackles in 17 of his last 18 games. ... QB Frerotte has thrown for 708 yards, three TDs and has a passer rating of 95.9 in three career games against AFC East opponents. ... Miami's 426 yards of total offense last week was its most since gaining 436 against Chicago on Dec. 9, 2002. Jets -- The Jets have a plus-36 turnover ratio since Edwards took over in 2001. ... In his NFL debut last week, P Ben Graham posted an AFC-best 44.3-yard net average on three punts, with a long of 51. ... In 19 career games against Miami, RB Martin has rushed for 13 TDs. He rushed for 110-plus yards in both meetings last year, and has 40 carries of 10-plus yards in his career against Miami.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Dolphins -- 0-0 on the road; Jets -- 0-0 at home.