| Jets coach Rex Ryan is looking for the first sweep of the Dolphins since he became coach in 2009. (US Presswire) |
The Jets have been through some ups and downs since they last played Miami in Week 2, but across the board, everyone with the team is confident that they've measurably improved.
They are itching for a win on Sunday and if they can get it, it would be the first time since the arrival of coach Rex Ryan in 2009 that the team will have swept the Dolphins. It would also put New York at 4-4 as it heads into the bye week.
Ryan specifically pointed out the improvement in the run defense although he said they still expect more. "I think it's improved, [but] we're not playing at the level we want to. [Miami] can really run the football. You've got an exceptional back in Reggie Bush."
He described some of the specifics on where the run defense has improved, which they hope to apply against Bush on Sunday: "Our techniques [and] the way we're getting off blocks."
In spite of these improvements, the team remains in 30th place in rushing defense in the NFL.
As for the offense, "We're really starting to find our groove," QB Mark Sanchez said. He added his optimism about the wide receiving corps, even with the loss of Santonio Holmes to a Lisfranc injury.
"All of them have the ability to get open," Ryan said. "They're all capable of being in that [No. 1] role."
What might be the biggest boost for Sanchez and the offense is the return of TE Dustin Keller, the only receiver who has been with Sanchez for his entire four years with the Jets. Now that he has returned from a hamstring injury, Keller is once again providing that safety net for his quarterback.
"I trust him to be at the right spot and at the right time," Sanchez said.
WR Stephen Hill said that facing the Dolphins for the second time, the wide receivers are doing a better job studying and honing in on the specifics of the Miami defense. "We're studying them way better than last time," he said. "We're getting more into detail."
QB Tim Tebow outlined some of the areas where their preparation has improved. "Preparing for some of [Miami's] pressures, their looks and their player groupings," he said. He also added one thing that will be important for the Jets to establish from the start. "Efficient runs early in the game and on first down."
One thing the Jets won't be able to control is injuries, which have dogged them since the offseason. Although Keller, Hill and WR Jeremy Kerley are now healthy after battling hamstring injuries, the team still has RB Joe McKnight dealing with an ankle sprain and both RB Bilal Powell and WR Clyde Gates sidelined with shoulder injuries. In addition, C Nick Mangold has a sprained ankle.
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