Three sets of statistical trends, records, marks and highlights by the Jets in their 27-21 loss to the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night:
Justin Unfurls a Long TD Run
Jets HC Aaron Glenn is a look-at-the-tape guy, but he did see some things he liked out of QB Justin Fields' return to the starting QB role from his concussion before going to the videotape. "I thought he did some really good things," AG said "Obviously, he was running around out there, made some plays with his feet, and I thought towards the end of that game, he was dealing the ball pretty well."
The feet part was noteworthy. Fields' scrambling, weaving 43-yard touchdown run got the Jets close at a 17-10 deficit early in the third quarter.
It was the third-longest run by a Jets QB and the longest QB giddyup on the road in franchise history.. All three were TDs and with all three came in the past 6 seasons: Sam Darnold in 2020, on a 46-yard dash vs. Denver at MetLife on TNF, then Zach Wilson in 2021 from 52 yards away vs. Jacksonville, also at home. And two of those QBs were on the Hard Rock field Monday night — Wilson is now Tua Tagovailoa's backup and didn't play against the team that selected him in the first round of the '21 draft.
Finally, Fields' 81 rush yards are also third-most in a game among Jets QBs all-time, behind Wilson (91 yards) and Darnold (84) in the above-mentioned TD games. Something tells us Fields is far from finished running the ball for long distances as a pro.
Green & White Still Grinding
Fields was joined by featured back Breece Hall at the top of the Jets' rushing chart at Miami. Hall dashed for 81 yards on 14 carries with longs of 23 and 17. And even though the Green & White ground game has yet to make a winning difference, it seems to be building a foundation. The Jets totaled a season-high 197 yards at 7.04 yards/carry vs. the Dolphins, the 9th-highest team rushing number in a game this season, in the process bumping the Jets' 182 yards on opening day vs. the Steelers to 12th.
The rushing performances against the Bills and Bucs were less dynamic, yet the Jets still are riding high in the NFL's rankings. Their 144.5 rush yards/game is 3rd in the NFL — the first time they've been that highly ranked this late in a season since they were 1st and then 3rd after Weeks 6-7 in 2015. And their 5.21 yads/carry is also 3rd, their best ranking after 4 games since they were also 3rd in 2010 at 5.12 yards/carry.
Maybe the rushing edge will come Sunday at MetLife against the Dallas? The Cowboys' defensive yards/game rankings: 32nd in total yards, 20th in rush yards 32nd in pass yards.
Folk Hero Saga Continues
Nick Folk might be tired of "Folk Hero," former HC Rex Ryan's nickname for the ageless kicker, but the moniker is well-deserved. Folk, who recently predicted to nyjets.com senior reporter Eric Allen that field goal successes might be getting even longer these days due to new K-ball regulations, jumped in on that trend with a 58-yard FG to get the Jets on the Hard Rock scoreboard at 0:00 of the first half, then punched a 50-yarder through the uprights in the fourth quarter.
Folk's career-long 58-yarder is tied for the second-longest FG in franchise history (Anders Carlson hit from 58 at home last year) and it's the second-longest road kick, trailing only Greg Zuerlein's 60-yarder at Minnesota in '22. And with two 50s at Miami, Folk extends his Jets record for most 50+ field goal conversions to 22.
