The 4-6 Jets require several things to happen for a metro area shoppers'-special victory over the 7-3 Dolphins at MetLife Stadium this afternoon in the NFL's first Black Friday game.
On offense, they need their rebuilt quarterback depth chart to spark their struggling offense. And the simplest way to do that would be for new starter Tim Boyle to get comfortable in the pocket with his patented quick release and get the offense finally up and running (and throwing) for a full 60 minutes. Behind him, former and current Jets QB Trevor Siemian was signed from the practice squad to the active roster earlier this week and is Boyle's first backup.
Zach Wilson will be available but only as the Jets' emergency QB. This will be the first game this season that head coach Robert Saleh has listed any third QB.
Impacting the quarterback, of course, is the Jets offensive line, which has some up-and-down news on today's inactives. Duane Brown, who started the first two games at LT before missing the past eight on short-term IR with a hip injury, was moved to the active roster Thursday and is active for this game. And Mekhi Becton, who moved to LT for Brown in Game 3 and departed last week's game in the first quarter with an ankle injury, is inactive.
No announcement was made regarding the Jets' OL alignment and whether Brown would return as the starter. Rookie Carter Warren came in at LT when Becton went down on Sunday, and Billy Turner, who missed the last two games with a finger problem, is also available.
See photos the Jets arriving for Black Friday Football against the Miami Dolphins.
On defense, the Green & White will need a finely orchestrated, low-mistake defensive game, from its high-energy front four, LBs C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams, and the secondary led by corners Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed. to keep a lid on the "Miami Pound Machine," a.k.a. the Dolphins offense. Led by QB Tua Tagovailoa, WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and RB Raheem Mostert, the Dolphins come into this game with the NFL's No. 1 offense in a variety of categories — total yards per play and game, rushing yards per carry, net passing yards per game and red zone touchdown rate.
The specialists will also factor in here, particularly in the return games. Jets rookie Xavier Gipson, who's experienced the highs (opening-night game-winning punt return vs. the Bills) and lows (lost fumble on opening kickoff at Buffalo), will be matching returns with Braxton Berrios, the fan favorite he replaced on the Jets and now the 'Fins returner, back from missing last Sunday's win over the Raiders with a hamstring injury.
Also inactive for the first time this season: WR Allen Lazard. Wideout Randall Cobb, inactive the past four games, is active.
On the Jets defense, nickel Michael Carter, who missed the Bills game with a hamstring injury sustained late in the week of practice, didn't practice all week, was listed as doubtful for the Dolphins, and is inactive again.
This is the Jets' seven-player inactive list for Black Friday (opening kickoff at 3:02 pm ET):
- Emergency QB Zach Wilson
- WR Allen Lazard
- CB Michael Carter
- LB Sam Eguavoen
- DL Carl Lawson
- OL Austin Deculus
- T Mekhi Becton
And these are the Dolphins' six inactives:
- WR Robbie Chosen
- Emergency QB Skylar Thompson
- RB De'Von Achane
- CB Eli Apple
- OL Robert Jones
- WR Chase Claypool
