EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — — Robert Saleh had a clear message for his team when the New York Jets gathered for off-season practice in April.
To become a winning franchise, he told them, they must first win their games in the AFC East.
That’s no small task for the Jets, who have fallen 12 straight in their division – with the last win in Week 17 against Buffalo to close out the 2019 season.
“The fastest way to the playoffs is to win your division, right?” Saleh said this week. “And that’s all you have control over: beating your divisional opponents and all that sort of thing. It’s on our signs, ‘Own the East’, so if you’re trying to be that playoff team, you’ve got to be great in the division, and this organization and this team haven’t won in the division in a while. ”
New York each has four consecutive losses to Miami, Buffalo and New England during that period.
The Jets (2-2) get a chance to change that trend — and the story — at MetLife Stadium on Sunday when they take on the Dolphins (3-1).
“Obviously this is our first opponent, first division opponent, and we’re in a great division with New England, Miami and Buffalo — three damn good football teams,” Saleh said. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to play against Miami.
“They have guns everywhere, they have a great head coach and it’s going to be a fun game.”
They usually find themselves between this division’s rivals, with the Dolphins holding a slight lead – 57-55-1, including playoffs – after beating the Jets four times in a row and eight of their last nine encounters.
“I understand the history of this rivalry as a football fan,” said Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who starts in place of injured Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered a concussion against Cincinnati. “We have a chance at 3-0 in the division. That would be huge for us. That’s one thing we’re stressing now.
“We know that we are playing against a very good Jets team. It is a young team with young talent, but those guys play good football. We know that they will give us their best.”
The Dolphins, who could take the franchise’s 500th win, including playoffs, come after their first loss of the season, a 27-15 loss to Cincinnati. A win against New York would give Miami its first 4-1 start since 2003.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets are trying to get 3-2 for the first time since 2017 after making a fourth-quarter comeback last week in a win in Pittsburgh — led by quarterback Zach Wilson in his first start of the season.
HELLO, OLD FRIEND
Miami coach Mike McDaniel knows Saleh very well. Former assistants to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, the two have a history that spans more than a decade.
The two were also assistants on Gary Kubiak’s staff with the Texans in 2006.
“And then we were both let loose in Houston at one point,” McDaniel said, “and scratching and claws to stay in the league.”
The two remain close together and Saleh impressed McDaniel with his cleverness at the time.
“He would always surprise me because we’d have a problem with our printer,” McDaniel said, “we’re trying to print Visio or Excel or something, and he wouldn’t call IT. He’d just open this guide and figure out how to get this stuff to find out.
McDaniel and Saleh will meet as head coaches for the first time on Sunday.
“To watch him from a distance, watch some of his press conferences, talk to some of the guys on the staff,” Saleh said, “you always knew when he got his chance, he would grab the moment and absolutely charge and show how, not necessarily a strong personality, but how convinced he is in his beliefs and his philosophy.”
CLOSE THIS
Tyreek Hill almost joined the Jets in the off-season. There was one big thing that kept it from happening.
“Those state taxes, man,” Hill said. “I realized I had to make a mature decision, and here I am in an amazing city in Miami.”
Hill, acquired by Miami from Kansas City in March, is a great fit for his new team. He leads the league in yards receiving (477) and is tied for second with Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs with 31 receptions.
ZACH IS BACK
Wilson completed just eight of his first 24 passes for 124 yards through three quarters last week, but he went 10 out of 12 for 128 yards while leading two touchdown drives in the final period.
The sophomore quarterback’s resilience and confidence in the crunch time drew rave reviews from teammates and coaches.
“It was great to have Zach back,” said safety Lamarcus Joyner. “After missing the first three (games), he did well to come back. He was composed and mobile and made some really good throws and decisions.”
THE RUN GAME
The dolphins are 29th in hasty attack over four weeks. They have not had a 100-yard rusher and average 3.5 yards per carry.
McDaniel said Miami needed more dedication from him, starting with the games mentioned, and better execution from everyone on the team.
“It’s not unfounded to have a four-game block where you’re in a phase and that becomes a strength of yours as the season goes on,” McDaniel said. “As a coaching staff and as a team, that’s our plan, to make progress and become a strength of ours.”
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AP Sports Writer Alanis Thames contributed to this report.
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