Is the air lighter in the U.K.? How else to explain Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 58-yard fling on the team’s first offensive play Sunday, or that at 33, the Amish rifle was suddenly running like Usain Bolt? OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but still, the fact that the Jets QB outgained Miami’s running backs tells you that things were just a bit different on the other side of the pond.
The Jets dominated the admittedly awful Dolphins at London’s Wembley Stadium, putting forth an effort that should’ve resulted in a four-TD margin instead of the actual 27-14 score.
In the Jets’ defense (not like they need much help in that department), the sorry Fish did have two things going for them: refs that apparently believed you can only flag one of the two teams when outside the U.S.; and Jarvis Landry, their receiver/return man/running threat, transforming from a non-entity to the Incredible Hulk during halftime.
I’m not sure if Landry got into the Jets’ bountiful toilet paper stash during the intermission, but, after a quiet first half, the second-year pro out of LSU was a one-man wrecking crew in the second. He too outrushed the Dolphin RBs, even though he only carried it twice, while also inflicting damage as a punt returner and receiver.
Meanwhile, the officials seemed to hold something against the Jets (the jealous zebras obviously were stuck with U.K.-grade TP). Maybe it was the yellow flag they kept throwing anytime Gang Green so much as sneezed. The Jets -- who were considered the visitors Sunday but understandably didn’t expect their opponent to enjoy true home-field advantage -- were flagged 15 times. The refs were an even bigger offensive weapon for Miami than Landry, giving the Dolphins an additional 163 yards in Jet penalties.
However, the officials’ biggest offense was a non-call on an “interception” Miami DB Zackary Bowman made late in the third quarter. To call Bowman guilty of pass interference on the play would’ve been worthy of a penalty itself for the egregiousness of the understatement. What Bowman did was more like “pass annihilation,” as he essentially tackled Jets WR Devin Smith while the ball was still in the air. Still, no flag was thrown.
In fairness, the unfairness didn’t really have much of an impact, since the Fish didn’t belong on the same field as the Jets -- even if the field in question is one normally used for the kind of football we call soccer.
I don’t know if Miami is the worst team in the NFL, but if not, they’re diligently working toward that distinction. If the game is won in the trenches, as they say, the Dolphins will be lucky to get another W all year. They can’t block when they have the ball, and they can’t shed blocks when they don’t.
U.S. & World
Both teams are on a bye after the Trans-Atlantic trip. But while the Dolphins appear eager for the season to end just four games in, the 3-1 Jets look like they’re raring to go.
