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| | | | | | | |  Tuesday, November 14, 2000
Miami's defense needs to pound Testaverde and Martin
By Eric Dickerson
MondayNightFootball.com
Both the Dolphins and Jets have won this season without an established superstar. The closest thing to a true name player on Monday night is Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde. Miami doesn't have a star right now, which is fine because that defense can smother guys like Testaverde.
|  | | Jay Fiedler leads a mediocre Miami offense. |
The Dolphins defense has gotten a lot better this year -- if that's possible. They remind me of the Bears swarming defense in 1985, where one guy hits you and then the rest follow in a painful domino effect. They hit guys all the way to the ground.
With workhorse running back Curtis Martin and Testaverde moving the ball, the Jets can score on you. So the key to this AFC East game is that Dolphins defense. Who will give first? This is a big one, because it will put the winner in better position to remain atop this highly competitive division (more on this later).
Here's what you should expect on Monday night:
1. When the Dolphins have the ball:
Quarterback Jay Fiedler has made some great passes, but overall this is not a great offensive unit. They run the ball fairly well with Lamar Smith, who's rushed for 405 yards, but it's a very average group that allows the defense to win games for them. There is not one game-breaker in the bunch at any of the skill positions.
The Dolphins seem to fade later in the season because they really haven't had a lot of offense over the last few years. If you can't score points in the league, say over 21 a game, than you are in trouble in today's NFL. Aside from Minnesota and St. Louis, who have been good since Week 1, offenses really begin to hit their stride around mid-October. You need 25 or 30 points a game later in the season to defeat the Colts or Jets on the road, for example. Miami hasn't been able to do that yet.
2. When the Jets have the ball:
Testaverde won't put the Jets in an awkward position. Over the last few years, Testaverde has become one of the NFL's great quarterbacks. He's mature, makes the right reads and can read defenses better than most. He's not a John Elway comeback king with a arm cannon, but Testaverde does possess a 17-3 record as a starter for New York. The big question is: Can Testaverde stay healthy? He's going to get popped against Miami on Monday night, and you wonder if he can still take that big shot and keep playing.
The Jets also depend on Curtis Martin getting 30 carries a game and 110 yards or so because they don't have a great receiving corps. Their main receiver is Wayne Chrebet, who I always looked at as a Steve Largent type, who is sure-handed and runs those perfect routes, yet is not especially fast.
3. Matchup to watch:
The Jets offensive line vs. the Dolphins front seven.
This is going to get nasty right from the Jets' opening series. New York obviously wants to run Martin about 25-30 times a game. Miami knows this, and is better than nearly everyone at using simple but effective schemes of shutting down the run.
4. Key players of the game:
For the Jets: obviously Testaverde and Martin. New York is in trouble if one or both of these guys go down.
For the Dolphins: linebacker Zach Thomas and defensive end Trace Armstrong. Miami's great run-stopper and pass rusher. Thomas, one of the game's great linebackers, suffers from a high ankle sprain and may not play. Armstrong, for reasons I really can't explain, has just put it altogether at 35 and has become a dangerous sack guy on third downs in that defense.
5. Question of the night: Is the AFC East the best division in football?
Absolutely
The Jets and Dolphins are playing well on both sides of the ball, and the Colts are Super Bowl contenders. The Bills will rally behind Doug Flutie and their defense in the next few weeks. New England? The Patriots are having some problems, but they still beat Denver on the road and Indianapolis at home in consecutive weeks, so they shouldn't be taken lightly. This is the NFL's best group top to bottom. Still, outside of Indianapolis, I don't see any Super Bowl contenders here.
Eric Dickerson, a Hall of Fame running back, is a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football.
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Dave Wannstedt says his team is ready for their next opponent.