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The New York Jets found out that fortune doesn’t always favor the bold.
During the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, the Jets tried to catch their opponents off guard with a fake punt. Facing fourth-and-4 at their own 42, they directly snapped the ball to safety Ashtyn Davis.
Miami wasn’t fooled. Davis got stuffed for a one-yard loss, giving the Dolphins excellent field position following the turnover on downs.
Here’s a look at the questionable play:
Jets fail on a fake punt attempt. #NYJvsMIA pic.twitter.com/T3a0Erj4l8
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) December 17, 2023
On one hand, it’s easy to understand why head coach Robert Saleh would throw caution to the wind.
At 5-8, the Jets are longshots to make the playoffs even if they win their final four games. They’re also road underdogs against a Dolphins team that beat them by 21 three weeks ago, so they might as well empty the playbook with an aggressive game plan.
But a direct snap is an odd choice for a fake punt when needing four yards. It also helped a Dolphins offense playing without superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
Presented with a short field, Miami expanded its lead to 10-0 with a 37-yard field goal from Jason Sanders. Tua Tagovailoa completed his first 10 passes, but the MVP candidate hasn’t unlocked any explosive plays with just 66 yards.
Meanwhile, New York’s offense hasn’t carried over last week’s momentum.
After playing his best game of the season — probably his career — in a 30-6 upset over the Houston Texans, Zach Wilson fumbled four plays into the opening drive. The Dolphins recovered at the 1-yard line, setting up Raheem Mostert’s 19th touchdown of the season.
The Jets might need to dial up more risky calls to rally and keep their season alive.