The Jets haven't seen much of their division opponents through the first half of the season. But that's about to change in a big way.

Four of the Jets' next five games will be against the AFC East, including a stretch of three straight that starts on Sunday in South Florida. It's a critical stretch of the schedule as the Jets try to dig out of a 3-5 hole for the third consecutive season. And Sunday is the Jets' most meaningful game of the season so far. Here's a look at what to expect.

Jets at Dolphins

Hard Rock Stadium

Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV: CBS

Line: Dolphins by 3

What's at stake

Jets: The season is essentially on the line. Sure, if the Jets lose on Sunday to fall to 3-6 they won't be mathematically eliminated. But it would be their third straight loss and their second to the Dolphins this season. There would be no reason to believe they can climb out of that hole. But with a win, suddenly things would be looking up for the Jets. They'd be 4-5 with a home game against Buffalo before their bye week. The Jets say they've learned from the mistakes of last season and grown. This is their chance to prove it.

Dolphins: Since starting the season 3-0 the Dolphins have plummeted back to earth, losing four out of their last five. last week's blowout in Texas was demoralizing. They're trying to stop the spiral with a loss to the Jets. It won't be easy without Ryan Tannehill, who will miss his fourth straight with a shoulder injury. But the Dolphins have found a way to deliver the Jets heartbreaking, season-changing defeats the last two seasons at Hard Rock Stadium. And now they have the chance to do it again.

Key matchup

Dolphins quarterback Brock Osweiler vs. Jets' secondary: In his first three games filling in for Tannehill, Osweiler has done it all — both good and bad. He threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Bears. he looked and led the Dolphins to a win over the Bears. He struggled mightily in last week's loss to the Texans. It's on the Jets' secondary to make sure this is another miserable day for to make sure he struggles again and force him into bad decisions. The Jets forced 15 takeaways in their first six games but haven't forced a single one in the last two. That has to change, and the secondary has the best chance to get it done.

How they'll win

Jets: They need to get something out of the offense, in particular the run game. Since running for 323 yards in their Week 5 win over the Broncos, the Jets have rushed for only 235 yards combine in their last three games. That's not good enough. Rookie quarterback Sam Darnold needs to have a strong day and find a way to move the ball consistently, even if his two best receivers — Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa are both recovering from ankle sprains — aren't on the field. The Dolphins are ranked 23rd in the league against the pass, and 29th against the run. The offense should be able to get something going. But in the end it's time for the defense to step up. It's the healthiest and supposedly strength of this Jets team. If they can keep Osweiler in check and force a turnover or two, the Jets will have a chance.

Dolphins: The stats aren't flattering to the Dolphins' defense. But there is one thing they're good at: forcing takeaways. the Dolphins have 15 takeaways through the first eight games — tied for seventh most in the league. An early takeaway could set the tone in a big way. Offensively, look for the Dolphins to try to establish the run with Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake. The Dolphins have at least 100 yards in six of eight games this season, including four straight. If they can find success on the ground and force a Jets turnover or two, Miami should find itself with a chance to win late.

Email: vasqueza@northjersey.com

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