3 Takeaways from Jets' Week 5 Win vs. Dolphins

Things are looking up for the New York Jets.

The Jets were one of the most underwhelming teams in the league last season. They won a mere four games, ranked 28th in scoring and ranked dead-last in both points and yards allowed.

With Sunday's big win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins, New York moved to 3-2 on the season and into second place in the AFC East. This is far from a perfect squad, but the Jets are far more competitive than they were a year ago.

New York will need to show more consistency moving forward, but the idea of the Jets making the playoffs isn't outrageous. The Jets showed Sunday that they're a foe that demands respect in 2022.

Here's what else we learned from New York's 40-17 win over Miami.

OC Mike LaFleur Is Finding His Stride

Mike LaFleur (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

FLORHAM PARK, NJ - AUGUST 01: Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur speaks after training camp at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on August 1, 2022 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

The Jets defense is still a work-in-progress. New York came into the game ranked 10th in total defense but only 25th in points allowed. The defense fared well against Miami, though it's worth noting that backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater got the start in place of Miami's Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) and left the game in the first quarter because of concussion protocol.

With all due respect to Miami third-stringer Skylar Thompson, there's not a lot to glean from New York's defensive performance.

The offense, on the other hand, is getting interesting. Mike LaFleur's unit hummed on Sunday, as it did for stretches over the first month. The Jets came in ranked eighth in yardage and 18th in scoring. They racked up 322 yards, averaged 5.8 yards per play and put up 40 points.

The Jets offense is much more potent than it was a year ago. The change is, in part, because of the addition of players like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. However, LaFleur deserves a ton of credit for his growth as a play-caller.

Last season was LaFleur's first in charge of an NFL offense—he was previously the passing-game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers. It didn't go as desired.

However, LaFleur has done a much better job of utilizing his playmakers and crafting game plans.

The Jets have the talent to be dangerous offensively, and LaFleur is ensuring that they are.

Breece Hall Can Be a Star

Breece Hall (Edward Diller/Getty Images)

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 09: Breece Hall #20 of the New York Jets runs against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium on October 09, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Edward Diller/Getty Images)

LaFleur didn't lean too heavily on second-year quarterback Zach Wilson (14-of-21 for 210 yards) but still showcased his offensive assets in the blowout win—and it was impressive.

"Bro, we're so good. We have so much potential to be so good," Hall said during the game, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.

No player was better Sunday than Hall, who finished with 97 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards on two catches and a touchdown. This was a coming-out party for Hall, who has emerged as an offensive centerpiece over the past two weeks.

The Iowa State product logged just 21 carries over the first three weeks while splitting time with second-year running back Michael Carter. While Carter is still part of the game plan, Hall notched 17 and 18 carries in Weeks 4 and 5, respectively.

Over the past two weeks, Hall has amassed 275 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns.

It's clear that Hall is fully capable of being the Jets' lead back ahead of Carter (10 carries on Sunday). It's also clear that Hall can be a dual-threat star in the NFL and just might have a shot at Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Expect New York's offense to largely run through Hall moving forward.

Sauce Gardner Is Settling in as a No. 1 Corner

Sauce Gardner (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: Sauce Gardner #1 of the New York Jets celebrates after the play against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium on September 25, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Hall wasn't the only rookie who shined against Miami. Former Cincinnati corner Sauce Gardner also had a big day, notching his first career interception and forcing an intentional-ground penalty that resulted in a safety and an early 2-0 lead.

While Gardner showed glimpses of promise through the first month, it wasn't always perfect. The 22-year-old only surrendered 129 yards in coverage, but he also allowed an opposing passer rating of 100.5 when targeted—according to Pro Football Reference.

Sunday's performance—he also had five tackles—showed that Gardner is beginning to put it all together. He performed like a legitimate No. 1 corner against a Dolphins team that features Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Yes, he did it against a third-string quarterback, but that shouldn't diminish the growth we've seen from Gardner thus far.

Cornerback isn't an easy position in the NFL, and Gardner is starting to show exactly why the Jets took a chance on him with the fourth overall pick in April's draft. The former Bearcat isn't an elite shutdown corner just yet, but the potential to be one is there.

It's not a stretch to say that New York has two Rookie of the Year candidates on its roster this year.

While head coach Robert Saleh deserves a lot of credit for leading New York to a 3-2 start, general manager Joe Douglas may deserve even more for putting this young squad together.