Miami Dolphins Week 3 Preview: 10 Things To Watch For Vs The New York Jets

Sunday night's match up between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets is slated to kickoff around 8:20 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, but this game began on April 22nd, when Jason Taylor did the unthinkable.

Dolphin legend and public Jet-hater Jason Taylor swapped allegiances, a move paralleled only by Brett Favre and Johnny Damon. This betrayal provided further spark to a rivalry that ultimately needs no motivation.

In the last year alone, the teams competed in a Monday Night thriller, Channing Crowder and Rex Ryan exchanged a healthy dose of words, and Ryan flipped the bird to some Dolphins fans at a January mixed martial arts fight.

But set aside all of the hoopla, because Sunday night is all that truly matters. Here's 10 things to watch for, Dolfans.

Will The Dolphins Offense Finally Open Up?

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - SEPTEMBER 12: Chad Henne #7 of the Miami Dolphins readies to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the NFL season opener at Ralph Wilson Stadium on September 12, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. Miami won 15-10. (Photo by Rick Stewart

Most 2-0 teams are riding on Cloud 9 at this juncture of a young NFL season, but even after two road victories, the Dolphins are far from comfortable. Primarily, the offense's inability to score points has fans, and now head coach Tony Sparano up in arms.

The Dolphins slid into an ultra-conservative style of play after gaining leads over the Bills and Vikings, and it nearly cost them both games. Posting 15 points and 14 points might suffice against two struggling offenses, but it will not work much longer.

In last season's Week 5 match up against the Jets, the Dolphins unleashed Chad Henne, and reaped the benefits. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns, leading Miami to the team's best and most exhilarating 2009 victory. It just seems counterproductive to keep Henne caged like this.

The football gods blessed the Dolphins with a Darrelle Revis injury, and it's time for coaches Sparano and Henning to let Henne loose.

Braylon Edwards' Status For The Game

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PHILADELPHIA - SEPTEMBER 02: Braylon Edwards #17 of the New York Jets sits on the bench during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 2, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Gett

Everybody is really pissed off at Braylon Edwards.

One week after the Jets introduced a car service for players in need of, well, a driver, Edwards decided it was perfectly fine to drive with a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit with two teammates in the car.

Edwards was pulled over and charged with a DWI, and could now be facing a serious suspension.

I know the Dolphins had their share of legal misfortune this summer and failed to take any action against those players, but the Jets really should suspend Edwards indefinitely. This is a heinous crime.

Jets General Manager Mike Tannebaum already released a statement stating that the organization will allow the NFL to deal with Edwards' penalty, but according a New York Daily News report, his fellow teammates and coach Rex Ryan are not happy with him. If there is truly a mutiny against Edwards in the Jets' locker room, there's a good chance he will end up sitting out Sunday night's game.

And no Braylon Edwards bodes very well for the Dolphins.

Jason Taylor Returns Home

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 27: Jason Taylor #99 of the New York Jets in action against the Washington Redskins during their preseason game on August 27, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Im

The site makes me sick.

Jason Taylor donning the putrid green and white. Who would have thought hd would one day join the dark side?

Considering the Dolphins essentially forced Taylor out of town, it will be interesting to see how Dolfans greet their former beloved sackmaster.

I'll put my money on a healthy dose of cursing and booing, and perhaps a beer or two tossed in number 99's direction.

Antonio Cromartie Vs Brandon Marshall

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DENVER - SEPTEMBER 14: Barndon Marshall #15 of the Denver Broncos makes a touchdown reception as Aontonio Cromartie #31 of the San Diego Chargers defends at Invesco Field at Mile High on September 14, 2008 in Denver, Colorado. Marshall's 6 yard reception

Everybody was quick to forget Ted Ginn's improbable escape from Revis Island during the Jets and Dolphins Week 5 match up last season. That has little relevance to this slide, but I just wanted to remind everybody that Ted Ginn did burn Darrelle Revis for a 53 yard touchdown reception.

Anyway, Revis will be sidelined for Sunday night's game, leaving Antonio Cromartie in a spot he has been in many times before: covering Brandon Marshall.

Remember, Cromartie, a former Charger, and Marshall, a former Bronco, matched up quite a few times during their AFC West days. In fact, Marshall once caught 18 passes against a Cromartie-led Chargers secondary in 2008.

Cromartie did an admirable job covering Randy Moss in Week 2, but Marshall is a much more physical player than Moss, and he could be in for a big day on Sunday night.

Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown Face Another Elite Run Defense

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MINNEAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Ricky Williams #34 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball during the game against the Minnesota Vikings on September 19, 2010 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

One week after churning out 120 yards against a stout Vikings run defense, Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown will not catch a break.

Instead, the Dolphins' workhorses will face a Jets front seven that, despite the loss of nose tackle Kris Jenkins, is ranked third in the NFL against the run, surrendering an average of just 50.5 yards through their first two games.

Despite fear that they would be shut down by the Vikings' historically good front seven, Miami rushed the ball 29 times, and will likely implement a similar game-plan for the Jets. They are not intimidated by anybody, and ran the ball very effectively against New York last season.

Expect to see a healthy dose of the Wildcat, as well.

Which Mark Sanchez Will Show Up on Sunday Night?

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 19: Mark Sanchez #6 of the New York Jets in action against the New England Patriots during their game on September 19, 2010 at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Take a look at Mark Sanchez's Week 1 statistics:

10-for-21, 74 yards. (Almost as gross as that moustache he grew last year.)

Take a look at his Week 2 statistics:

21-for-30, 220 yards, 3 touchdowns.

Sanchez was horrible in Week 1 against a great Baltimore Ravens defense, but he was great against a horrible New England Patriots secondary in Week 2.

So, which Mark Sanchez will the Dolphins see on Sunday night?

If Miami's secondary continues playing at the shut-down level they have over the first two weeks of the regular season, I get a feeling we'll be seeing "Week 1" Sanchez. And if Braylon Edwards is kept out of action, Sanchez will be in a for a very long night.

Davone Bess Is Poised For a Huge Game

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MIAMI - OCTOBER 12: Wide receiver Davone Bess #15 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates after making a catch against the New York Jets at Land Shark Stadium on October 12, 2009 in Miami, Florida. The Dolphins defeated the Jets 31-27. (Photo by Doug Benc/Gett

Without Darrelle Revis, the Jets will be forced to play musical chairs within their defensive backfield. Chances are, Antonio Cromartie will be matched up with Brandon Marshall for the entirety of the game, while Kyle Wilson and some combination of Drew Coleman and Dwight Lowery match up against Davone Bess and Brian Hartline.

The Jets could run into some trouble once the Dolphins trot out some three and four wide receiver sets.

Chad Henne loves to target Davone Bess, and Bess will likely run into some favorable match ups against the Jets' lower tier corners. If Bess gets some separation, expect Chad Henne to get him the ball, and expect to see a few big yardage connections between the two.

Clifton Smith's Quest For a Big Return

The Dolphins jumped at the chance to enlist former Pro Bowl return-man Clifton Smith to their roster after he was cut by the Tampa Bay Bucs earlier this summer. Smith, however, has been extremely unimpressive in his few return attempts.

After three returns, Smith is averaging roughly 11 yards per. That is not what the Dolphins want out of Smith, and he at least begin to show some consistency if he wishes to stay with the team.

Will Rex Ryan Snack On Sun Life Stadium's Toxic Food?

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INDIANAPOLIS - DECEMBER 27: Rex Ryan the Head Coach of the New York Jets watches the action during the NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 27, 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Peyton Manning and many of the Colts starte

Earlier this summer, "Outside the Lines" published an investigative report about the sanitation of stadium food around the country. The report placed a heavy emphasis on Sun Life Stadium's food selection, much of which graded extremely low by regulation standards.

We all know of Rex Ryan's insane appetite for, well, just about anything edible, so how will Rex approach Sunday night?

If he chooses to avoid Sun Life's catering, his hunger will surely leave him in a foul mood for the game; however, if he chooses to devour the stadium's catering, he could suffer the consequences of consuming some very questionable food. Stay tuned.

Can the Dolphins Stay Perfect Against Rex Ryan's Jets?

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MIAMI - OCTOBER 12: Running back Ronnie Brown #23 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates scoring the game winning touchdown against the New York Jets fans prior to their game at Land Shark Stadium on October 12, 2009 in Miami, Florida. Miami defeated New York

Any potential disagreements over which team will emerge victorious Sunday night ended when the Dolphins announced that they will wear their orange uniforms on Sunday night.

All you really need to know about these mystical pieces of orange thread is that the Dolphins have never lost while wearing them. Couple this with Darrelle Revis' absence and the possibility of a Braylon Edwards suspension, and the Dolphins are in good shape to go up 3-0 on Rex Ryan.