Miami Dolphins face New York Jets: Black Friday NFL on Sky Sports - all you need to know ahead of AFC East matchup

The Miami Dolphins (7-3) visit the New York Jets (4-6) on Black Friday, live on Sky Sports NFL from 7.30pm, with kick-off from 8pm.

Image: New York Jets quarterback Tim Boyle in action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Friday Night Football on Sky Sports normally consists of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Kelly Cates and co kicking off a weekend of Premier League football... Well, this week, the NFL takes over!

We're heading Stateside on Friday for some Black Friday football - the first time an NFL game has been scheduled for the traditional shopping discount day that follows the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.

It's Miami Dolphins at New York Jets in a key AFC West divisional clash - and it's live on Sky Sports NFL from 7.30pm on Friday night (kick-off, 8pm). Here's all you need to know about the must-watch matchup.

When and where can I watch?

Miami Dolphins (7-3) @ New York Jets (4-6)
Sky Sports NFL (channel 407)
Live coverage from 7.30pm
Kick-Off, 8pm
Live blog commentary of the game available on skysports.com/nfl

Also, to celebrate the first-ever NFL game held on Black Friday, Sky Sports are not only broadcasting it live but Neil Reynolds, Phoebe Schecter, Jason Bell, Jeff Reinebold and Hannah Wilkes will be leading the live coverage from an NFL fan event in Manchester.

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Speaking on Inside the Huddle, Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold agree that the decision to allow Tyreek Hill to be traded away is now costing the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are teaming up to host their first official UK watch party in Shooters Bar, Bierkeller Manchester for Friday's festivities - doors opening at 5pm.

The last time the NFL staged a game on a Friday that wasn't in December - during which the league has previously played on a Friday around Christmas - was when the Los Angeles Rams faced the St Louis Cardinals on September 18, 1970. The league has not played on a Friday that was not a holiday day since 1986.

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How do the two teams match up?

The Dolphins (7-3), no doubt, head into the contest as heavy favourites, currently sitting atop the AFC West, and fourth in the conference, with seven wins through 11 weeks. The Jets (4-6), meanwhile, are in free fall having lost three straight.

Both had strong playoff aspirations prior to the start of the season, with New York welcoming former Green Bay Packers quarterback, and four-time league MVP, Aaron Rodgers to the Big Apple, hoping he could lead them to a first postseason berth for 12 years.

Jeff Reinebold, Phoebe Schecter and Jason Bell make their picks for the current NFL MVP.

While the season started with a stunning overtime success over the Buffalo Bills, Rodgers' torn Achilles suffered four plays into the same game significantly soured his welcome party. Their stout and super-talented defense has just about kept them competitive since, giving up just 19.1 points per game, until the Bills put up 32 on them in the return clash in Bufalo last week.

And while the defense has done its best, the offense sans Rodgers is, frankly, pretty abysmal. The Jets average just 15 points per game, and a paltry 270.3 yards of offense per contest to sit in the bottom three in both categories.

It has prompted a change at quarterback for the Black Friday matchup with Miami, where journeyman backup Tim Boyle will come in for the continually-underwhelming Zach Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But will it prompt a change in fortunes?

Not if the high-powered Dolphins offense has any say on the matter.

Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill leaves the Las Vegas Raiders defence clawing at thin air as he sprints away for his ninth touchdown of the season!

Miami boast the No 1 total offense, the only team to tally over 400 yards per game (434 YPG), while they are also the NFL's top scorers, putting up a massive 30.5 points per game.

A slight criticism levelled at the Dolphins, however, has been that they've generally feasted on the weak. They've yet to beat a team this season with a winning record. Their three defeats, meanwhile, have come against Buffalo, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs - the latter two having been last year's Super Bowl finalists.

Players to watch out for

There's so many to choose from, but you simply have to start with Miami's loaded offense and, specifically, star receiver Tyreek Hill.

A former Super Bowl winner with the Chiefs, Hill is into his second season with the Dolphins since his blockbuster trade in the summer of 2022. And the 29-year-old has thrown himself firmly into league MVP contention, having racked up a frightening 1,222 already - and nine touchdowns, eclipsing his tally of seven last season - after only 10 games!

Highlights of the Buffalo Bills against the New York Jets in Week 11 of the NFL season.

Tasked with stopping the speedster will be Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, one of the standouts on the Jets defense and, arguably, the best defensive back in the league.

Life may be a struggle in New York right now, but the Jets' passing D is one of their lone positives, sitting in the top five for passing yards allowed per game (178.7), thanks in large part to their second-year shutdown corner. Hill vs Gardner should be a fascinating tussle.

Jermaine Johnson and Bryce Huff lead the Jets with five sacks apiece, while Bradley Chubb tops the Dolphins sack chart with six alongside 5.5 for Jaelan Phillips.

In terms of the Jets offense, naturally all eyes will be on Tim Boyle as the perennial backup looks to give this badly flagging unit a spark. Garrett Wilson is undoubtedly his life jacket at receiver, having logged less than 50 yards only three times this season... that said, he has been kept out of the end zone since Week Two.

Jeff Reinebold carves the Sky Sports NFL turkey as the Thanksgiving celebrations begin!

As for who might be lining up against him, Jalen Ramsey - back from a knee injury that saw him miss the first seven games of the season - has had quite the impact since his return, registering three interceptions in as many games, including a pair of them last week in the win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Breece Hall leads the way out of the backfield for New York with 544 rushing yards, while Raheem Mostert fronts Mike McDaniel's ground game with 691 yards and 11 scores as he prepares to enter Friday's game without injured running companion De'Von Achane.

The Miami Dolphins (7-3) visit the New York Jets (4-6) on Black Friday, live on Sky Sports NFL from 7.30, with kick-off from 8pm.

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