Dolphins vs. Jets NFL injury report, spread, odds: Tua Tagovailoa vs. Zach Wilson? Mike White? Josh Johnson? Instead, Joe Flacco gets surprising start

Why have the New York Jets been arguably the worst organization in the NFL over the past handful of seasons? Here's an example of one of many bad decisions: When rookie quarterback and No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson went down with a multiple-week knee injury in Week 7, the Jets didn't even consider signing free-agent QB and former league MVP Cam Newton. Instead, they bafflingly sent a sixth-round pick that could become a fifth-rounder to the Eagles for dinosaur Joe Flacco. He will make his first start of the season Sunday against Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins, who are 3-point road favorites.

All offseason, the Jets were questioned for not signing a veteran quarterback to back up Wilson. Mike White became that guy, and he had a historic first start in Week 8, throwing for 405 yards and four touchdowns in an upset of the Bengals. However, that bubble has burst in a big way. White was hurt early the next time out vs. the Colts and then was horrendous last week in a loss to the Bills in throwing four picks without a TD. Perhaps White shouldn't have been a 2018 first-round pick in retrospect like he claimed – he was a fifth-round pick by Dallas.

With Wilson still not ready to return from his knee injury (PCL sprain of right knee), the Jets apparently have ended the White experiment for good by turning to the 36-year-old Flacco, who is 2-10 in is past 12 NFL starts with the Broncos and Jets. Very odd choice considering White could still be developed as a long-term No. 2 and the fact Josh Johnson played well in place of an injured White against the Colts. 

Flacco saw garbage time last week in the loss to Buffalo and was 3-for-3 for 47 yards and a TD as the Bills played prevent defense with a big lead. One of his four starts last year for Gang Green was in Miami and New York lost 24-0 as he was an ugly 21-for-44 for 186 yards and a pick. Still, the Jets likely chose Flacco because of his experience under center against Miami's blitz-heavy defense.

Frankly, even if Flacco looks like he did while winning Super Bowl MVP, it won't matter Sunday if the Jets defense doesn't vastly improve. New York has allowed 175 points in the past four games, the second-most allowed in a four-game span by any team since the 1970 merger. The Jets are the first team to allow at least 45 points in three of four games since the 1966 Giants. For a point of comparison: The Super Bowl-winning 2000 Ravens allowed 165 total points in that regular season.

The Fins will go back to Tagovailoa as the starter. He didn't start either of the past two with a fractured finger on his throwing hand but relieved a banged-up Jacoby Brissett on Thursday in Week 10 and led a 22-10 upset of the Baltimore Ravens. Tua was 8-for-13 for 158 yards and rushed for a score.

His finger is still not 100 percent: "He's definitely limited, there's definitely some discomfort," Coach Brian Flores said early this week.

Miami has won back-to-back games to get to 3-6 and now a wild-card spot doesn't seem so impossible because the next four games including Sunday are very winnable: Week 12 vs. Panthers, Week 13 vs. Giants, Week 14 BYE, Week 15 vs. Jets.

The Dolphins have covered the spread in six straight vs. the Jets.

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