Here’s a look at how the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets match up in six key areas ahead of Monday’s Week 4 game at Hard Rock Stadium (7:15 p.m., ESPN):

When the Dolphins run: This is where Miami should continue imposing its will after finding success on the ground in last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. De’Von Achane went for 62 rushing yards on 12 carries, and rookie power runner Ollie Gordon II provided a nice complement with nine attempts for 38 yards and a touchdown. The Dolphins have even incorporated wide receiver Malik Washington some on the ground.

The Dolphins are still fourth in the league in rushing average while last in rushing attempts, but they started making strides in closing that gap by running it 25 times last week. Center Aaron Brewer has been a phenomenal run blocker, but he needs some help from guards Jonah Savaiinaea and Kion Smith, who is in at right guard for the injured James Daniels while Larry Borom fills in for Austin Jackson at right tackle.

The Jets rank 23rd against the run. As always, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is up there on the front line. Linebacker Jamien Sherwood is one of the more active tacklers in the league, with 30 in three games this season. Edge: Dolphins

When the Jets run: Running back Breece Hall may have had a down 2024 season, but he still has to be considered one of the more electric runners in the NFL. He’s averaging 4.1 yards per carry. Combine that with the fact that, whoever’s in at quarterback between Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor, is a threat to run, and it’ll be a challenge for the Dolphins defense. If Fields can clear concussion protocol before Monday’s game, remember he once ran for 178 yards against the Dolphins with the Bears in 2022, a regular-season record for a quarterback.

The quarterback run being part of New York’s offense puts the team just barely into the top 10 in league rushing offenses. The Dolphins have not been good against the run thus far, No. 28 in the NFL, as defensive tackle Zach Sieler is off to a slow start that he can turn around in a moment’s notice. The Jets are hurt up front by not having guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, but John Simpson is good at left guard and they have tackles drafted in back-to-back first rounds with Olu Fashanu on the left side and Armand Membou on the right side. Edge: Jets

When the Dolphins pass: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was largely managing the game in Buffalo, taking what the defense gave him and finding a downfield pass a few times it presented itself, but he also missed some opportunities to find his receivers with depth. And then, he threw the costly interception in the clutch, where linebacker Terrel Bernard made a great read. The Dolphins are 21st in passing offense, but remarkably, are keeping drives going as the NFL’s No. 1 third-down offense.

The turnovers need to stop, though, which Tagovailoa was doing a good job of for much of last Thursday night. The matchup with the Jets usually means wide receiver Tyreek Hill faces off against top Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, an All-Pro his first two seasons before he took a dip last year. New York doesn’t have a takeaway defensively yet this season, but it has the 14th-ranked pass defense and ninth-ranked third-down defense.

The Jets have six sacks as a team. Will McDonald has two of them, linebacker Quincy Williams can also apply pressure, and Quinnen Williams also offers interior pass rush. Patrick Paul should be reliable at left tackle, but Tagovailoa could be put in difficult predicaments with Smith and Borom protecting his blind side at right guard and right tackle. He could be going to the dumpoffs to Achane often again, getting the speedster the ball in space. Edge: Even

When the Jets pass: The offense doesn’t change much whether it’s Fields or Taylor behind center. Both are more of a threat to run than dangerous with their arm, but Taylor threw two touchdowns as he was 26 of 36 for 197 yards while throwing an interception and getting sacked four times against the Buccaneers last week.

His top target, wide receiver Garrett Wilson had a whopping 10 catches for 84 yards and one of the touchdowns. Wilson has the capability of going off against the Dolphins’ secondary and No. 21 pass defense, plus third-down defense that’s second-to-last in the league. With cornerbacks Storm Duck and Jason Marshall expected to be out, Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones should start on the boundary with different packages to create the team’s nickel set. Safety Ashtyn Davis played every snap against the Bills with Ifeatu Melifonwu out, and he faces his former team. Miami usually struggles covering tight ends, and New York has rookie Mason Taylor, the son of Dolphins great Jason Taylor.

The Dolphins, like the Jets, haven’t forced a turnover yet through three games and have six sacks — three coming from outside linebacker Bradley Chubb. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver wants him, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson and Matthew Judon getting home against the Jets’ young tackles, Fashanu and Membou. It would help if Sieler and rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant can also provide an uptick in the interior pass rush. Edge: Dolphins

Special teams: The Jets are just coming off a game where they had a game-changing play come on special teams, by way of a field goal block and return for a touchdown that nearly won them the game in Tampa. They just left the Bucs enough time to march down for another field goal attempt to win.

Like Dolphins kicker Riley Patterson, who has been filling in for the injured Jason Sanders, the Jets’ Nick Folk has made all his kicks thus far this season. Miami has a punt return for a touchdown this year, but remember, the Dolphins also surrendered a back-breaking kickoff return for a touchdown that followed it against New England. And twice in three games, they’ve been penalized for roughing punters, keeping the defense on the field on an extended drive. Edge: Jets

Intangibles: Both teams come in 0-3. The Jets could be a more loose team in the first year under new coach Aaron Glenn, but the Dolphins don’t seem like a group deterred by the early slump in Year 4 under coach Mike McDaniel. As a group with intentions of salvaging something out of this season, they need one bad at home against a division rival with extra rest coming off playing on Thursday night last week. Edge: Dolphins

PREDICTION: Dolphins 27, Jets 20

Dolphins Deep Dive: Prediction time — Will Miami get first win Monday night vs. Jets? | VIDEO