The New York Jets will make NFL history on November 24 when they play in the first Black Friday game, taking on the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium in Week 12 action.

And the Jets will be cheered on by fans in the United States and in the United Kingdom as they attempt to knock off the AFC East Division leaders one day after Thanksgiving.

The Jets and the Dolphins are holding a joint Watch Party at Shooter’s Bar in Manchester with more than 250 fans from both teams expected to be in attendance at the sold-out event. It will be the first-ever joint event held by two Global Markets Program teams in the same country.

The entire Sky Sports NFL team will also be there as I will be joined by Jason Bell, Phoebe Shecter, Jeff Reinebold and Hannah Wilkes. Our coverage of the AFC East showdown begins at 7.30pm on Sky Sports NFL. Representing the Jets on the night will be former NFL safety Erik Coleman, who made more than 650 tackles during a nine-year career in which he spent the period from 2004-2007 in New York.

Jets offensive lineman Max Mitchell said: “I think it’s really cool to play in the first-ever game on Black Friday. We’re going to have a ball and it will be really special. And it’s really cool to know we will be cheered on by Jets fans on either side of the Atlantic.”

The Jets will be led by Tim Boyle, who takes over quarterback duties from Zach Wilson. Boyle played college football at UConn and then Eastern Kentucky before entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2018, where he backed up Aaron Rodgers at the Green Bay Packers.

Boyle started three games for the Detroit Lions in 2021 and has thrown for 607 yards, three touchdowns and nine interceptions in his NFL career to date.

Head Coach Robert Saleh said: “Tim is a different style of quarterback. We want to give him an opportunity to do something with the offense.”

If Boyle can deliver the victory against a Dolphins team that has lost just three times this season, it will spark wild celebrations in New York and in Manchester!

New York Jets Player to Watch

Tim Boyle - Quarterback

He doesn’t have to be perfect, but Tim Boyle must awaken an offense that has scored nine touchdowns in 10 games. The Jets are likely to need points against the Dolphins because, even though their offense is not reaching the heights of earlier in the year, Miami are still likely to threaten the scoreboard. Finding Breece Hall out of the backfield (5 for 50 yards and a touchdown last week) would be a good place for Boyle to start.

Miami Dolphins Player to Watch

Tyreek Hill – Wide Receiver

The most explosive and dangerous receiver in the game today is going to present a serious challenge to a strong New York Jets defense on Black Friday. Tyreek Hill has caught 79 passes for 1,222 yards and nine touchdowns to lead the league. He is on pace for 2,077 receiving yards this season, which would smash the existing record of 1,964 yards set by Calvin Johnson, of the Lions, in 2012.

Stat Attack!

The Dolphins are a perfect 5-0 at home in 2023, averaging 38.8 points and 497.2 yards per game. But on the road they have a record of 2-3 with an average of 22.2 points per game and 370.8 yards per contest.

Keys to the game

While much attention falls on Miami’s passing attack, the Jets will first need to stop the run so the Dolphins cannot control the clock. The Jets play a fierce and commendable style of defense, but that unit has been under great pressure. If the offense can pick up, perhaps it will help a D that has been overworked. New York’s opponents have run an average of 67.1 plays per game (fifth-most in the NFL) and controlled the clock to an average of 32:23 per game (second-most in the league).

Whether it be through maintaining drives of their own or getting off the field on defense, those numbers have to be turned into the Jets’ favour. Also, in this particular game, creating turnovers and presenting Boyle with a shorter field could be key. And opportunities might be there. As good as he has been this season, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown eight interceptions and has fumbled nine times (third-most in the league) in 10 games.