Dolphins could face Jets minus Byron Jones and Xavien Howard, only part of what's ailing D

MIAMI GARDENS — This was supposed to be the week everything changed.

The Dolphins-Jets game was going to be the first time this season the Dolphins had their secondary intact. Byron Jones would be eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list following offseason surgery on his leg. His opposite cornerback, Xavien Howard, would be doing what Xavien Howard always does.

And the Dolphins’ defense would again look like the Dolphins’ defense.

None of that is happening.

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Jones isn’t ready. Howard might not be, either, and even if he is, there’s a question of whether he’ll be up to his usual standards because of a groin problem that has kept him out of practice this week. Put them together and it helps explain how Miami’s defense — especially its pass defense — hasn’t been what it used to be.

After working to keep the defense intact from 2021, the Dolphins have sunk to 28th in the NFL in total defense and 31st in pass defense. At least the Dolphins are 11th against the run and 16th in points allowed.

Put it together and it’s not hard to predict what’s in store vs. the Jets, whose offense tilts toward the pass. With quarterback Zach Wilson back from injury, he’s likely to test who’s back there for Miami.

“They do have a nice receiving corps, a lot of fast guys that can run good routes,” said cornerback Kader Kohou, an undrafted rookie out of Texas A&M Commerce who has been a pleasant surprise. “So it’s going to be a challenge, but nothing we haven’t been prepared for.”

Kohou is earning coaches’ trust every week and seems likely to start for the third straight game opposite Nik Needham. But you can’t go the distance with only two corners. Another young corner, Keion Crossen, might normally help fill the void, but he hasn’t practiced this week because of glute and shoulder injuries. Other options include Justin Bethel and Noah Igbinoghene, who has spent as much time on the inactive list as in uniform dating back to last year. The Dolphins also could toss Elijah Campbell into the mix, or, in an emergency, press cornerback-turned-safety Eric Rowe to his old spot.

That’s so many missing pieces that it bears repeating: The tandem was supposed to be Howard-Jones.

“You make plans with them and you make plans without them,” defensive coordinator Josh Boyer said.

Coach Mike McDaniel said the team will be patient with Jones.

“We’re still going to take our time with it,” he said. “It’s not progressing as fast as we obviously had hoped, from the spring into the summer. But there hasn’t been a major setback or anything. I won’t put a dude on the field unless he has complete stability.”

Regardless of who’s lining up opposite Jets receivers Corey Davis (261 yards, 17.4 average, two TDs), Garrett Wilson (255 yards, 12.8, two TDs) and Elijah Moore (192 yards, 12.8), plus tight end Tyler Conklin (192 yards), the results need to improve for Miami’s defense.

Start with yards conceded. Miami is giving up more than 70 yards per game over last season, 299.3 on average. Passers’ completion percentage is up from 61.3 to 68.2 and passer rating from 85.4 to 107.1.

The Dolphins aren’t getting interceptions (only one, in the opener by Jevon Holland) or sacks. Boyer still loves to blitz, sending them 37.9 percent of the time, which is more than all but three teams, but the Dolphins have only seven sacks, which is tied for 22nd in the NFL. The defense also can’t get off the field, allowing third-down conversions 50 percent of the time, which ranks 30th.

Needham said the defense has held “extra meetings to make sure we all know what’s going on and communication is going well.”

Rowe pointed to slow starts.

“The first drive, the offense is kind of just taking it down on us,” he said. “We need to start fast on defense, get three and out. We’re always starting slow and then we pick it up and then we’re playing like we’re supposed to play.”

Takeaways are one avenue toward improvement. But two fumble recoveries by Melvin Ingram and one by Jaelan Phillips are the only other turnovers to go with Holland’s interception. Howard not only is still looking for his first, but his injury appears to be forcing him to play off receivers to not get beat deep. Pro Football Focus has Howard in the unaccustomed spot of 83rd among 105 cornerbacks. The eye-opener: Kohou is 10th.

Needham, for one, looks forward to Jones’ return.

“Byron is a great character guy,” Needham said. “He always brings that energy. So we definitely missed that. And just a good leader. I learned a lot from him throughout my years here. I can’t wait for him to get back out there.”

Hal Habib covers the Dolphins for The Post. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Xavien Howard's injury compounds issues for Miami Dolphins' secondary